1. About us

The Royal Armouries is the national museum of arms and armour for the United Kingdom. It is the oldest museum in the country and home to one of the great collections of arms and armour in the world.

2. Tower of London Events

Experience 1000 years of history at the world famous White Tower at the Tower of London, home to the Royal Armouries.

Special exhibitions
Object handling area
Interactive area

Click here for more information about current events in the White Tower.

3. Research

The Royal Armouries encourages research into arms and armour and related subjects from all periods of history from antiquity to the present day.

4. Specialist Enquiries

Our team of specialists are able to answer all kinds of enquiries on the subject of arms and armour, related material, and of course its related history and the history of the Tower of London.

5. Hall of Steel

The Hall of Steel is one of the central features of the museum in Leeds. It can be seen from every floor, where it offers views of mass displays of arms and armour, over 2500 objects.

6. Robert Coltman Clephan

A brief account of the work and life of Robert Coltman Clephan (1839-1922)

7. Baron de Cosson

A brief account of the work and life of Baron de Cosson (1846-1929)

8. Harold Arthur Lee-Dillon

A brief account of the life and work of Harold Arthur Lee-Dillon, 17th Viscount of Costello-Gallen (1844-1932)

9. Charles John ffoulkes

A brief account of the life and work of Charles John ffoulkes (1868-1947)

10. John Hewitt

A brief account of the life and work of John Hewitt (1807-1878)

11. Sir Guy Francis Laking

A brief account of the life and work of Sir Guy Francis Laking (1875-1919)

12. Lt. Gen. Augustus Henry Lane Fox Pitt Rivers

A brief account of the life and work of Lt. Gen. Augustus Henry Lane Fox Pitt Rivers (1827-1900)

13. Sir James Mann

A brief account of the life and work of Sir James Mann (1897-1962)

14. Samuel Rush Meyrick

A brief account of the life and work of Samuel Rush Meyrick (1783-1848)

15. Video

See all of the Royal Armouries videos here in one place. These have all been posted on YouTube™.

16. Oriental Gallery

The Oriental gallery in the Royal Armouries museum in Leeds.

17. The Arms and Armour Society

The Arms and Armour Society is one of the leading groups in the world of those concerned with the study, collection and preservation of arms and armour.

18. Collection

The Royal Armouries collection consists of arms, armour and artillery dating from antiquity to the present day, fine and decorative arts, a special collection of material relating to the history of the Tower of London, a library and archives.

19. White Tower Galleries

Today the Royal Armouries displays in the White Tower tell the story of the Tower Armouries evolution from working national arsenal to national museum.

20. Collections Database

The object catalogue is a searchable database of the Royal Armouries collections presented through its image library and digital archives.

21. Explore Littlecote House (without Flash)

Study the English Civil War through exploring Littlecote House. This section does not use Adobe Flash®.

22. Great Hall in Littlecote House

Littlecote House was home to the greatest surviving English Civil Wars armoury. Explore the photograph of the Great Hall and learn more about the arms and armour.

23. Colonel Alexander Popham

Colonel Alexander Popham was commander in the Parliamentarian army during the English Civil Wars. He was also the owner of Littlecote House, which was an armoury and garrison.

24. Friday Lunchtime Lectures

Our lively Friday lunchtime lecture programme has been designed to give specialist insight into aspects of the Royal Armouries magnificent collection of arms and armour.

25. Leeds Events

Summer holiday events for all the family.

Click here for more information about current events in Leeds.

26. Home

Royal Armouries – National Museum of Arms and Armour, keeper of Tower of London history, and the National Collection of Artillery. Museums in Leeds, West Yorkshire; Tower of London; and Fareham, Portsmouth, Hampshire.

27. Peace - Farewell to Arms?

Farewell to Arms? has been created in conjunction with The Peace Museum, Bradford. It focuses on the idea of CONVERSION – from war to peace, from weapons and armour to useful tools or symbolic images.

28. Fit for a King

See five hundred years of spectacular royal armour, offering a fascinating insight into the personalities, power and physical size of England’s kings. Opens 1st April 2010, Tower of London.

29. The decoration of arms and armour

Have you ever considered armour as works of art – sculptures in steel? Discover more about the art of the armourer and take a fresh look at some of our most decorative pieces, including 16th-century Renaissance armour.