Royal Armouries Museum Leeds

An almost complete metal armour for a war elephant. Probably made in India in the late 17th or 18th century, it weighs 118 kg and is the only example of its kind in a public collection. Look closely for the rare swords designed to fit over the elephant’s tusks. In 2004, Guinness World Records recognised it as the world’s largest suit of animal armour.

Discover the striking Lion Armour, made around 1550 and thought to have belonged to Henry II of France. Look closely for the lion faces embossed into the metal, and the helmet’s open jaws framing the wearer’s face. Attributed to Milan’s celebrated Negroli family, this extraordinary armour shows how craftsmanship could turn royal protection into a powerful statement.

Look closely at one of our most prized treasures: a striking sword from China’s early Ming dynasty. Gold, silver and semi-precious stones decorate its hilt and scabbard, while a fierce mask guards the wearer as a Buddhist symbol of protection. Prized as a mark of rank and status, this sword may have been an imperial gift to a powerful Tibetan monastery.

Discover a rare prototype of the world’s first automatic machine gun. Inventor Hiram Maxim harnessed the recoil from each shot to load the next, transforming how wars were fought—with devastating human consequences. Only three of these experimental guns are known to survive, and this is considered the oldest.

Get closer to a piece of science-fiction cinema: the M-41A pulse rifle, made for Aliens (1986) and rebuilt for Alien 3 (1992). Designed by James Cameron and brought to life by film armourers, its futuristic exterior conceals a modified Second World War Thompson sub-machine gun. Discover how real weapons helped create an imagined future.

Made for a king. Never finished. Discover the 235-part armour designed to protect Henry VIII from head to toe—until a last-minute change to tournament rules halted work in 1520.