Fusilier Museum Warwick
Free regimental museum in Warwick telling 350 years of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment and the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, with a replica First World War trench.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The museum looks after the story of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, whose origins go back to 1674, when troops were raised to fight alongside the Dutch against France. The regiment took the name Royal Warwickshire Regiment in 1881, grew to thirty-one battalions in the First World War and fought at Dunkirk and on D-Day. In 1968 it merged with three other fusilier regiments to form the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.
The regimental museum first opened in 1961 in St John's House in Warwick, which the regimental trustees acquired together with Warwickshire County Council. A major refurbishment supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund led to a reopening in 2001. In April 2023 the museum moved to Pageant House on Jury Street, where it now occupies two first-floor rooms reached from a ground-floor reception.
The collection includes uniforms, weapons, medals, diaries, letters, paintings, enamels, photographs and silverware. The displays run from the regiment's early campaigns through the wars of the twentieth century to recent service in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan. The museum is a registered charity run by trustees and depends on donations and volunteers.
Highlights
- Replica First World War trench with sound, images and hands-on elements
- Model of the 1852 wreck of the Birkenhead
- Second World War area with puzzles, touch-screen quizzes and dressing-up items
- Medals and personal items from both World Wars
- Bobby the regimental mascot and the story of Hannah Snell
- Free admission
Permanent exhibitions
- Room 1: early history of the regiment – Covers the regiment from its founding in 1674 to the end of Queen Victoria's reign, including a detailed model of the wreck of the Birkenhead.
- Room 2: First World War trench to the present day – A replica trench with sound and images leads into displays on the two World Wars and later service in Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan, ending with a book of remembrance.
- Founded
- 1961
- Operated by
- Royal Regiment of Fusiliers Museum (Royal Warwickshire), registered charity
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 15 · Under-16s are free. |
|---|---|
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · Carers are free. |
| Groups | –Group visits are arranged in advance; a guided tour for groups is available on request. |
Admission is free for everyone, including serving military, veterans, over-65s and students. The museum receives no direct government funding and asks visitors for voluntary donations; Gift Aid can be added to donations by UK taxpayers.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: not available
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The galleries are on one carpeted level, and wheelchair users can reach all displays. The museum is on the first floor and is reached from the ground floor by a stairlift; staff arrange access if you book ahead or phone from the Pageant House lobby. There is an accessible toilet on the ground floor and a hearing loop at reception. British Sign Language interpretation is provided for the main audio presentations. There is no parking at the museum; the council car parks nearby include a few disabled bays.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 15 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Hands-on stations
- Baby changing facilities
The museum describes itself as family friendly. The Second World War area has puzzles, touch-screen quizzes and dressing-up items, and the trench display has sound and visual effects. Out-of-hours sessions for youth and family groups include dressing up, crafts and treasure hunts. A baby-changing facility is in the accessible toilet on the ground floor.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Warwick railway station · 10-min walk
Warwick railway station is about a 10-minute walk away, with trains from Birmingham, Solihull, Stratford, Banbury and London Marylebone. The Central Bus Station on Bowling Green Street is about a 7-minute walk away.
By car
No on-site parking at the museum.
There is no parking at the museum. Council pay and display car parks nearby include Castle Lane (CV34 4BT, about 3 minutes), New Street (CV34 4RX, about 5 minutes), The Butts, Priory Road and Westgate (about 6 to 7 minutes) and St Nicholas Park (about 10 minutes); charges start at 1.30 pounds for one hour.
By car, Warwick is about 7 minutes from Junction 15 of the M40 via the A429.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café: not available
- Museum shop
No food or drink is sold at the museum; cafes and takeaways are nearby, and Pageant Gardens behind the museum is a picnic spot in dry weather. The shop at reception sells books, replica medals, regimental items and low-cost souvenirs.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Groups are encouraged to pre-book, and guided tours are available on request. Out-of-hours sessions with talks and craft workshops can be arranged. Learning sessions are offered for primary pupils and for Key Stage 3 and older students. |
