Royal Armouries Museum

About the museum

The Royal Armouries is one of the oldest museum collections in Britain, and for centuries its arms and armour were kept and shown at the Tower of London. As the collection grew, there was too little room for it in the Tower. In the 1990s a new purpose-built museum was therefore planned in Leeds, on the Clarence Dock waterfront, and the Royal Armouries Museum opened there in 1996 at a cost of about 42.5 million pounds.

The building was one of the early projects in Britain to be built and operated through a private finance arrangement. Its large atrium, known as the Hall of Steel, is decorated with thousands of weapons and pieces of armour and rises through the six floors of the museum. The Royal Armouries is a national museum sponsored by the government, and the Leeds museum holds the national collection of arms and armour, while the artillery collection is at Fort Nelson in Hampshire.

The galleries on war, tournament, self defence and the Asian and African world show more than 4,500 objects from ancient times to the present day. Alongside the displays the museum is known for its live interpretation, with daily shows and combat demonstrations by costumed staff, its outdoor tournaments and jousting events, and its education programme. Entry is free.

Highlights

• Hall of Steel, an atrium decorated with thousands of weapons and armours
• Indian elephant armour in the Asian and African gallery
• Armour made for Henry VIII in the Tournament gallery
• Free daily live shows and combat demonstrations
• Jousting tournaments and horse shows in the Tiltyard
• Escape Room and Crossbow Challenge as paid extras

Founded

1996

Operated by

Royal Armouries

Visitors per year

approx. 240,000 (2019)

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Entry to the museum, all galleries, the daily live shows and the combat demonstrations is free. Charges may apply for special events, exhibitions, the Escape Room and the Crossbow Challenge.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The entrance in Armouries Square is step-free and has automatic sliding doors, and all public areas and galleries can be reached by lift. Four manual wheelchairs can be borrowed free of charge on a first come, first served basis, and mobility scooters are permitted. A Changing Places toilet is on the ground floor (RADAR key from reception), and accessible toilets are on the ground floor and on floors 1, 2 and 4. Five free Blue Badge spaces are about 100 metres from the entrance, and about 40 further Blue Badge bays are in the CitiPark multi-storey car park. Hearing loops are at reception, the café and shop tills and the booking desks, but not yet in the performance areas of the galleries. Assistance dogs are welcome and a water bowl is provided in the café. Sensory backpacks with ear defenders can be borrowed, large print booklets of the Treasures trail are available, and a quiet room is on the first floor. Gallery films have closed captions. Light levels in the galleries are low to protect the objects.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations
• Baby changing facilities

There are family activities in every school holiday, free live shows with costumed performers, object handling sessions and a Treasures trail. Horse shows take place in selected school holidays. The café has a children's menu. Baby changing facilities are on the first and second floors, and sensory backpacks are available for children on the autism spectrum.

Getting there & parking

Do not stop in the no stopping zone on Armouries Drive; use the drop-off bays outside the Royal Armouries Arena.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop
• Lockers

The Masters café on the ground floor has indoor and outdoor seating overlooking the canal and a children's menu; it takes card payments only. The shop is next to the café. Visitors can bring their own food to the indoor picnic area on the 4th floor or the picnic tables in Armouries Square. 25 lockers on the ground floor need a non-refundable 1 pound coin.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

Venue hire is offered at the Leeds museum.

Plan your visit