York Army Museum

About the museum

York Army Museum occupies the Tower Street drill hall, a building put up in 1885 as the headquarters of a volunteer artillery unit. During the twentieth century it housed several local military units, and from 1958 it served as the regimental headquarters of the Prince of Wales’s Own Regiment of Yorkshire and later of its successor, the Yorkshire Regiment.

A military museum opened in the building in 1984 to show the story of the regiments based there. Its collections were later expanded with the help of lottery funding. Today the museum looks after the objects of the Royal Dragoon Guards and of the Prince of Wales’s Own Regiment of Yorkshire, and it is building up a collection for the modern Yorkshire Regiment.

The displays cover more than three centuries of British military history. Visitors can see weapons, uniforms, medals and personal belongings that show the lives of soldiers in peace and in war. The museum also offers learning activities, family trails and evening tours, and it works to make the galleries welcoming to visitors with a wide range of needs.

Highlights

• Collections of the Royal Dragoon Guards and the Prince of Wales’s Own Regiment of Yorkshire
• Weapons, uniforms, medals and personal items from over 300 years of army history
• Twilight Tours of the lit display cases after closing time
• Family trails, a Nursery Rhyme Trail and a TANKS! computer game
• Sensory backpacks, 3D digital objects and a platform stairlift to the galleries

Permanent exhibitions

• Royal Dragoon Guards collection – Weapons, uniforms, medals and personal items that follow the history of the Royal Dragoon Guards and the regiments that joined to form it.
• Yorkshire Regiment collection – Objects from the Prince of Wales’s Own Regiment of Yorkshire and its modern successor, the Yorkshire Regiment.

Founded

1984

Admission & discounts

Tickets are valid all day and for 12 months from purchase. Service personnel including veterans get 25% off. Members of the regimental associations enter free. MAX Card holders enter free (up to 2 adults and 2 children). York Residents Card holders, York Mix+ members and York City Sightseeing ticket holders get 25% off.

Accessibility

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

The street entrance is step-free. Eleven steps lead down to the galleries, and a platform stairlift is available. A wheelchair can be borrowed. Free sensory backpacks with tactile objects, fidget tools and ear defenders are available, and magnifying aids can be borrowed from reception. Visitors can ask staff for a quieter moment. Audio-described experiences and 3D digital interpretation are offered. Companions and carers are admitted free. Only assistance animals are allowed.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations
• Stroller-friendly

Family trails and challenges run all year, with activity sheets available on arrival, and there is a Nursery Rhyme Trail for younger children. Craft sessions, storytelling and occasional object handling are offered, although most objects cannot be touched. Children under five are welcome, with rhyme times and activities for babies and toddlers. The TANKS! computer game and Morse code challenges appeal to older children. Free nappy bags, nappies and wipes are available in the toilets or from reception.

Getting there & parking

The museum is opposite Clifford’s Tower and next to the Hilton hotel.

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available
• Coat check: not available

There is no café on site, but a ticket allows visitors to leave and return on the same day; cafés and restaurants are nearby. Bags and luggage cannot be stored.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit