Royal Armouries

Royal Armouries We are the UK's National Museum of Arms and Armour. The Royal Armouries is home to the United Kingdom’s national collection of arms, armour and artillery.
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You will find our museum collections across Leeds, Fort Nelson in Portsmouth and The White Tower at the Tower of London. Entry into the museum is FREE.

Museum entrance changes ⚠️On Wednesday 1 July and Thursday 2 July, the main entrance to the Leeds museum will be closed....
23/06/2026

Museum entrance changes ⚠️

On Wednesday 1 July and Thursday 2 July, the main entrance to the Leeds museum will be closed.

Please enter via the West (Side) Entrance to the building. Anyone with accessibility needs will be able to use the main entrance.

A sword that once belonged to the real-life Citizen Kane?This is the Writhen Hilt sword, dating from the late 15th Centu...
23/06/2026

A sword that once belonged to the real-life Citizen Kane?

This is the Writhen Hilt sword, dating from the late 15th Century and most likely German.

As well as being undeniably beautiful with its organic form resembling a gnarled stave or entwined vines, it also has a fascinating history. In the 19th century, the sword found its way into the collection of businessman, politician and newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, who primarily inspired Orson Welles' famous character Charles Foster Kane.

The Royal Armouries came to acquire the writhen hilt sword in 1952, after Hearst’s death in 1951.

📍War Gallery, Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds

19/06/2026

1 week to go ⚔️

Our new special exhibition, Genghis Khan: How the Mongols Changed the World, is nearly ready for you. Discover over 250 rare objects from Mongolia that explore the impact of Genghis Khan and the Mongol empire.

Book your ticket now: https://royalarmouries.org/leeds/whats-on/genghis-khan

Produced by Nomad Exhibitions in association with Château des ducs de Bretagne (officiel)

Image: Portrait of Chinggis Khan © Chinggis Khaan National Museum

POV: you're inside our 18ft Waterloo diorama 👀This day, June 18th, in 1815, marked the final chapter of the Revolutionar...
18/06/2026

POV: you're inside our 18ft Waterloo diorama 👀

This day, June 18th, in 1815, marked the final chapter of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Fought between six Allied nations and the First French Empire, this campaign ended over 20 years of European conflict and marked Napoleon Bonaparte’s final defeat.

Find our Waterloo display in our War Gallery at the Royal Armouries Museum Leeds or discover stories from the battle on our website: https://royalarmouries.org/objects-and-stories/stories/waterloo-1815

Two contemporary fi****ms this week, in collaboration with Beretta Defense TechnologiesIn this special episode Jonathan ...
17/06/2026

Two contemporary fi****ms this week, in collaboration with Beretta Defense Technologies

In this special episode Jonathan looks at two entrants for Project GRAYBURN, the UK's initiative to select a future service rifle.

Watch now on YouTube: https://youtu.be/EmHp1qD5zxE

We have a rather exciting and special episode today... but we'll let you be the guessers of that.Join Jonathan and speci...
17/06/2026

We have a rather exciting and special episode today... but we'll let you be the guessers of that.

Join Jonathan and special guests at 16:30 to see if you were right.

Here's one for the nature lovers 🐌🥬🐍The entire surface of this armour is beautifully etched and gilt with a design of in...
15/06/2026

Here's one for the nature lovers 🐌🥬🐍

The entire surface of this armour is beautifully etched and gilt with a design of interlaced eared or dog-faced snakes, joined by foliage and delicate flowers. Amongst the flora are birds, tufty-eared squirrels, gambolling hares, dragonflies and snails (some with wings, can you spot them?). Much of the gilding survives, showing how the artist used the contrasting gold to accentuate the etched design.

This three-quarter field armour was made at around the end of the 16th or the start of the 17th century, and belonged to Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton.

📍War Gallery, Royal Armouries Museum

14/06/2026

Think Genghis Khan was born into power? Think again.

Before becoming one of history's most powerful men, he was a starving outcast whose family was abandoned by their tribe after his father's death. He survived poverty, betrayal, and captivity long before he built an empire.

To find out more about Temujin, visit our new exhibition, opening June 26th: https://royalarmouries.org/leeds/whats-on/genghis-khan

Job alert! 📣Fancy working for the UK's national museum of arms and armour? We have two exciting new vacancies within our...
14/06/2026

Job alert! 📣

Fancy working for the UK's national museum of arms and armour? We have two exciting new vacancies within our HR team:

- Head of HR Operations
- HR Business Partner & Projects

📍Leeds
⏰3rd July

For more details and to apply: https://careers.royalarmouries.org/vacancies

Address

Armouries Drive
Leeds
LS101LT

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
Sunday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+441132201999

Website

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