Royal Armouries Museum

Address: Royal Armouries (collections at the Tower of London and Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds) - White Tower, Tower of London, London EC3N 4AB, United Kingdom

Website: https://www.royalarmouries.org/

Hours: Varies by site: Tower of London and White Tower visiting hours seasonal (typically 9:00am-5:30pm); Royal Armouries Leeds hours (typical Tue-Sun 10am-5pm) - check website

Admission: Free (entry to many Royal Armouries displays is free; special exhibitions may charge)

The Royal Armouries is the United Kingdom’s national museum of arms and armour, maintaining the national collection and public displays in multiple locations including the Leeds museum and exhibitions at the Tower of London. The institution preserves historic weapons, armour, and artillery spanning several centuries.

At the Leeds site visitors encounter large thematic galleries covering arms and armour from medieval times to the modern era, with objects from Europe, Asia and beyond; the Tower of London displays present items in a historic fortress setting. Exhibitions include artillery, small arms, ceremonial armour and rotating special displays.

The Royal Armouries institution traces its origins to the royal collection held at the Tower of London; the modern Leeds museum opened in 1996 to create a major public home for the national collection and broaden access. The Tower of London continues to display elements of the collection in situ.

The Royal Armouries’ main museum is in Leeds, West Yorkshire, while additional historic displays are located at the Tower of London in central London, adjacent to the Tower Bridge area.

• National collection: Houses the United Kingdom’s national collection of arms and armour, with major public displays at the Leeds museum and historic exhibitions at the Tower of London.

What to See#

• Leeds Museum: The Royal Armouries in Leeds is the national museum’s main public site, housing large galleries of European and global arms and armour and mounted displays.
• Tower of London displays: The Royal Armouries maintains historic displays at the Tower of London, where parts of the national collection remain on public show in the Tower’s historic buildings.

The White Tower is within the Tower of London complex, reached by Tower Hill Underground station (Circle and District lines) and by buses along the north bank of the Thames. The Royal Armouries Museum is in Leeds at Armouries Drive; Leeds city centre is a short bus or taxi ride from the rail station.

• If in London, see the White Tower armory displays and then cross-check with the larger Royal Armouries collection in Leeds if time permits - different displays and emphases.
• Check for live demonstrations and hands-on events - the Armouries often runs public displays of historical weapons and drill.
• Visit early on busy days to avoid school groups around the galleries.