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.

A fairytale prize... quite literally🐉Whether your defending your kingdom or laying siege to your enemies, this Papo Cast...
05/09/2026

A fairytale prize... quite literally🐉

Whether your defending your kingdom or laying siege to your enemies, this Papo Castle Bundle is here for all your fantasy fun - complete with nine medieval figurines!

Here’s how you can enter:

🏰 Follow on Instagram
🏰 Like & save this post
🏰 Sign up to our Online Shop newsletter via the link in bio (scroll to the bottom of the online shop page and sign up under ‘Stay Connected’)

Competition closes on 25th September 2026. The winner will be selected randomly from their entry on this post. The winner will only be contacted through their email address from a Royal Armouries contact. Entrants must be aged 18+ to be eligible.

Please be aware that there will be blank firing in the Tiltyard on Wednesday 9th September. This is not for public displ...
04/09/2026

Please be aware that there will be blank firing in the Tiltyard on Wednesday 9th September. This is not for public display, but will cause some noise disturbance.

If you have any concerns or questions please drop us a message.

A Passport from 700 Years Ago?Long before the modern passport, the Mongol Empire used objects like these gerege, or paiz...
04/09/2026

A Passport from 700 Years Ago?

Long before the modern passport, the Mongol Empire used objects like these gerege, or paiza, to show that its bearer was travelling with official authority. The Mongolian name gerege meaning “that which bears witness.”

Used by messengers travelling along the Mongol Empire's vast postal-road network, a gerege like this gave its bearer the right to requisition room and board (usually official travelers stayed in tents), fresh horses and even an es**rt as they travelled from station to station.

Rather than a passport as we know it today, the gerege was a powerful symbol of authority and part of the extraordinary communications network that helped connect the Mongol Empire.

See this gerege on display as part of our Genghis Khan exhibition, on loan from the Chinggis Khaan National Museum.

📍 Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds, 4th Floor

For when you're all out of best wishes and warm regardsThank you to for the inspiration!
03/09/2026

For when you're all out of best wishes and warm regards

Thank you to for the inspiration!

What could the next generation of British military sniper ri**es look like?In our final episode filmed with Beretta Defe...
02/09/2026

What could the next generation of British military sniper ri**es look like?

In our final episode filmed with Beretta Defense Technologies UK, Jonathan & co. examine the Sako TRG M10 and discuss Project SHAMER.

And naturally, Jonathan couldn't examine them without finding out what they were like to shoot...

Watch now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TspU8n-owhI&lc=Ugwh3a5nPKiGQ_jnNlR4AaABAg

We always try to provide a 'large scope' of silhouettes in our What is this Weapon series...Have a guess and join Jonath...
02/09/2026

We always try to provide a 'large scope' of silhouettes in our What is this Weapon series...

Have a guess and join Jonathan and special guests at 16:30 on YouTube.

Robert Dudley, famed situationship of Elizabeth I, had great taste when it came to armour.This field and tilt armour dat...
30/08/2026

Robert Dudley, famed situationship of Elizabeth I, had great taste when it came to armour.

This field and tilt armour dates from about 1575, and is thought to have been made for Dudley to wear at the entertainment he staged for the queen at Kenilworth Castle that year.

The armour was made at the Greenwich Royal Workshop under Master Workman John Kelte, and has a surviving matching shaffron (horse head defence).

📍Royal Armouries Museum, Tournament Gallery, 2nd Floor

Find out more about this armour: https://royalarmouries.org/collection/object/object-3335

Did you know that Leeds was one of Britain’s top producers of am******on for big guns during the World Wars?Mainly staff...
30/08/2026

Did you know that Leeds was one of Britain’s top producers of am******on for big guns during the World Wars?

Mainly staffed by women, the Barnbow factory near Crossgates was the top shell factory between 1914 and 1918, and was fired up again for World War II 🏭

In this display case, you’re looking at a replica of the 25-pounder shells made at Barnbow during the Second World War.

We’ve loved spotlighting this piece (or should we say, wedge?) of history as part of the Trivial Pursuit trail, celebrating 400 years of Leeds 💛

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Frame of the Month. 📸Each month, our resident photographer and Digital Marketing Officer, Josh Heeley, shares a favourit...
29/08/2026

Frame of the Month. 📸

Each month, our resident photographer and Digital Marketing Officer, Josh Heeley, shares a favourite image captured by him from the museum.

This month's frame takes us back to Re:Loaded, our exhibition which explored some of the most spectacularly decorated fi****ms in the Royal Armouries collection.

At the centre of the frame is a lavishly decorated Walther PP, made in Germany in 1975. Its golden appearance might bring to mind James Bond's famous Walther PPK, or perhaps Scaramanga's rather more extravagant weapon from The Man with the Golden Gun, released just a year earlier.

Reflections, a glass prism filter on the camera and the colourful lighting of the exhibition create this more abstract object photo.

Re:Loaded may have left our galleries but the questions it explored around weapons, beauty, status and craftsmanship remain part of the stories held within our collection.

Stuck for what to do this bank holiday?How about exploring 700 years of history with live shows*, craft activities and f...
28/08/2026

Stuck for what to do this bank holiday?

How about exploring 700 years of history with live shows*, craft activities and family trails... all for free ⚔️

Open 10am-5pm every day this weekend.

*Mongolian Horse Shows running 11am and 2pm (weather permitting☔)

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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