York Army Museum

02/06/2026

We are celebrating Volunteers’ Week 2026, a national celebration of the incredible people who give their time, skills, enthusiasm and energy to support organisations and communities across the UK.

At our museum, volunteers play a vital role in everything we do. From welcoming visitors and supporting events to researching collections and sharing stories from the past, their contribution helps us bring history to life every day.

Volunteers’ Week is our opportunity to say a huge thank you to every volunteer who has supported us over the years. Your dedication, curiosity and generosity make a real difference to our museum and to everyone who visits.

We look forward to celebrating our volunteers throughout the week and sharing some of the amazing work they do both behind the scenes and frontline.

Army Museums Network

📸: volunteers and staff on a volunteer trip to visit our friends Kohima Museum

02/06/2026

Last week our staff took our new interactive game TANKS! to Norwich Games Festival - they had a fantastic time. Thank-you Norwich and for making them so welcome. We'll be sharing more about our visit, our Tanks! game and the Royal Dragoon Guards links with Norwich over the coming days.
Army Museums Network

17/05/2026

08/05/2026

Today, on the anniversary of VE Day, we remember the stories of love, hope, resilience and reunion that marked the end of the Second World War.

We are honoured to be hosting Save a Place at the Table, a moving community project created by our friends at Pannett Art Gallery. Through memories shared by local people, carers’ organisations, residents of Larpool Care Home and Whitby Dementia Friendly Communities, the project captures personal stories of wartime life, homecomings, rationing and celebrations at the end of the war.

These memories have been transformed into a beautiful textile installation featuring twelve hand-stitched place settings, each commemorating loved ones remembered through the interviews — fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, aunts and friends.

Now on display at York Army Museum, the exhibition has already touched many visitors, who describe it as powerful, poignant and deeply moving. Many of the original recordings gathered during the project can also be heard in the gallery on a special ‘radio’ installation, allowing visitors to listen to these memories in the voices of those who shared them.

As we mark VE Day today, we invite you to reflect on the sacrifices, courage and community spirit of those who lived through the war — and to remember the importance of keeping their stories alive for future generations.

04/05/2026

This we are sharing the secret behind Star Wars blasters: they’re (almost) real

Did you know that many of the weapons in Star Wars are based on real ones? That’s right movie makers didn’t just invent them. They started with real objects and turned them into something from a galaxy far, far away.

Han Solo’s Blaster: Han Solo’s famous blaster actually began life as a real gun called the Ma**er C96. It’s over 100 years old! The movie team: added a scope, stuck on extra parts and made it look futuristic. But underneath it's still the same shape.

Stormtrooper Blasters: those white-armoured stormtroopers? Their blasters are based on a real British gun called the Sterling submachine gun, which itself was a improvement of the Sten gun.
The prop designers kept the main body of the gun, added sci-fi details and turned it into something new. How did they do this?
The creators used a trick called kitbashing: you take a real object, add bits and pieces to create something totally different. It's like building a Lego model—but with real-world items! And because the shapes are real the weapons look believable, feel like they could actually work and help to make the story more exciting.

Next time you watch Star Wars try to spot some of these iconic firearems. You might be surprised how much of the galaxy is built from our own world!
📸: Han Solo with Blaster [Lucasfilm/20th Century Fox]; Sterling submachine gun [Naval History and Heritage Command]; Stormtroopers [Lucasfilm Ltd]
Army Museums Network

03/05/2026

Our mini figure of the Duke of Wellington dreams of battling in a galaxy far, far away this May the Fourth. If you're visiting this Bank Holiday Monday see if you can spot all the historic mini figures in our displays
🌌⭐️

01/05/2026

📣 A remarkable new acquisition has arrived at the museum today, a collection of medals and personal ephemera, offering a powerful glimpse into the life and service of Arthur Watts of the 6th Inniskilling Dragoons.

Secured at auction, this extraordinary collection brings together not only Arthur Watts’ own medals and personal effects, but also items connected to his family’s wider military story: at heart of this collection are First World War medals including the 1914–15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal, and a French Croix de Guerre, alongside a 1911 Delhi Durbar medal and Long Service and Good Conduct medal, reflecting distinguished careers.

However, the collection goes far beyond medals. It includes uniforms, caps, a solar helmet, cavalry equipment, and even a British cavalry lance complete with pennant. Personal items such as Arthur’s paybook, photograph albums, and a large body of ephemera and photographs help to bring his experiences vividly to life. Particularly striking are the intimate glimpses into regimental life, including a leather-bound album from the Sergeant’s Mess of the Inniskilling Dragoons.

Intriguingly, the group contains medals awarded to G. Watts of the 20th Hussars and later the RAF, hinting at a broader family tradition of service across multiple conflicts and branches of the armed forces.

This acquisition represents an exciting opportunity for us to explore not just one soldier’s story, but the interconnected histories of cavalry regiments, imperial service, and life in the British Army across the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Our team is now beginning the careful process of cataloguing, researching, and conserving the collection. We look forward to sharing more insights, stories, and behind-the-scenes work as we uncover the full significance of these fascinating objects.
Army Museums Network The Royal Dragoon Guards

01/05/2026

The programme is now available for the York Festival of Ideas - have a browse and decide which of the fantastic free events you're going to attend. We've partnered with East Yorkshire Regiment Living History Group for the festival and you can enjoy our discovering D-Day commemorative event at the Eye of York on 6 June, or visit a display about WW2 East Yorkshire Regiment soldier and novelist Dan Billany throughout the Festival.
Army Museums Network

The 2026 Festival programme is available NOW! Why not browse our inspiring (mostly free) events and book your tickets today?

Don’t miss world-class speakers, performances, guided tours, family-friendly activities and more.

yorkfestivalofideas.com

27/04/2026

Monday 27 April
We are closed due to staff illness and will reopen as usual tomorrow.

24/04/2026

YORK ARMY MUSEUM NEEDS YOUR VOTES!
Please help - details below 👇👇👇👇👇👇👇
We have just heard we've been nominated for the Kids in Museums Family Friendly Museum Award 2026 by our visitors. This is fantastic and we are delighted, however we had not applied for this prestigious award, and we now need to submit our application by 5pm on Wednesday 29th April. 😱

So we are now appealing to all of you out there who have visited our museum, felt welcome and have enjoyed our family friendly activities or displays to please nominate us via the Kids in Museums website here: www.kidsinmuseums.org.uk/awards

The deadline for nominations is 5pm on Wednesday 29 April. If you do not wish to nominate us online we have some paper forms in our reception area to fill in - they simply require a first name and there's a space for feedback.

In June, an expert panel will whittle down the nominations to a shortlist. Undercover family judges will then visit each shortlisted museum. Their experiences will decide the winners. The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in October 2026.

Please consider nominating us, it only takes a few minutes and would be so very much appreciated.

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