A truly amazing museum. Lots of exhibits, demonstrations, and re-enactments for all ages. The artifacts displayed go from primitive times to modern day. The gift shop stocks tons of books, toys, and of course, tee/ sweatshirts. We are museum nerds so we needed two days to explore the Royal Armouries. Most people can probably do it in one. It's a don't miss when in Leeds. read more

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This is a huge exhibit so be prepared to have information overload, and maybe sore feet! The way they present the Armouries from all over the world is incredible! Pieces of art work in themselves! The collection is beyond extensive and beautifully displayed. I highly recommend attending the daily scheduled talks, they are engaging and informative, with a chance to ask questions and handle relevant items. During the weekday is less busy with general public, but can get busy and a bit loud with school visits, but we actually took advantage of this and listened to the teachers giving talks to the children! This is a free exhibition that does welcome donations. There is plenty of bathroom facilities, lifts as well as stairs for moving throughout the floors. Also, there Is a cafe on the ground floor. They do like you to book in advanced even though it's free, that way they have an idea of numbers. read more

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This was one of the most amazing museums we visited in England! Leeds is a gem and this unique museum sure takes the cake! I realized not a lot of people use Yelp in that country, but I'm glad I have a place to review this place. There are so many artifacts and displays in this museum! I love the swords hanging from the ceiling near the stairs. The entrance and the gift shop are so good. We were bummed we couldn't bring a bunch of wooden swords home, because they wouldn't of let us bring ''weapons'' on the plane. One of my favorite events here was the live demonstration of sword fighting! The man and woman really entertained us and explained everything in their performace/show. Such a great place. I cannot express how cool this entire place was, there were many shows and events going on. Loved the different exhibits of other cultures as well. read more

Fascinating museum! I loved checking out all the different types of armor and the animal armor, in particular. I also enjoyed checking out the movie prop armor and weaponry, as well. read more

Definitely check out this museum if visiting Leeds. Tickets are even free. Free activities happen throughout the day too. Since shows can take place outside of the museum, wristbands are handed to permit re-entry. We attended two events. I highly recommend the horse show, which happened at 12 PM and 3 PM. ----- [11:15 AM] Japanese Samurai Demo at Floor 4, Oriental Gallery, Dojo Learn how the legendary Japanese Samurai "fast draw" sword attack was developed. ----- [12:00 PM] Horse Show: Elizabethan Riding Skills at Outside, Tiltyard Watch as some of our experienced riders display their skills in sword cutting and archery as they prepare for the hunt. The horse stables are open for thirty minutes following the show to allow visitors to meet the horses, ask questions, or take pictures. ----- As for the museum itself, there are five floors, but a couple of them function as viewing galleries for people to view from above when seats are filled for a demo. Exhibitions primarily occupy two floors with a good range of armory and historical categories. My brother's only sadness was that the glass was not anti-reflective, making it difficult to take clear photos. We stayed for roughly two hours. There was a number of folks on a Friday, but the museum is spacious enough that it never felt crowded. Guest Wi-Fi is available. read more

Royal Armouries - Horse Show: Elizabethan Riding Skills at Outside, Tiltyard. - Museums Near Me - Leeds, XWY

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A real jewel of a museum. I really didn't think there would be much to interest me here as I'm not really into weapons and killing but it was so much more. Full of history and fascinating incites into how weapons and war developed which allows us to address how they can be avoided too. Even my young niece enjoyed her visit. read more

Great place for school trips! The first time I went was on a school trip, which I loved, and sometimes I still go there now! But the state of the toilets are not very good and there are people who damage the exabits, even when security is there with them! Security could be better. A lot of the computer equipment is broken and the archer video game in the medieval area never works (comment if you remember the archer game, and tell me if it is still there!) but overall its a great place to go, just don't go on busy days! read more

Royal Armouries - A photo of Royal Armouries in Leeds. - Museums Near Me - Leeds, XWY

A mixture of live events plus a variety of exhibitions

A great free museum with a lot of weapons and armours from all ages.

The reviews of residents of the UK will likely provide more detailed accounting of the coolness that is the Royal Armouries, I want to draw your attention to the seminar offerings being made available to the public. Covering a variety of topics to broaden and deepen your understanding of the collection and its relevance, the seminars (some of which, at least, take place after hours) provide a rare opportunity to hear from the Armouries' subject matter experts. I was fortunate to be able to coordinate my travel to Leeds to sync up with an excellent presentation given by Thom Richardson (Keeper of European Armour and Oriental Collections) discussing Japanese gift armours as part of the 400th Anniversary of British-Japanese Relations. I'm literally still talking about the evening three months after the fact... Go a little further on your next visit and come away with much more! read more

OK, so you might judge me for this. But I have a confession, and I'm preparing for the onslaught... I've only just, this last weekend, had a proper nosy around the Royal Armouries. *Ducks the flying objects* I know, right? How can I have left it so long before taking a look around? I don't know, guys. I don't know. But I did, and now I've been, and now I know what the fuss is about. The fuss is about mother flippin' awesome sword collections. Insight into armies and armouries of old, weaponry of all kinds, tradition, history - the things that got us to where we are today. It's not a comfortable thought, to look at old weapons and realise what an influence they are on where we are today, but it is what it is. Since we only had an hour and a half before closing, the chap and I gunned (sorry for the pun) straight for the Eastern collection. I had a sneaky look at cross bows first, and immediately coveted one for some unknown reason, and then stood in awe looking at the size and variation of weaponry in the next room. The collection of Chinese swords, glaives, and various other hand held items was really impressive. The glaives look so heavy and are so massive, I can't imagine how they were able to fight. And there's even an evil looking claw, (eagle claw?!) for ripping clothing or something. The videos were great too, I watched an awesome one about the archery tradition in Japan, which is ongoing. These guys are incredible - they gallop along a track, standing on the horse, and fire at targets something like 75m apart. Not easy at full speed on a horse. Amazing to see. And there was one about sword making, I think, but alas children were in the way. (I forgive them!) The only downer is the café. It irks me no end that the museums I've been to in this country all seem to have such a disappointing and lack lustre offering where refreshment is concerned. The space could be an attraction in itself, with artisan coffees, locally made cakes, and such like. But no, the paintings on the wall appear faded from having been there for the last millenia, the coffee is from a sub-par machine, the cakes are in excess of £2.50 for a tiny pre-packaged slice, and the décor is... drab doesn't cover it. A real shame. You do get a view of the waterside though. So - five stars for all the awesome collections - and I'll be back to see more soon - but minus points for the naff café. Although, I'll finish by saying get yourself down there! read more

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I have spent hella time in Leeds Royal Armouries for many different purposes. I love history, I love military history, I love wearable history- and this is all of them. I've been here as a normal visitor, I've spent days at a time here sketching for my degree, eaten at the cafe here, fought in tournaments here, and eaten at lovely gala dinners here- it is a cracking setting for them. If you can, organise a behind the scenes tour of some of the things that aren't on show- prepare to wear some white gloves and be amazed. I've done a couple, and both were excellent, with some true treasures of artefacts. The lion suit is of course a must see, and the elephant. Henry VIII suit nasa looked at for spacesuits, things Vivienne Westwood studied when she used to sketch things, and things that have clearly inspired things like costume design on GOT. I can, however, give you a full list of my favourites on every floor- you need to really have a look round and check the detail on things- it's worth really spending some time in here. Although the gala food here is rather good, the cafe is pretty basic- I'd recommend a picnic, or going somewhere in the centre for lunch/dinner. read more

On a windy Sunday with no desire to go shopping, the Royal Armouries was our destination of choice. To be honest, we actually started our visit with a trip to the cafe - ever thinking about our stomachs before culture! But who can really soak in facts about swords on an empty stomach? The food is simple, paninis and the like, with staff who probably would rather be anywhere else, but cheap (especially considering how expensive some museum/gallery cafes can be). We went to the top of the museum and worked our way down via the stairs, and I think we actually missed some floors out. These stairs are far too confusing - but look up/down and they have an amazing display of armour, so worth using. The displays, as Kaleigh P. mentions, were largely quite tired and overused; a pair of armoured gloves, for example, were completely worn down and unusable. Exhibitions were interesting, including one about the swords of Middle Earth, which the other half loved. A good hour or so spent out of the cold, but a bit of TLC needed. read more

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Going back to the Royal Armouries recently was a bit of a let down. Probably because the last time I went there I was 11 and ten years on, I'm not as impressed with a knight's shining armour as I used to be. The museum itself is full to the brim with, as you might expect, swords and shields and other silver stuff of that ilk but it's not that which seperates the Armouries from other museums in the country. It's the exhibitions and the events, often held outside, often recreating medieval scenes, that are well worth the entry fee. When I was a young man, I remember being overwhelmed by a joust that took place. And this month, there's a Medieval Crime and Punishment exhibiton - where a theatre society take to Armouries Square and demonstrate different methods of punishment. I'll be sure to be a good boy, then... read more

Royal Armouries - Museums Near Me - Leeds, XWY

This museum was right across the street and Ibhad delayed seeing it but when I walked in... and explored a couple of levels I was left in awe. There is an excellent collection of arms and vests and even the modern day warfare materials. The museum has 6 levels I guess and there are various exhibits to keep you busy for hours read more

Royal Armouries - Display of horsemen at floor 2 - Museums Near Me - Leeds, XWY

Lovely museum. I was visiting a friend in Leeds and it was somewhere she had always wanted to visit, so we went along. Entry is free, which is always a bonus. The museum is quite large. My favorite part was seeing all the weapons that were on display in the Hall of Steel and the section looking at different cultures and their weapons in the oriental gallery. There was also an interesting section on the police, which I really enjoyed. I was impressed to find that the museum has activities that take place throughout the day, including jousting in the tournament gallery and I discovered that a jousting league exists and there are competitions outdoors at various locations around the country in the summer months! I would be interested in learning more about that! Definitely an interesting place to visit and a good rainy day activity. read more

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I have been there two times in the past year an I have enjoyed it very much. So did the people that went with me. The museum is huge, you will need at least two hours to see all the stuff that is on display. Every floor has weapons and weapon related item from a different place of the world or a different age. My favorite ones are the modern and Japanese ones. The entry to the museum is free, but you have to pay for your souvenirs (obviously) and for some of the shows such as the brilliant falconry display (about 50p or so). Great place for a day out in Leeds. read more

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Another 5 star rating from me. I've been here a number of times really found the place interesting, educational and very enjoyable. If your ever in the area it's well worth taking the time (and you will need loads of time as the place is huge) to visit. read more

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If you like the history of warfare and take an interest in weapons, then Royal Armouries is surely the place you must visit. And don't miss out on the museum shop, my son found several items of interest that he simply had to have. But be sure to book your visit in advance to make sure you'll be able to get in as the museum needs to limit the number of visitors to a safe level. read more

Superb military (history) museum for all ages. When in Leeds make sure you'll find the time to visit the Royal Armouries, a spectacular military history museum on the banks of the Leeds-Liverpool canal (or close to it). It's a 12-15 minute walk from the railway station or the city centre. The sheer number and beauty of the exhibits is astounding. I went there twice, in consecutive years, and I found it just as intriguing the second time. There are three floors with military objects (lots and lots of firearms, cannons, uniforms, and other accessories), all well-presented and well-documented. So you can really learn something. If you're lucky you might just catch one of their "interactive demos", which means you can be part of a sword fight with armor on and see for yourself what it was like to be a warring knight in the middle ages. The presentation really is first-rate. On the ground floor there are a few "active" displays that let you test e.g. how to fire a rifle, but not all of them seem to be in working order. There are also a café and a souvenir shop. The building itself is very modern and inviting, with plenty of light in the main hall. Very good collection of arms and other objects, well presented. Go there if in Leeds! read more

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I've been a few times and went today with 2 children, 2 oldies and 3 of us the samish age. It took awhile to get there from town as it was a bit of a trek for the oldies but on average it would be about 15 minutes. Was lots to see and read about the various weapons and the layout on the stairs was impressive. We were greeted by one of the staff who gave us a brochure of the things on that day. This was helpful and good to plan out our day. The lifts were fast, 4 of them and a welcome relief for the oldies too. We started by going to the second as there was Morbid Monarchs on at the cinema. Was surprised when a guy went to the front and started talking to us as I was expecting a film and bit disappointed when I realised it was more a PowerPoint presentation. He needed to speak up and in the last part talk to us, the audience, rather than the screen. Next we had brought sandwiches and glad they had catered for that. They had a picnic on the fourth floor with drinks machines, unfortunately the toilets were out of order so we had to make our way back down the lift to those. Went to a fight demo thing which was fun to see and kept the children entertained and finally back upstairs to the fifth floor for the children to let their hair down in the play area. There does need to be more interaction for people and especially children, not just touch screens for more reading. Maybe more touchy feely stuff, like trying to lift the sword and seeing through the helmet to see what it's like. I suggest if they don't want people to actually touch the weapons using a lab like scenario whereby they can lift weapons through rubber gloves. Highlights lifting the sword to see how heavy it was and cross bow. read more

Royal Armouries - Peasants attacking Knights - Museums Near Me - Leeds, XWY

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I enjoyed my time here, very pleasant experience. Work Christmas party! We all had a amazing evening.

I was really excited about my little excursion to the Royal Armouries, and after finding it easily on foot thanks to the Leeds signposting from the Railway Station, we were there looking at the large modern building in about twenty minutes. Boring bits, you walk in, announce that you'd like to wander around; they print off two tickets and give you a map. They (museum crew) also tell you what is and what isn't on that day. Ok I feel informed. Step into the elevator, hit the floor button, step off...hmm. The thing I generally love about a museum is its intentional layout to steer you and direct you into the flow of how things are to be read and interpreted. What I immediately noticed about the layout of the Royal Armouries was the lack of direction. Do I take the left into War, and then come out the other side into Tournaments, or do I go up the stairs, but then if I get directed elsewhere, can I get to the other side of the floor? Or do I do the first level in War, then take the stairs, come down the stairs, do Tournament, go upstairs for the Tournament Gallery, and then what? Do I come down the stairs again to go up in the elevator or the other staircase. It's as confusing to follow as it is to read. Confusion of the layout aside in conjunction with its lack of signposting, the actual content of the Royal Armouries is impressive in its volume and variety of armour and weaponry. There's all the important information to be had, dates, names, periods of the armouries in question etc, but for me it had something missing. It's December, it's kid season, and yet there's a distinct lack of things aimed at the younger generation; I noticed one guy in 16th century attire demonstrating swords and other sword like apparatus, but I didn't see much else in the way of entertaining children. I guess weapons of years gone by aren't really there for entertaining children, but when you take into consideration gift shop contents and appeal of the café, and kid's drawings dotted around the place, it's a market they're aware they target. What's the Royal Armouries got? Lots and lots and lots of weapons and armour. It's got plenty of information on the period and use of the armouries, it's got a variety of genres from English sports weapons to Viking and Saxon helmets to the Oriental and African weapons and whatnot. It's got toilet facilities and a café. It's got the fabulous Hall of Steel, which often gets overlooked due to it's placement in the stairwell. It's got re-enactments for the majority of the galleries. It doesn't have signs to say "no flash photography" (whoops), but it's entertaining for the family if armouries and history are your thing. My advice, wait till the weather warms, as the falconry demonstrations are fantastic. read more

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Oh the men seem to love this place. Full of war paraphernalia, live outdoor shows and lots of gory things to look at. I got a little bored looking at the swords and things but found the outdoor shows very entertaining. And a little scary! I loved going to the cafe aftwards for banoffee pie and coffee...lush! read more

This is a good day out for all of the family. A great selection of things to see with events during the day. They also often do special displays (i.e. I visited when they had a James Bond display on). Recommended. read more

Dangerous! Great if your into History. The outdoor birds of prey show was fantastic and great for adults and kids alike. read more

The Royal Armouries in Leeds is a great day out, there's so much too see that it'd be a real challenge to see, read and do everything in one visit! There are a few very reasonably priced coffee shops and cafes in the museum and also indoor 'picnic' areas with tables and chairs where you can bring your own food to eat. read more

Royal Armouries - Museums Near Me - Leeds, XWY

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Royal Armouries - buiseness histry leeds uni ress - Museums Near Me - Leeds, XWY

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Can not grumble about this place unless you can not control you childrens spending.Gift shop has lots of top toys but are expensive had made wooden toys and crossbows £25/£30 a pop but solidly built and they do last. Buildign is fantastic -space age -exhibits excellent -feel like going again just typing this in. Eat but pricey parkign -walking not an option is central but tucked out of the way.Nice and not too expensive eats. read more

Things have certainly changed since I first visited this museum when it first opened a few years ago. There is now a multistorey car park and plenty of restraunts around and about. Once inside the museum, there are some amazing things to see and activities to watch. Although on the day we visited it was raining heaviley so all outdoorevents had to be cancelled. But, there is still plenty to see over the 4 floors to keep everyone interested. Allsorts of war and military items from hundreds of years ago to the present day. I found the police exhibition on the top floor the most interesting, but the best specticle is the staircase with its gallery of swords, sheilds and weaponryin the centre of the winding staircase. read more

I went to the Royal Armouries in the October half term with five boys and they all loved it. They wanted to see The Lord of the Rings Exhibition and I was pleased to find out it was free and really interesting. There were also exhibits from The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe film and it was much better than I expected. The boys all found the different exhibitions really good and educational. We all went outside to watch the Jousting event which only cost £1 each and was very exciting, the commentator was funny too and the horsemen were all replicating various films including The Last Samuri. We all had a great afternoon and I would recommend it to anyone. read more

Do not go to Leeds and miss this museum. You could easily spend an entire day here and not get bored. It is five(?) floors of all different types of weapons and the history of them etc. every exhibition is as amazing as the last and it never seizes to amaze me. Also it is free entry so even if you don't enjoy it, it won't cost you anything and you can still support them buy taking advantage of the coffee shops or buying something in the gift shop. Trust me go to the royal armouries museum (it is a nice walk from the city centre - approx 20mins). read more

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I was very happy after my day out to The Royal Armouries. Thinking it would be a dull day of looking at old armour and stuff, it became a day of LOOKING AT OLD ARMOUR AND STUFF!!! And it was great. I wasn't expecting the large modern building I was greeted with, nor the fantastically, intricately, artistic and creative displays of swords and guns mounted on the wall as you go up to the museums collection rooms inside. The collection is large, spanning many centuries of armour design and relics, including guns and swords that will keep the men excited for hours. The large stuffed elephant, with armour, is a must-see, as is the entire colonial collection, showing Indian inspired weapons. There is a gift shop, that sells the typical keychain-memorabilia you'd expect, as well as traditionally inspired bottled mead, and bizarrely Japanese kimonos. There is also a cafe/restaurant within the complex that sells appropriately named food, to coincide with your day out. Unfortunately, much to my mates disappointment, it was closing when we were there....He never did get his sword burger.... read more

The Royal Armouries is a museum for people who don't like museums. So if Roman coins and old vases aren't your thing, yet you're not quite ready to resign yourself to a cultural life limited to your local multiplex, this is a great place to spend and afternoon. Particularly popular with boys (and dads), the Royal Armouries is a treasure trove of arms and armour throughout history; which means lots of shiny swords, ornate guns and an awe-inspiring set of elephant armour that's worth the journey alone. Accompanied by lots of interesting displays charting the history of combat, this is the sort of place where you learn things without realising it, and the venue also hosts a variety of temporary exhibitions and children's activities. One of the real draws of the armouries is its extensive programme of events, which often make it seem more like an amusement park then a museum. With falconry, jousting and live combat demonstrations happening on a regular basis, all included in the free of charge entrance, children, families and bored students will always find something to keep them entertained. read more

Royal Armouries - Photo taken from http://www.armouries.org.uk - Museums Near Me - Leeds, XWY

The armouries is well worth a visit, its convieniently located near the centre of Leeds and Its FREE which is great when you are on a tight budget with kids. I spent a whole rainy day here looking at various weapons and armoury. It was very informative and a lot of fun. The only downside is the prices in the cafe as with any establishment like this the prices are ridiculous. However this can be solved with a packed picnic and flask which I think makes it even more enjoyable. read more

Fantastic event! Learned so much and saw the vampire kit. beautoful

The Royal Armouries is a great day out. To some, the name might sound a little dull, and I admit that I can only look at a certain number of suits of armour before I feel like I've seen them all! However, there is so much more to the Royal Armouries than armour. For me, the highlights were the falconry and jousting exhibitions, which are a really unique sight - I can think of very few places where you can see history come to life like this! There are also actors who give talks in role at certain times of the day, which caters for those who prefer their history to be a little more interactive. There are also demonstrations, in which children can try on and hold armour and even swords. There is a cafe and parking, and full disabled access. read more

its free to get in! and there is plenty to see and do. there are re-enactments on throughout the day, either within the building or in the tiltyard (there maybe a small charge for tiltyard events) like falconary, jousting, mounted military skills etc also there is the stables and craft shops where you can see how things were made in the olden times! at the moment they are doing armours and weapons from the movies! so are showing Lord Of The Rings, king kong, last samuri, chronicals of narnia and hellboy, but thats only the gun! they often have extra events on and some are free and others have a small charge. the last time we visited, there was a fencing demonstration, and for a small fee we could have a go, fencing with a foil! they provided all the correct gear for young and old, and it was great fencing the small children, where the parents had decided to sit and watch? this encouraged my man to take up fencing with a sabre! on the top floor you can have a go at shooting cross bows, bren guns etc also another place to leave the man with the kids when shopping in leeds! as its not far from the centre! its a full days outing and you might not get all the events and shows in a day! read more

This place is wonderful if you like weaponry and old english heritage. Free to get into but some of the shows are not free. Sometimes they let you fire a crossbow read more

Went here for the first time in a long while. As always really enjoyed the museum, it was good to see it all open again after it's refurbishment. Was worth the wait. Had a member of staff on the top floor talking to us about some of the items which was interesting and was good to listen to. Rarely find staff in museums that interact much with visitors, so it was a nice treat to have a guide. read more