About Royal Armouries
We care for one of the oldest and most extensive public collections of arms and armour in the world.
Every weapon has the capacity to be used for good or for ill. Every nation and every community has been shaped to a greater or lesser extent by force of arms, and every right or freedom has at some point been won, lost or regained through conflict.
Arms and armour are among the products of human endeavour which have had the greatest impact on the history of the world. Because of humanity’s relentless desire for advantage in defence and attack they have been pivotal in forming and re-forming the cultural and geopolitical shape of civilisations. They have shaped all our past and will continue to shape our future.
Explore our collection objects through the stories of the people who created them, used them, or impacted by them.
Our collection is displayed in our historical home at the Tower of London, at the purpose-built Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds, and at Fort Nelson near Fareham and Portsmouth, Hampshire. We also have an extensive online catalogue to search or browse.
We have a long history, dating back 700 years. Our celebrated core collection originated in the nation’s working arsenal, which was assembled over many centuries at the Tower of London.
Learn more about the history of the Royal Armouries.
We have exciting plans for the future, which are outlined in our Armouries 700 Masterplan for the next 10 years and beyond. Read more about the RA 700 plans.
Since 2005, we have managed the national collection of firearms, started in 1631 by Charles I and assembled by the British Army, now housed at the National Firearms Centre.
We currently employ 190 staff and receive about 2 million visitors a year across our three sites, who, except at the Tower of London, visit for free.
Governance
Royal Armouries is governed by the National Heritage Act (1983) and is a Non-Departmental Public Body sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS). The majority of our funding comes from the government.
A Board of Trustees appointed by DCMS oversee an Executive Board.
Find out more about how we are governed, our organisational structure and annual reports and accounts.