About the archives
The main holdings are located in the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds and relate mainly to:
- Royal Armouries and its collection
- Arms and armour and related subjects, including a number of collections of personal papers of well known authors and collectors
- The Royal Small Arms Factory (Enfield) and the MOD Pattern Room
- Company records, such as G.E. Lewis and Wilkinson Sword
We also have important collections relating to the:
- History of the Tower of London and its institutions at the White Tower
- Artillery and related subjects at Fort Nelson
Access to the Archives is strictly by appointment and pre-booking is essential.
Opening times
- Monday* - Thursday
- Morning: 10am to 1pm
- Afternoon: 1:30pm to 4:30pm
* Please be aware that during term time the museum is closed to general visitors on Mondays, but staff will welcome pre-booked visitors to the Archives at the main entrance.
Contact us
Archivist
Royal Armouries Museum
Armouries Drive
LEEDS
LS10 1LT
archives@armouries.org.uk
Searching the catalogue
We have a searchable online catalogue designed to enable access to all of its collections. The archives section of the catalogue is being developed and updated, and currently only a small part of the holdings can be searched.
Our archives service
- We provide facilities for researchers to access the archives at all three of our sites;
- We offer a record copying service at the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds;
- We sell and license film and images from the archives through our online image library;
- We develop temporary exhibitions based on material in the archives, and highlight items from the collections in our Stories
- We offer talks and seminars about the archives
- We work in partnership with other archives and heritage organisations in Yorkshire, Hampshire and London