Royal Armouries, Tower of London
- Military history enthusiasts
- History enthusiasts
- Families with children
What Visitors Say
Wow. Stunning. Extraordinary. With tons of items on display, this is place is amazing. Be prepared for crowds.
A lovely tourists attraction to com and see ,the Tower of London is a great attraction to come and see abit of British history,the Yeoman guards or Beefeaters are fantastic in giving a guided tours of the Tower of London ,well worth a visit if you are in the History mood,and you get to see the Crown Jewels which is an amazing display and it's right next to Tower Bridge another lovely attraction to see
Impressive display with plenty of information signage to interpret the exhibits. Best to visit either very early or late in the day to avoid the crowds and get a good view of the armour
It is an excellent collection of high end armor post 1450, five stars for what it actually is, but there's almost nothing before then, so if you are interested in functional armor, evolution of armor and weapons from 1000-1450 then you will be disappointed. The vast majority of plate armor in the collection were presentation or dress suits for rulers, but working or medieval armor itself seemed to be absent from this collection. As such, the collection is beautiful, well preserved and the flow in the tower is great, but it shouldn't really be found under a search for 'medieval armor' but post-medieval and/or Renaissance armor and arms. I does quite a good from 1500-1850, so go there knowing it's not much before the reformation and beginning of the Renaissance. I did enjoy our visit, just feel a bit "real use, medieval period armor' deprived... But don't miss it! 4.5 stars...
The White Tower showcases the historic and world-class Royal Armouries collections, including the 350-year-old exhibition, Line of Kings, as well as other treasures. There are many unique and extraordinary arms and armors on display, Historic armors were displayed on life-like wooden figures, including those of Henry VIII, Charles I ,and later James II, in a parade of beautifully carved horses. There are many other rare and superbly crafted pieces made for noblemen as well as common soldiers. The Royal Armouries have always featured extraordinary curiosities - discover the armours of the 'Giant', the 'Dwarf', and the gift from the 'Great Mogul'. The White Tower was built to intimidate the unruly citizens of London, as well as to serve as a warning sign to potential invaders. The Tower now hosts the collection of the Royal Armouries, and the over-300 years old Line of Kings exhibition, which includes the armour of the Kings of England, and their horses The White Tower is at the Tower of London, located within the walled City, once the Palace of Kings and Queens. No matter which angle you look at the White Tower, its history is unbelievably impressive, too.
Highlights
Line of Kings
One of the world’s oldest museum displays, presenting monarchs’ armours on carved horses—spectacle meets statecraft.Propaganda in plate steel.
Upper floors of the White Tower
Arms & Curiosities
From exotic gifts to experimental weapons, the collection shows technology, trade and taste across centuries.Global exchange etched in metal.
Galleries around the keep
The White Tower Itself
Architecture as intimidation—William the Conqueror’s stone statement that still frames the Armouries’ story.A fortress as a display case.
Norman keep (c.1078)
Opening Hours
Fun Facts
The ‘Line of Kings’ began in the 1600s as a semi-theatrical parade to impress visitors—arguably Britain’s oldest curated gallery display.
Royal harnesses were bespoke technology: tailored like clothing, engineered like machines.
Modern interactives (e.g., touchable replicas) help decode weight, balance and wear—use these to translate ‘look’ into ‘feel’.
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