9:11am Monday 18th January 2010
By Sue Ward
Did you know why it is customary for a man to walk with a lady on his left? Apparently it was so he could keep his right arm – his sword arm – free; but I don’t know what he’d do if he was a left-handed swordsman!
I picked up this and several other interesting facts at the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds.
The museum forms one side of a huge dock, with apartments on the other three sides, next to the River Aire.
If you have children who throw their hands up in horror at the thought of a museum, persuade them to try this one. It’ll certainly change their opinion.
The Armouries holds Britain’s national collection of arms and armour, and was moved from its former home in the Tower of London to this specially-created building in 1996.
You can enter five galleries, each with its own theme, covering self-defence, war, armour of the Orient, hunting and tournament. There is a wealth of different objects on display, including more than 7,500 swords, King Henry VIII’s equestrian equipment, several longbows excavated from the sunken British warship the Mary Rose, 50 instruments of torture, and arms and armour from as far afield as central Asia, India, Africa and Japan.
The overwhelming impression you will come away with – apart from the eternal folly of a species which has always felt a need to wage war – is the compact size of the suits of armour on display. Our fully-grown male forebears in days of yore must have been about as tall as a modern 11-year-old!
But what sets this museum apart is that, throughout the year, live performances put you in the midst of the action.
You can experience the excitement of reliving some of the most important moments in our past – from early history to the present day. Costumed demonstrations, authentic re-enactments, entertaining films and interactive technology will give you a true sense of how it felt to be there.
Daily interpretations are performed in the Royal Armouries’ galleries and outside in the amphitheatre. Chosen from more than 80 scripts, ranging from The Roman Legionary to reports from Iraq, performances include storytelling for all ages, first-person accounts based on original diaries and letters, and thrilling foot combat.
Up to seven different interpretations are performed every day between 11am and 4.30pm. These live interpretations are superb and really bring history to life.
Sadly, the horses and the falcons are having a winter break, but from April to October the museum recreates jousting tournaments, letting you get close to the falcons and horses that are part of the pageant. You may prefer to witness swashbuckling pirates, or Joan of Arc rallying her troops to fend off the English during the Hundred Years War.
At the end of this month, you can explore the mythical East, discovering treasures from Japan and China. Highlights Of Dragons’ Den, which runs from 10am to 4pm on January 30 and 31, include crafts activities, dramatic live performances, action-packed combat displays, arms and armour handling sessions and special guided tours of the oriental collection. Just like the rest of the museum, it’s a free event, although some activities may carry a small charge.
Spies And Secret Agents is the name of the game over the half-term break, from February 13 to 21. You can find out if you’ve got what it takes to crack the codes and be a super-sleuth. There’s even a spy school, offering action-packed sessions for children, which costs £3 per day.
Mother’s Day offers the chance to treat your mum to a right royal day out. It’s Ladies’ Day at the first joust of the season on March 13 and 14, when you can cheer on your favoured knights in shining armour.
Finally, there’s a Napoleonic weekend on March 27 and 29, bringing history to life with exciting tales from the era of Sharpe and the Napoleonic Wars.
With free exhibitions and live demonstrations, children and families will always find something to keep them entertained at the Royal Armouries.
- The Royal Armouries is in Clarence Dock, Leeds, a 20-minute walk from the train station.
- How to get there: Signposted from the centre of Leeds, follow the brown tourism signs with the ‘horned helmet’ logo for Royal Armouries.
- Open 10am-5pm daily. Entry is free.
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