Royal Armouries Museum: Difference between revisions
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A number of workshops where the trades and skills of armourers, armoursmiths and leatherworkers can be seen. |
A number of workshops where the trades and skills of armourers, armoursmiths and leatherworkers can be seen. |
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[[File:Leeds Armouries Arena display.JPG|thumb|right|Equestrian display in the Arena]] |
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Running alongside the [[River Aire]] for 150 metres, with seating on the land-ward side, is the Arena. Here, weather permitting, we put on exhibitions of [[military]] and sporting skill at arms, including [[jousting]]. |
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There is an entrance fee for some performances in the [[Tiltyard]]. |
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Though we no longer have our own horses, we still host two important jousting contests each year with competitors from all over the world.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.royalarmouries.org/visit-us/leeds/leeds-galleries/arena}}</ref> |
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There are daily displays of [[falconry]] involving several different [[birds of prey]]. The falconer always introduces the birds he is displaying by name on the day. The history of Falconry is explained as are the natural habitat and habits of the bird. Some [[audience participation]] is encouraged, especially when the Falconer asks the audience to put away any food in case the large birds are hungry. |
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| ⚫ | [[Easter]] is the height of the Jousting calendar when the Arena hosts a four day international competition between up to four jousting teams. The four teams compete from [[Good Friday]] to [[Easter Sunday]] against each other with the tournament final on [[Easter Monday]]. The winning team is awarded the Sword of Honour at the end of the competition. |
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There are also daily displays of horsemanship through the ages. Different displays are seasonal and include the art of hunting by horseback in the [[Tudor dynasty|Tudor]] Times and Medieval [[Jousting]]. |
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| ⚫ | [[Easter]] is the height of the Jousting calendar when the |
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[[Summer]] sees the Jousting season close with the last tournament of the year, an individual joust with jousters from all over the world competing for the H.M. Queen's Golden Jubilee Trophy. |
[[Summer]] sees the Jousting season close with the last tournament of the year, an individual joust with jousters from all over the world competing for the H.M. Queen's Golden Jubilee Trophy. |
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Revision as of 10:12, 27 March 2012
 | This article needs to be updated. (March 2012) |
The Royal Armouries Museum is a national museum in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is located in Clarence Dock and was opened in 1996 to display items belonging to the Royal Armouries collection. The collection is an overflow of that held in the Tower of London. The museum is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Like all UK National Museums, entry is free, though certain attractions in any given UK National Museum may still be charged for as an extra to the main exhibits.
The Museum incorporates the traditional glass cabinets with live presentations throughout the day. The interpretations vary throughout the year and a list of the daily interpretations can be obtained on entry. The interpretation department closed on 31 March 2011.[1]
Construction
The museum is housed in a new building designed by Derek Walker and Buro Happold[2] and built by Alfred McAlpine.[3]
Location
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Situated close to the city centre on the bank of the River Aire the museum is among many buildings built in the same era that saw a rejuvenation of the Leeds waterfront. It is located on Armouries Square, in Clarence Dock. Road access is by Armouries Drive and Chadwick Street. Clarence Dock for the Royal Armouries is served by First line 28. Originally the museum had its own car park, however this has been paved into a square following the redevelopment of Clarence Dock. There is a large multi-storey car park adjacent to the museum. There is also a new footbridge, facilitating pedestrians coming from the city centre. The museum can be easily accessed from the M621. Clarence Dock was to be connected by the Leeds Supertram until the schemes cancellation, however it may yet be connected by the Leeds Trolleybus
Features
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Main building
The main building is dissected by a central hall, towards the end of this is the main stairwell, which has been made into a weaponry display itself. The museum houses conference facilities on the ground floor which are often used after the museum has closed. The museum is divided into six galleries in the main building.
War
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With displays dedicated to:
- Ancient and Medieval warfare
- 17th and 18th centuries
- 19th and 20th centuries
Peace - farewell to arms?
This gallery looks at the potential for a future free of arms, looking at disarmament and concepts such as détente. This gallery is in partnership with the Peace Museum in nearby Bradford.
Hunting
With displays dedicated to:
- Hunting through the ages
- Hunting as sport
Oriental
With displays dedicated to:
- South and South-east Asia
- China and Japan
- Central Asia, Islam and India
Tournament
There are two large galleries showing a variety of arms and armour from the days of jousting.
Self defence
With displays dedicated to:
- Arms and armour as art
- The armed civilian
- IMPACT - A poignant and challenging exhibition documents through photographs, personal statements and video, the effects of gun crime on a community.
External/courtyard
Outside there is a courtyard featuring:
Craft court
A number of workshops where the trades and skills of armourers, armoursmiths and leatherworkers can be seen.
Arena
Running alongside the River Aire for 150 metres, with seating on the land-ward side, is the Arena. Here, weather permitting, we put on exhibitions of military and sporting skill at arms, including jousting.
Though we no longer have our own horses, we still host two important jousting contests each year with competitors from all over the world.[4]
Easter is the height of the Jousting calendar when the Arena hosts a four day international competition between up to four jousting teams. The four teams compete from Good Friday to Easter Sunday against each other with the tournament final on Easter Monday. The winning team is awarded the Sword of Honour at the end of the competition.
Summer sees the Jousting season close with the last tournament of the year, an individual joust with jousters from all over the world competing for the H.M. Queen's Golden Jubilee Trophy.
Flags
The flags flown by the canal at the Royal Armouries are the:[5]
- Flag of England
- Flag of Scotland
- Flag of Wales
- Royal Standard of England
- Royal Standard of Scotland
- Flag of Saint David
- Union Flag
Funding cuts
In March 2011, following a 15% reduction in the Royal Armouries's funding,[6] seventeen members of staff "including all of the museum’s expert horse riders, professional actors and stable staff"[1] lost their jobs.
References
- ^ a b Yorkshire Evening Post - "Leeds Armouries: Jousters given boot" Retrieved 28 September 2011
- ^ Architectural review
- ^ National Audit Office Report on the Royal Armouries museum: paragraph 1.26
- ^ http://www.royalarmouries.org/visit-us/leeds/leeds-galleries/arena.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ Flags flown by the canal
- ^ "Royal Armouries set for job losses" Retrieved 28 September 2011
External links
53°47′31″N 1°31′56″W / 53.791866°N 1.532258°W
