Royal Armoury - the British national museum of arms and armor. It is the oldest museum in the UK and one of the oldest museums in the world. It houses one of the richest world collections of arms and armor. The museum includes three main collections of bladed weapons and armor, artillery and firearms. Branches of the museum are located in different cities: Armoury in Leeds, Museum of Artillery Fort Nelson in Portsmouth, and an office in the Tower of London, which originally was Armoury. A small part of the collection on display in the city of Louisville, Kentucky, USA.

Armoury in the Tower there, probably since its inception. It houses a collection of weapons, armor doing here for the kings of England, and it was more like the treasury than a museum - only occasionally allowed here honorary foreign guests.

In the XVII century King Charles II opens museum for public access. In the XIX century the exposition, its organization and the purpose of undergoing fundamental changes. Instead, random collection of rarities and curiosities all offered for amusement of the audience, the museum organized logically organized, historically accurate exposition, representing the development of arms in historical perspective. The museum funds are growing, and the Tower is not enough space for exhibits. In 1988, a collection of artillery moved to Fort Nelson in Portsmouth. In 1990, the main collection of the Armory moved to Leeds, and in the Tower are only those artifacts that are directly associated with the history of the fortress.

Leeds five galleries: War, Tournament, Oriental, hunting, self-defense and an impressive gallery Steel hall. Here are samples of weapons from all eras and countries.

The Royal Armoury is positioning itself not only as a museum of weapons. "If you think that the Armoury - it's just knives, guns and armor behind the glass, think again." One of its main objectives the museum considers the organizational and educational work. "Our goal - to make Britain safer" - is written on the museum site. Armoury works closely with the police, seeking to reduce the number of weapons on the streets, make life safer and to teach people how to resolve conflicts peacefully.