The Return of the King

Saturday 24 July - Monday 30 August 2010

Hooray! Henry's Back

To celebrate the return of Henry VIII's world-famous armours to its Leeds museum, the Royal Armouries is showcasing a summer of Dangerously Entertaining events, culminating in a spectacular tournament over the August Bank Holiday.

Following a year at the Tower of London - in the blockbuster exhibition Dressed to Kill - Henry's magnificent foot-combat armours and the extraordinary ‘Horned Helmet' will be presented in all their glory in the Tournament Gallery - fresh from a major facelift.

Here you'll discover a slim, handsome Henry VIII with a lust for weapons and sport. Marvel at the flexibility of his armours, take a look behind the scenes at a jousting tournament and uncover the stories hidden in the famous painting The Field of Cloth of Gold.

The Return of the King signals six weeks of great value activities and events to keep the whole family entertained throughout the summer holidays. The free-to-enter museum is home to a large part of the national collection of arms and armour, and displays over 8,500 objects throughout its five themed galleries - War, Tournament, Hunting, Self Defence and Oriental.

Summer highlights include:

TUDORTALES - New for summer 2010
Journey into the world of knights, armour and the Tudor tournament. This special interactive show features film, music, live performances and the opportunity to handle objects from the collection. £3

Have-A-Go Sword-Fighting
Learn to wield a wooden blade with our qualified instructors. Fun sessions suitable for children 8+ (minimum height 122cm/4ft) £3

JESTER'S YARD PLAY AREA
Come and have fun in our new play area specially designed for children up to seven years old. Have-a-go at crafts, dressing up, colouring in, puzzles, games and lots, lots more. £2.50

THE KING'S CHALLENGE
Have you got what it takes to be a King's Challenge Champion?  Explore the new Tournament gallery and solve the puzzles with Max Fun!  You could win a fantastic prize in the prize draw.

HORSE SHOWS - daily Monday - Friday £3

FALCONRY DISPLAYS - daily £3

JOUSTING - Saturdays & Sundays £3

Discounts apply for some events, if more than one is booked.

SUMMER LECTURE PROGRAMME - the Armouries has lined up a series of lively lectures, talks and workshops focusing on the Tudors. - including a ground-breaking lecture by author and historian Graeme Rimer  that promises to shed new light on Henry VIII's iconic Horned Helmet.

QUEEN'S GOLDEN JUBILEE TROPHY TOURNAMENT
Henry VIII and his WAGs will be in attendance to witness gallant knights in shining armour battling it out for this prestigious trophy.  Dress up and join the party this August Bank Holiday weekend.

CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGY - Britain's oldest museum is showcasing the world's first real-time digital interactive exhibition this summer using the latest ScreenReach technology. The ScreenReach application (APP) - available on I-Phone and Android handsets - will allow museum visitors to obtain extra information about exhibits instantly by simply photographing the item, or by typing a short code into their mobile phone.

These are just part of the Royal Armouries' Dangerously Entertaining events programme for 2010. For more information and to book online, visit...