Description
King Richard III Visitor Centre is a world-class attraction in Leicester telling the most incredible archaeological detective story ever told. Built on the site where the last Plantagenet king was discovered, it explores the life, death and rediscovery of King Richard III. This immersive, family-friendly centre brings history to life through interactive exhibits and real archaeological evidence.
Visitors can see where King Richard III was found, how his remains were identified and how he died at the Battle of Bosworth. Exhibitions such as Dynasty, Death & Discovery and “Murder, Mystery & Mayhem” explore the Wars of the Roses and the Houses of York and Lancaster. Interactive displays, genome sequencing of ancient DNA and the grave site experience make the visit both educational and engaging.
Ticket Prices: Adult (16+) £12.50, Child (5–15) £6.25, Family Ticket £32.00, Concession £11.50, English Heritage Members £6.25. The venue also offers Venue Hire for meetings, exclusive tours, receptions, talks, dinner events and medieval dancing events, with private evening access available.
Open Monday to Friday & Sunday 10am until 4pm, and Saturday & Bank Holidays 10am until 5pm, it is easily accessible in Leicester city centre. With expert storytelling, cutting-edge interactives and a powerful historical setting, it offers a unique journey into medieval England. For history lovers, families and curious visitors alike, this is a must-see attraction in Leicester.
Features
- Paid
- Host birthday parties: Yes
Features
Become the detective in a spellbinding mystery
- Dynasty Death & Discovery: Visit King Richard III’s grave site and the award-winning exhibition about his life, death and one of the greatest archaeological detective stories ever told. Immerse yourself in the beautiful story-telling and cutting-edge interactives about Richard III’s life, death and the science behind his re-discovery. On the site where the incredible story, of the English King under the car park, last to die in battle, first to be DNA tested, unfolded. The inter-active displays tell the story of how the Duke of Gloucester became King of England and Lord of Ireland.
- Murder, Mystery & Mayhem: “Murder, Mystery and Mayhem” is a our most recent exhibition, for visitors to delve deeper into the Wars of The Roses. Discover the stories behind the Houses of York and Lancaster, the key characters, battles and events that brought to an end the Plantagenet dynasty that had ruled the country for more than 330 years. Long-considered as one of the most turbulent and complex times in British history, the Wars of the Roses were a tangled web of monarchy merry-go-rounds, power exchanges and land grabbing nobles, with some of the bloodiest battles fought on English soil.
- An Incredible Discovery: In August 1485 King Richard III was killed at the Battle of Bosworth, brought back to Leicester and after a lying in state for a few days was buried by the Grey Friars, a Franciscan Holy order, in their friary church. In August 2012, 527 years to the day that King Richard III was killed at the Battle of Bosworth, Leicester City Council, the University of Leicester, and the Richard III Society began the archaeological dig for the ‘Looking for Richard’ project, a search underneath a car park in Leicester, to find King Richard III’s remains and the Grey Friars Church. Allowing us to now tell one of the greatest archaeological detective stories ever told, and the inspiration for the British comedy drama ‘The Lost King‘ released in cinemas worldwide during Autumn of 2022.
- A Controversial King: King Richard III’s story is a fascinating one, the main events in his life have been written and studied about many times before, however people writing at the time and since, have offered many differing accounts. The King Richard III Visitor Centre presents a balance of the many different views of researchers and historians, legends and myths, fact and fiction that surround King Richard III, creating an exciting and compelling story about his life, death and discovery, of the King under the car park. Displays provide an intellectually robust interpretation, encouraging you to immerse yourself in the turbulent medieval period and one of the greatest archaeological detective stories ever told.
- Experience The Legend: The King Richard III Visitor Centre stands on the site of the medieval friary of the Grey Friars where the king’s remains were buried over 500 years ago. The exhibition gives visitors a chance to learn more about the King’s life and death – and to understand the huge events that led to his hasty burial and eventual rediscovery. It reveals one of the greatest archaeological detective stories ever told and features the first-ever genome sequencing of ancient DNA.
0.15 miles
