King Richard III Visitor Centre

The discovery of King Richard III put the eyes of the world on Leicester. At the Richard III Visitor Centre you’ll travel from the battlefield of Bosworth to Richard’s final resting place and discover how traditional archaeology and modern science combined to identify his remains.

Using great storytelling, beautiful design and 21st century technology, the King Richard III Visitor Centre tells the fascinating and moving story of the life, death and discovery of King Richard III.

The 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 charts the king’s life and death – and explains the 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.

Visitors will be able to see the exact place where Richard’s remains were buried over 500 years ago. This poignant place has been transformed into a glass-floored contemplative space.

The centre is a stone's throw away from Leicester Cathedral, which has housed the tomb of King Richard III since a reinternment ceremony in March 2015.

Murder, Mystery and Mayhem

Visit the new Murder, Mystery and Mayhem exhibition that allows visitors to learn more about the Wars of Roses and discover the fascinating stories behind the Houses of York and Lancaster, the key characters, battles and events.

The exhibition provides a highly visual introduction to the turbulent times that surrounded King Richard III as he rose to power and has been designed as an introduction for the rest of the award-winning attraction.

Situated on the ground floor of the Visitor Centre, Dynasty tells the very much debated story of the king’s life in a medieval England plagued by decades of fighting in the Wars of the Roses. On visiting the centre you’ll be able to discover the story behind Richard’s rise to power and will make for a fantastic introduction to the Visitor Centre.

The Murder, Mystery and Mayhem exhibition is included in admission to the Visitor Centre.

Visit Leicester Information Centre

The Visit Leicester Information has moved from its Gallowtree Gate location to King Richard Visitor Centre. A full tourist information and event bookings service is available from the Old Town site, as well as the award-winning exhibition telling of the incredible story of the king in the car park.

Covid-19 Measures

As with other museums and attractions, several COVID-19 protective measures have been put in place throughout the building including:

– the installation of Perspex screens at the entrance and in the White Boar Café
– a one-way route through the exhibition where all visitors will be expected to maintain social distancing, wear face coverings, and make use of the hand sanitiser stations newly installed throughout the building
– the introduction of timed entry tickets which must be booked in advance to support social distancing by limiting the number of visitors in the exhibition at any one time.