King Richard III Visitor Centre

I was very much looking forward to my visit here. I can't imagine a trip to England without visting the King Richard III Visitor Center. I am so glad we included it in our holiday. We went on week day. There was a class visiting, so it was loud. We had to try to go in areas the students weren't. On the other hand, as a Historian and educator, it was great to see students learning about history and I didn't mind at all. The employees were very friendly and helpful. The food at their cafe was good. We thought the displays were interesting and engaging. A couple of memorable displays were the replica of the king's skeleton and the halogram of where his body was found. I also liked the display showing how the car park changed over time and the video of how the king would have spoken. As a Richard III enthusiast from California, this was a must-see stop on our trip. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I highly recommend a visit.

A really awesome and well executed piece of history. The museum is amazing and the display which shows the location of Richard’s burial is incredible. There was an amazing volunteer named Julie who explained the full story behind the discovery of Richard. The centre has done an excellent job. It is a must visit for any historian.

A well presented exhibition of the story of Richard III from his beginnings to the eventual discovery of his remains. The best is saved until last with an excellent and poignant display of the actually place he lay undiscovered for all those centuries.

Very informative and enjoyable visit. Staff were knowledgeable and provided a real insight into the burial of Richard lll and how they found him. We also then walked across the road to visit the cathedral to see his new resting place which complemented the visit to the visitor centre. Had lunch in the cafe which was great. Highly recommend a visit to both.

This is a fairly new exhibition with good information. It’s not extensive but there’s lots of information upstairs about the discovery of Richard III body. Staff were very helpful and friendly.

A very well thought through visitor centre , with very helpful, staff. Some of the exhibits are amazing, especially the 'interactive exhibits". It explained the 'science of the DNA testing' as well as the archaeology part. The history and circumstances of Richard III that led to him being at Bosworth Field, and the very sad outcome. The shop & cafe are excellent, and the outside courtyard- with beautifully planted flowers and trees are all excellent; with plenty of seating under shading trees. Altogether, the layout of the experience was very good, well thought out. The fact it had air con, all around the tour was also excellent. The tour is on two levels ground floor , and upper floor - which can be reached by a lift , so no problem for wheel chair users. It was a very moving moment to see where they actually found him in the car park; it has been preserved, for posterity, exactly where they found him, this is outside in a very beautiful 'sanctum' covered over with toughened glass. The visitor shop is also excellent, with many interesting gifts and books, on medieval topics, including the Yorks & Tudors.. The entrance "doubles" also as the exit. I am so glad I came, to see this exhibit - finally..!!

The museum was very interesting to visit. Children engaged in some quests and looked for the clues everywhere in the different rooms, even in the cafe and the garden. They love this period as they studied it at school. They enjoyed speaking with the guide there about the Richard III, his character, was he a good or evil king?, the mystery of the two nephews in the tower, the story that led to his burial place... The most interesting thing is that the tickets are valid for one year. So if you cannot finish the visit or want to come again you can do so as many times as you like! Keep your tickets safe or the proof of payment confirmation email if you booked online.

Very interesting and after visiting Bosworth field and Leicester cathedral it completes the story really well. Very attentive and friendly staff. Also very knowledgeable. Good mixture of historic artefacts and modern exhibitions. Nice additions of interactive software. Would definitely recommend if in and around Leicester area especially if you like English history and war of the roses.

You know, it's amazing how fast a museum pops up after they make a significant discovery, though as it turns out sometimes it does take quite a while for a museum to appear at times. Still, it was only recently that King Richard's body was found, and yeah, suddenly a King Richard museum appears on top of the grave site. Then again, that is sort of similar to how shrines and churches in the past appeared on special sites. Yeah, the museum was actually pretty cool, it's just a shame that you have to catch a cab to get to Bosworth Fields.

An excellent learning center dedicated to the history of Richard III and the modern discovery of his grave. His remains were reinterred in the nearby cathedral. The highlight of the Visitor Center is the opportunity to view the gravesite where his remains were discovered. A viewing floor made of glass covers the site, allowing visitors to view the location of the dig and discovery. It features a hologram projection that allows viewers to see what the skeleton looked like when uncovered. Also fascinating is a replica of the skeleton, in a different part of the Visitor Center, and a video display of CT scan results of the wounds on Richard's bones and analysis of the weapons likely to have made them. Other exhibits briefly review the dynastic battles that later became known as the War of the Roses.

An excellent tourist attraction, located over the former council car park that concealed the burial site of Richard. The building is a little quirky, but is laid out extremely well - a fact you appreciate better once you have finished the tour. At the start, you watch a video in a mock throne room, where clever life-size projections of actors in a pair of arches set up the historical background of the King. The tour then proceeds through a convoluted gallery with various artefacts and exhibits associated with Richard; clever videos and lighting effects continue the story of the House of York, before leading you to the upper floor. Here there is a wide gallery detailing the search for Richard's remains, the centrepiece being a 3D-printed skeleton model in a mock MRI scanner, with interactive buttons highlighting the wounds that he received in his final battle. Finally, having primed you with all the historical detail and the story of the discovery and identification of his remains, the tour finishes downstairs at the glass-walled site of his grave, which has been left as an archaeological excavation. Here a couple of benches allow you to sit and ponder this incredible story, and a clever lighting projection modelled on the actual skeleton shows how his body lay when it was found. A very poignant finale to a wonderful exhibition - apart from the obligatory visit to the shop on the way out, of course. The visitor centre is not easy to find in the mainly pedestrianised centre of Leicester - our taxi had to drop us a few streets away - but following street signs for 'visitor centre' soon had us in the right place. It's just opposite the cathedral too, so that's a good landmark to aim for. We wanted to visit his tomb in the cathedral as well, but sadly the cathedral had moved a service forward so we were unable to do so. They did let us sit quietly in the side aisle for a while during the service though, so we felt that we had paid our respects to Richard after all.

I'm afraid I have to disagree with the only other comment here on Yelp: The "Richard III" centre, which was established just a few years ago after the bones of said king had been excavated in the city (and subsequently laid to rest in Leicester Cathedral opposite of this visitor centre), is only a MINOR attraction, because there is not a whole lot to see, but just a whole lot to READ. The museum is small, very modern in presentation (no faults there). If you are fascinated by Richard III and his reign, you will surely want so visit. Alternatively, you may just as well read a book at home! There are many boards on how the bones were found, how they were analysed, and how they were then brought to their final resting place. Which means, there is not a single actual historical relic to see in the entire place! The entry isn't quite so cheap for such a small attraction, but photography is allowed (of what there is to photograph!). Leicester, truth be told, is not an exciting city to visit if you're interested mainly in history, the arts and architecture. Apart from the cathedral (the second smallest in the country) there is not a whole lot to see, except maybe the historic medieval guildhall, which is right next to cathedral, and which you cannot actually visit. The city's museum and art gallery (New Walk Museum), though in a pretty building, is entirely forgettable when compared to, say, Birmingham and Derby, to name just a few places "in the vicinity". See my photos for reference.

The Visitor Center does a great job of explaining the life and death of Richard III and the excavation of his grave. Multimedia shows his final battle without the blood so you can bring young children. There are a few hands-on activities for them. Worth seeing if you're in the Leicester area.

It's a bit understated, but fits nicely with the Cathedral and the surroundings. Worth a visit, for sure.