King Richard III Visitor Centre facts for kids
Entrance and shop
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| Established | Greyfriars: c. 1230 King Richard III Visitor Centre: 26 July 2014 |
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| Location | 4A Saint Martins, Leicester, LE1 5DB, England, United Kingdom |
| Visitors | 300,000+ (since 2014) |
The King Richard III Visitor Centre is an exciting museum in Leicester, England. It tells the amazing story of King Richard III, a famous English king. The museum also shows how his lost remains were found and reburied. This incredible discovery happened between 2012 and 2015.
For a very long time, no one knew exactly where King Richard III was buried. People thought his grave might be in Leicester. Scientists used special DNA tests to confirm his identity.
The museum opened on July 26, 2014. It is built on the exact spot where King Richard III was buried in 1485. This was at a medieval friary called Greyfriars, Leicester. He was buried there after he died in the Battle of Bosworth Field.
Contents
Discovering King Richard III
The King Richard III Visitor Centre is located in an old school building. This building is right next to a car park. This car park is where King Richard's remains were found.
The Search Begins
The search for King Richard III's grave was a big project. It was started by Philippa Langley and the Richard III Society. The University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS) began digging on August 25, 2012. Amazingly, the king's remains were found on the very first day!
A Museum is Born
People all over the world were very interested in this discovery. Because of this, the Leicester City Council decided to turn the old school into a visitor centre. The museum cost £4 million to build. It was designed by Paul East of Maber Architects.
The museum includes a special covered area. This area protects the exact spot where the king's grave was found. This spot was in the choir section of the old friary church. You can also see a part of the church's original floor.
Awards and Recognition
The King Richard III Visitor Centre has won important awards. It is recognized as a top museum.
In October 2018, the Visitor Centre won "Best Museum" in the Group Leisure and Travel Awards. It was nominated alongside very famous places. These included the British Museum and the National Railway Museum. This shows how special the King Richard III Visitor Centre is!
Images for kids
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The grave of Richard III from 1485
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The floor of the choir of Greyfriars, Leicester
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View of the in-situ floor tiles at Greyfriars, Leicester
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Rubble of the tower base of Greyfriars, Leicester
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Replica of Richard III's armour
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The "muscle stage" of the reconstruction of the face of Richard III
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Richard III's reconstructed face
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The upstairs gallery of the museum
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The replica of Richard III's skeleton
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A replica of the oldest surviving portrait of Richard III, with the original dating to around 1520
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A memorial stone dedicated to Richard III, originally from Leicester Cathedral
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The pall that covered the coffin of Richard III when he was re-buried in 2015
See also
