king richard iii visitor centre

i have to say I was somewhat disappointed. Nicely laid out, quite interesting (especially as I used to park here in the 70's and may have settled on the man himself) but it just didn't inspire. Perhaps in time it will develop into something more engaging but for now it is rather mediocre.

I would only visit if you are particularly interested in this part of history otherwise you will find it extremely dull. For those history buffs it packs a lot into a small space. Best part is you can see the final resting place of Richard through glass that you walk over.

This really is a great little museum, set right in the middle of Leicester, opposite the famous cathedral. In the first room, you find an empty throne, and realistic holograms of Richard's wife, his elder brother Edward IV, and his armourer set the scene and give some historical background. As you walk round the rest of the museum, you learn about Richard's upbringing, his training as a knight, his military career, the political chicanery that led to his grabbing the throne and sidelining the young prince and his brother.The highlight is the description of the Battle of Bosworth, where Richard's valiant but impetuous charge on Henry the invader led to his being isolated, unhorsed, and killed. The king's bones are on display, with gruesome annotation of the wounds he suffered and the weapons that caused them. You can also see his grave, outside in the car park, where the bones were almost miraculously discovered by archaeologists.Many of the exhibits have an interactive element, but not all the buttons were working on my visit. The captions are informative and well-written, but quite wordy, and young children might have some problems with them. However, this exhibition is principally aimed at older children and adults, and it does a good job of bring history alive.Three things I learnt about Richard III: 1) He didn't kill his elder brother to get the throne.2) No one knows what happened to the two princes in the Tower; perhaps they were kept safe and Henry killed them later, when he became king.3) Richard was a warrior prince, with a distinguished military career despite his disability, and bravely led the charge that brought about his death.

On the whole a well presented display however the film at the start was barely audible due to the noise from the reception area and the constant traffic of people going past so that was really disappointing. Other than that it was an interesting display as long as they manage to keep the interactive displays working which some weren't.......

Very interesting exhibition,well signposted .Well worth a visit if you are interested in our history.

The greatest discovery of our time, well planned and laid out with portrait's, timeline and full of tales and history. Great for taking yo back in the time yonder, graphic are good too.

My wife and I visited this attraction on a Sunday morning ,but it was still quite busy,not a place for young children however as it is quite wordy,however it is explained very well with various exhibitions all linking up to make an interesting attraction,I really liked the actual place where the body was discovered ,the young lady stationed there was able to answer any question we asked,I really liked the binoculars available in the cafe to view the peregrines living on the cathedral spire a nice modern touch ,tip go across the road to the guildhall well worth a look

A very interesting exhibition centre in an impressive building. Well laid out although the video and audio displays do tend to drown one another out. Nevertheless still worth visiting and will be making another visit sometime in the next twelve months with the free pass we have been given. Not expensive at £7 per person (seniors price). Very nice coffee in the cafe and very smart facilities for a comfort break.

Centre is very attractive and mostly well laid out. The lower floor deals with the history and gives lots of information about the life and death of the king, whilst the upper floor deals with search for and discovery of his remains. Both are very interesting and clearly designed to appeal to all age groups. The pit where they found the remains is very well done. The only problem is the sound - the opening film is shown in a foyer which is not separated from the shop/entrance and the soundtrack was almost inaudible in places. Then as you go round the centre there are other audio displays, but they are too close together, so you can hear several commentaries at once - it would be better if they gave you individual audio kits.The area around the centre is attractive - interesting shops, nice cafés and also the cathedral, so all in all makes for a pleasant day out. A bit pricy maybe, but not excessively so.

Went to see this exhibition last week after seeing the Channel 4 programme 'The King in the Car Park' and really enjoyed the experience with my family. The attraction gives a comprehensive history of Richard, the politics of the time, the inter-linked dynasties and the amazing dig to find the body of the last Plantagenet king.The science behind the archaeology is explained through a series of picture boards with supporting text, videos and objects. A 3D print of the King's bones shows the wounds inflicted during his final stand. A glass floor has been erected over the grave which allows visitors to peer into the hole where Richard's body lay for over 500 years.Really great visit...just glad they found him at last!

I loved it here!! So much history in one centre and so much to learn! So grateful I got to visit the King Richard III visitor Centre in its first opening week!

My family and I fully enjoyed our trip to this excellent attraction.not only does it give a comprehensive history of the last Plantagenet king of England it also gives a great insight into the archaeology involved in the discovery and preservation of the kings grave site. it uses very good video technology to inform and educate the public about the life and times of king Richard 111.well done to all concerned in this educational first for Leicester.

This place is great. I'm not really into history but after visiting Bosworth this place was a must. I booked it as part of a package deal with Bosworth, Ramada encore hotel and another attraction of your choice. The staff were helpful and the experience although slightly surreal was detailed without being sensational. Good for all the family and a highlight of Leicester

A really excellent attraction and well presented and I agree with one review that there is a good mix of history, archeology, media and science. Excellent cafe as well. I had a wonderful cheese scone and a pot of tea all for about £3.20. The small shop has some good book and gifts. The first floor is the history and then you go up to the next level where you get the archeology, media and science. I saw the Channel 4 programmes and I still loved visitng this attraction. Well worth a visit.

Well worth a visit. A good mixture of history, archeology, media and science based around the dig site itself. Add to that a nice coffee shop and a small museum shop and you have an attraction well worth a couple of hours of your time.m I also recommend the Richard III walking tour (guide book from the museum shop) which will take you to the other important sites in the city.