On International Museum Day, the world’s attention turns to the remarkable institutions that are the custodians of our shared history. And in London, the Royal Armouries, housed within the iconic Tower of London, stands as a testament to the enduring power of these cultural vaults, holding the Guinness World Records title for the oldest museum.
While some collections, such as the Capitoline Museums in Rome, have earlier origins, the Royal Armouries holds the record for the oldest museum with continuous public access. Since 1660, the public has been welcomed through its doors, a tradition that began even before that with a system of booked appointments dating back to 1652.
The museum’s origins trace back to the working armory of the medieval kings of England. Today, it houses the United Kingdom’s national collection of arms and armor, a vast treasury of over 70,000 artifacts that spans centuries of human conflict and craftsmanship. Visitors can view treasures from King Henry VIII’s personal armor to magnificent jewel-encrusted swords and ancient Japanese gift armors.
While the Royal Armouries celebrates its unique place in history, other museums around the world also hold their own records. The Louvre in Paris, for instance, is the most visited museum in the world, attracting millions of people each year to its vast collections. Meanwhile, the Poozeum in Arizona holds the record for the largest collection of fossilized dinosaur feces.
As museums around the world hold special events and free admissions to celebrate International Museum Day, the Royal Armouries stands as a powerful reminder of how these institutions connect us to our past, transforming simple artifacts into living history.
