Henry VIII: Dressed to Kill

The Tower of London presents a spectacular new exhibition to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII's accession to the throne.

Henry VIII at The Tower of London

Dressed to Kill features stunning examples of Henry VIII's personal armour and weapons.

Some of these original artefacts are being displayed for the first time in the UK, giving you unprecedented access to the King's incredible collection.

The exhibition is displayed over three floors in the Tower of London's White Tower.

About Dressed to Kill at The Tower of London

All of the pieces on display were handmade by master craftsmen in England and Europe. In fact, many of the intricate designs came from a workshop that Henry himself set up in London.

The exhibition uses photography, video and scanning techniques to show in fine detail the lavish decoration that was employed by Henry’s designers.

Highlights of Dressed to Kill at The Tower of London

The armour on display includes a stunning full suit that was intended for Henry to wear at the Field of the Cloth of Gold battle in 1520.

The suit was never finished, but is still in working order today. Its many overlapping and moving parts were considered state-of-the-art at the time.

Other key pieces include:

• An elaborately decorated silvered and engraved armour from 1515
• The Wilton anime armour of around 1544, from New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art
• The extraordinary horned helmet presented to Henry VIII by the Emperor Maximilian I
• The only two surviving guns from Henry's sporting collection