A new Visitor Centre has been created around the poignant spot where King Richard III’s remains were buried for more than half a millennia – one of the most fascinating and intriguing historic sites in England.
The King Richard III Visitor Centre in Leicester opened its doors on Saturday 26 July 2014 and tickets to visit the original burial site of the last King of England to die in battle are now available.
Using great storytelling, beautiful design and 21st century technology, this brand new Centre tells the fascinating and moving story of the King’s life and death, and reveal one of the greatest archaeological detective stories ever told.
Since the dramatic discovery of King Richard III’s body in 2012 there has been worldwide interest, and we expect demand to visit the Centre to be very high.
The project, delivered for Leicester City Council, saw the former Alderman Newton’s School on St Martin’s Place transformed into a state-of-the-art visitor centre telling the dramatic story of the king’s life, his brutal death at Bosworth Field in 1485, and the fascinating rediscovery of his grave.
The Victorian Gothic school building was refurbished to create two floors of exhibition space and a new covered area allowing visitors access to the grave in which Richard’s remains were discovered. The project includes the construction of a new courtyard garden, glass entrance hall, viewing balcony, café and visitor entry from Peacock Lane.