Popular tourist attractions showcase only one side of any place. If you truly want to experience the destination you are visiting, try to take a trip down a few attractions off the beaten path. So join us on a journey as we explore one such attraction where you can discover the unusual, the unexpected and the unforgettable side of this great metropolis, London.

One of the many great displays at the Royal Artillery Museum

Overview

The Royal Artillery Museum boasts one of the widest variety of historic and modern artillery on display in Europe. The Museum re-creates the story of the Gunners, highlights the part they played in history and their role in today’s British Army.

Location:

Firepower, The Royal Artillery Museum, is a military museum in Woolwich in south-east London, England. The museum is located in some of the former buildings of the Royal Arsenal, which was the British Government’s principal ordnance manufacturing facility from the early 18th century until the mid 20th century.

History:

Although the Museum was set up to preserve Royal Artillery history, it is in fact much more than a regimental museum, as the Royal Artillery has been involved in most British actions for the over 200 years. Firepower tells the story of the men and women – more than 2 million of them – who have served as Gunners in the Royal Regiment of Artillery since it was founded.

Collections at the museum:

Firepower has large collections of historic and modern weapons. It is composed of the following sections:

• Breech cinema: The section shows an introductory film.

• Field of fire: The Field of Fire is an interactive exhibit with sound, smoke, screens and vibrations designed to give visitors an idea of what it is like to be a modern gunner in war time.

• The Gunnery Hall: offers a display of 20th century weapons.

• The History Gallery: The section covers the history of artillery from slings and arrows onwards.

• Medals Gallery: As the name suggests, the section displays a selection of thousands of medals won by members of the Royal Regiment of Artillery, and tells some of the stories behind them.

• Real Weapon Gallery: The Gallery is an interactive exhibition about ammunition.

This off-beat attraction presents a perfect opportunity to experience life in the battlefield, play with interactive exhibits and learn about the science and history of artillery.

Flickr: gberg2007