While visiting my old friend Alasdair Jamison, we decided to have a look at the new museum in Leeds (Armouries Drive, Leeds, Yorkshire, LS 10 1 LT; Info Hotline 0113-220-1900). It is a purpose-built edifice with a huge car park next to Clarence dock on the old canal system.

Where to begin? There's so much to see I should think if you wished to see all there was to see, you could spend several days there. We spent all of one day.

If I draw you a vertical cross section of the museum, as in their introductory leaflet and then comment on what particularly struck me, you may have some idea of the place.

2nd Floor Mezzanine HUNTING	.	ORIENTAL Laser gun and crossbow range
2nd Floor HUNTING Coffee shop/toilets	.	2nd Floor ORIENTAL SELF DEFENSE
1st Floor Mezzanine TOURNAMENT	.	1st Floor Mezzanine WAR
1st Floor TOURNAMENT	.	1st Floor WAR
Ground Floor Mezzanine WELLINGTON Restaurant	.	Ground Floor Mezzanine - Educational Centre, Library
Ground Floor - Nelson Bistrol Bar & Museum Shop	Main Entrance	Ground Floor - Royal Armouries Hall & Bury Theatre

I didn't quite frame my entrance ticket but at 7.99 pounds I felt like it, particularly as a Senior Citizen. The museum cost about 42 million pounds to erect, stock and open, so they have to pay for all that conservation somehow. The shop was full of the usual things with "Royal Armouries" printed on it somewhere. There was also an enormous stock of all the latest books wargamers and people interested in military history would like to read - all the Ospreys, Greenhill reprints, etc., and Britain's collectors (with special bank loans!) can buy the latest offerings. An elephant drawn artillery set was the best part of 1,000 pounds. I don't think the founder of Britains would like it and I who played with boxes of Britain's Life Guards or Grenadiers before the War (WWII) didn't either.

All that aside, there are magnificent displays, beautifully set out. I'll mention just a few - or this article will be book-length!

The Tournament Gallery - Stories of Heraldry, Chivalry, the Joust, Tourney and foot combat. Films on strategically placed video screens show Field of Cloth of Gold, Cult of Gloriana and Lion Armour. There are computer interactives. There are live demos of poleaxe combat, in the foot combat ring - a good stout rodeo-style fence doubled, to protect the spectators from the odd ding on the head - with fully armoured knights. There are two pavilion tents, in one is Henry VIII's armour worn on The Field of Cloth of Gold - a contest of The time with The French on who could spend The most. "You have hanging flower baskets? We have The Hanging Gardens of Babylon" style of thing.

In The War Gallery. I saw The old Bren Gun - a clone of which I seemed to lug for miles during National Service - and all The rifles and muskets and methods of firing them and loading them anyone ever seemed to have though up, pistols too.

The live demonstrations I enjoyed were acted out by a "WWI Tommy" and his wife using parts of letters to him from home and, later on, The same actors bringing to life journals and writings of The Civil War - even I recognized Verney's words about his loyalty to King Charles.

Computer Interactives allow you to make decisions at The Battle of Pavia, ACW, The Somme and The Battle of Hastings - in perfect safety! The Battle of Pavia 1525 tableau reminded me of The one in Zurich Museum - only RA Leeds have done it better, I think.

The Oriental Gallery contains Horse Archers - particularly Yabusame (Japanese horse archers). A grand video goes with that of re-enactors in Japan. Japanese swords abound and an excellent video of a swordsmith at work and a scabbard-maker at work - The sureness and skill of these craftsmen is breathtaking - helps one's understanding.

In The Self-Defence Gallery, The Western Gunfight video caught my eye - debunking The Western film six-gun which, loaded on Monday, fires 'til Sunday. Computer interactives there show how fire arms work. A lovely collection of Colt revolvers on display there too.

I could go on - outside the museum is more - a craft court, Menagerie Court, a Tietyard, which features hunting and riding displays with horses, dogs and hawks - April till October subject to British liquid sunshine levels.

Alasdair and I eschewed The Hunting Gallery - armed men killing each other is silly at The best of times, but armed men killing defenceless animals for fun, rather than food, is a bit passe' in our opinion, anyway.

I enjoyed every penny of my 7.99 pounds worth and you can get there just as easily by rail. Walk out of The station and look for The brown and white signs. Allow three to five hours for your visit. Summer (1st April-31st October) open at 10:00 and closes at 6:00 (18:00 hours). Winter (1st November-31st March) open at 10:00 and closes at 5:00. Last admission 1500 Hours. Evenings: Open until 2200 hours on The First Thursday of every month. Better phone if you're coming any distance. Disabled visitors have total access and loops for The hard of hearing - special needs? Ask The staff. American readers be assured its worth a visit or even a detour from your itinerary to take Royal Armouries in. Enjoy it!