The first level of the centre is a tribute to Richard III's life. It's the historical exhibition, beginning with a great introductory video starring Richard's mother, Cecily Neville, the Earl of Warwick (the Kingmaker), his wife, Anne Neville, and his brother King Edward IV. All of these characters pave the way for Richard's story to be told, showing us visitors that there were many people who played an active and vital role in his story. Walking through the exhibit to the right, we saw a timeline of events beginning with Edward IV's triumph over King Henry VI and Warwick's assistance in bringing the Yorks to the throne of England. Richard is introduced as the Duke of Gloucester - loyal youngest brother to the king and skilled warrior. Much of this part of the exhibit illustrates the politics of the time, giving a great introduction to the Wars of the Roses.
The exhibit expands on Richard's short reign - his contributions to parishes, schools, publishing, and the arts. A beautiful stained glass image of Richard, Anne, and their only son, Edward, is displayed just before the exhibit takes a turn towards Bosworth.
Arguably the best part of the exhibit, the bit on Bosworth and Richard's defeat was incredibly well done. The centre does a fantastic job of explaining the many details of the battle - including weapons used, individuals fighting for the Yorks and Lancastrians (and independents!), the armor worn, etc. One can spend as much time as they'd like reading about every last detail, which I appreciated. One of the most clever sections was an area that showed Henry Tudor on one side, Richard on the other, and Lord Thomas Stanley and his brother between them both. A sword hangs at Stanley's image and swings back and forth like a pendulum, to illustrate that he was the deciding figure in the outcome of the battle. If Stanley and his army had fought for York, Richard probably would have come out triumphant. But as we know, Stanley waited to see who was struggling in combat, and once Richard was clearly on the losing end, he declared for Tudor - thus swinging the pendulum of fate decidedly in his favor. A very clever bit of the exhibit!
Complete with wall projections of the battle scene, one cannot help but be transfixed as they walk through this area of the exhibit, hearing the sounds of swords clashing and horses' hooves pounding. By the end of the exhibit, of course, Richard is dead and visitors can see a beautiful image of Henry Tudor being crowned on the battlefield, with Richard's naked corpse carelessly draped over a horse - ready to be processed through the streets of Leicester.
Of course, it's nearly impossible for me to express all the wonderful things this centre has to offer its visitors, and I've left out a few things in this post. On the first floor there is also a fantastic art exhibition with paintings by Graham Turner - an incredibly talented man who was inspired by a visit to Bosworth Battlefield, and now has a huge collection of Richard III-inspired creations. If you walk clockwise through the room, you can see paintings from the beginning of Edward IV's reign, all the way through the Battle of Bosworth. All of these are for sale through Graham's website, and it is the largest collection of his work! Postcard versions of his paintings are also available in the gift shop (I bought three!). This is definitely a section of the centre not to be missed!
In addition to all I've said, there is plenty more to take in and explore for yourself - so don't let my review be the closest you ever get to this fabulous Visitor Centre! I highly encourage a visit, and afterwards I also encourage a walk down the Richard III Walking Trail - sold at the gift shop for 50p or downloadable online. This trail walks you through Medieval Leicester, showing you buildings and locations that would have been familiar to Richard in his time - both on his progresses and visits to the city, as well as during his final few days.
Not only was this an exciting "touristy" day out, but it was educational for me as well. As a Masters student at Oxford focusing on 16th century reputations and opinions of Edward IV and Richard III, this was one of the most exciting locations for me to visit. I feel closer to this period of Plantagenet (and Tudor) history after visiting Leicester, and I am so grateful for the opportunity. Already I am looking forward to my trip back in March to look upon Richard's coffin before it is reinterred, and I can promise my readers another blog post after that occasion. For my UK fans, I urge you to make a day trip out of this Visitor Centre and step into Richard III's world for yourself! International fans, I hope you are also able to experience this place for yourself at some point. What an exciting time to be Tudor Enthusiasts right now… our history is coming to life in a way that it hasn't in centuries! And the Richard III Visitor Centre is making that happen in a beautiful, educational, and inspiring way.
Long live King Richard III! He is certainly alive and well in Leicester.