Worcester, Massachusetts: Higgins Armory Museum (Gone)

A large collection of metal suits and weapons, displayed in a replica of a medieval castle's Great Hall.

Higgins Armory Museum will be closing at the end of 2013. The museum will integrate with the Worcester Art Museum, and so the core collection will later be moved to and displayed at the art museum. Visit the Higgins soon to enjoy the collection in its unique, original home.

The Higgins Armory Museum houses a unique collection of arms and armor. The oldest piece dates from the early Egyptian era. While most of the collection is from the European middle ages and Renaissance, other times and places are represented, including Japan, Persia, and Africa. The museum is family friendly and has a children's gallery where kids of all ages can play games, try on costumes, try on helmets, and see a knight's eye view of the world.

In recent years, the Higgins has started a fascinating program to rediscover the lost martial arts of the middle ages, one of the few places in the world doing this kind of research. On a regular Saturday schedule, costumed interpreters from the museum's Sword Guild demonstrate the use of medieval arms and armor for museum visitors, based on material from historic medieval training manuals. And it's not at all like what they show in the movies.

Originally the place was a storehouse for a private collection of Armor/arms memorabilia. Eventually the place was turned into a museum and opened to the public. I've been a handful of times and always find new stuff to look at. Claims to be the only institution in the Western Hemisphere solely dedicated to arms and armor. Open Tues. through Sat. from 10 to 4, Sun. noon to 4.

There are a couple of oddities in Worcester, MA. An all-steel building called the Higgins Armory, which houses the world's largest collection of knight's armor! I think diners were actually invented in Worcester since it was the home of the Worcester Dining Car Co.