Heralds' Museum

The Heralds' Museum was a small heraldry museum run by the College of Arms Trust. It stood inside the old Waterloo Barracks at the Tower of London during the 1980s. The idea came from Sir Anthony Wagner, who wanted a place to show the College’s treasures. A design by Raymond Erith was prepared but never built because repairs to the college cost too much. Instead the museum opened in 1980 as part of the Tower of London. It was open only in summer and showed items from the College of Arms and borrowed pieces. Peter Spurrier was its curator and John Brooke-Little its director. Sybil Burnaby handled publicity for the museum. The Duke of Kent performed the opening ceremony. Visitors found displays of heraldic art and documents inside the barracks. The exhibits changed each season as loans arrived and returned. Outside, the Tower’s medieval walls and the White Tower framed the scene. The museum closed in the late 1980s when the Royal Palaces were reorganised.