Ticket prices for Leicester’s new King Richard lll Visitor Centre: Dynasty, Death and Discovery, have been revealed. The exhibition focuses on one of the most controversial historical figures in British history and the the last British monarch to die in battle. The location of the late monarch’s corpse remained a mystery for years, but it was discovered in August 2012 by archaeologists in a car park in Leicester.
The new visitor centre is located at the old Leicester Grammar School building at St Martin’s; the Gothic building has been transformed into a two floor exhibition space which contains a new glass hall which look out onto a new courtyard and garden café area.
The centre, which is due to open in the summer, has revealed that ticket prices to view the exhibition will start at £4.75 for a child’s ticket (three to 15 years), with adult tickets costing £7.95. Family tickets will give entry to two adults and two children for the discounted price of just £21.50. A special rate of £7.00 per person will be available to groups of 15 or more. A concessionary rate of £7.00 will also be available.
Keith Beaumont, Chair of the King Richard III Visitor Centre Trust said:
“The centre will feature a breath taking exhibition that will guide visitors through the dramatic story of King Richard’s life, his brutal death at Bosworth Battlefield and the compelling story of his rediscovery”
“Visitors to this world-class exhibition will also have access to the King’s burial site where he lay for 527 years. We have tried to ensure that our ticket prices are affordable so that as many people as possible can enjoy visiting what is destined to become a world-wide tourist attraction.”
Visitors will also be able to purchase advance online tickets from May which is also when the centre’s open date will be revealed. Until then visitors are able to register for a priority notification of ticket sales from the 14th April by going to www.kingrichardiiivisitorcentre.com.
Speaking about the spike in interest in history in Leicester since the discovery of King Richard III’s body, Martin Traynor, Deputy Chair of the trust said:
“The city council has invested £4million into transforming the former Alderman Newton school building – which stands next to the car park where the king’s grave was found – into the striking new visitor centre”
“Since this historic discovery we have seen unprecedented interest in the history of our city and the story of King Richard lll. Our aim is to build on that interest and provide Leicester with a facility that will attract local, national and international visitors.’’
‘’With more than 100,000 visitors expected in the first full year of operation, this new attraction will also provide a significant boost to the local tourism industry as well as supporting the wider Leicester economy.”
