The Royal Armouries is the National Museum of Arms and Armour located in Leeds. It is currently undergoing a major transformation project. They have issued a preliminary market engagement notice for the provision of exhibition design consultancy services. The estimated contract value is £15,064,000 (including VAT).
Royal Armouries Museum: Exhibition Design Consultancy (Preliminary Market Engagement). Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-020959
The Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds is seeking to engage with the market in advance of a formal procurement process for the appointment of a world-class exhibition design consultancy. This opportunity forms a key part of the institution's Armouries 700 initiative - a transformative, multi-phase capital programme.
The Royal Armouries intends to appoint a single exhibition design consultancy to support the full programme of works from concept development through to final delivery and handover. However, the progression of each stage within the project is subject to the successful securing of external funding, and to formal review points. At these key gateways, both the Royal Armouries and the appointed Designer will review progress to confirm that funding remains in place, the project scope is still required, and the working relationship continues to be productive and aligned. Should funding not be secured, or if either party is not satisfied at a review stage, the Royal Armouries reserves the right to pause, alter the scope, or terminate the contract without proceeding to subsequent phases.
This contract is for the design and delivery of a major re-display and reinterpretation of approximately 4,740 m² of permanent gallery space over five floors within the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds. The appointed design team will play a central role in the phased transformation of the museum, helping realise our ambition to revolutionise how visitors engage with the UK's national collection of arms and armour.
The total anticipated value of the exhibition design contract is estimated at £14.2 million (net of Vat) £15,064,000 (inclusive of Vat) across all phases of delivery. The appointment will begin with an initial development phase and is expected to extend, subject to review gateways, through to final installation and handover in 2032.
This contract is for the design and delivery of a major re-display and reinterpretation of approximately 4,740 m² of permanent gallery space over five floors within the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds. The appointed design team will play a central role in the phased transformation of the museum, helping realise our ambition to revolutionise how visitors engage with the UK's national collection of arms and armour.
The total anticipated value of the exhibition design contract is estimated at £14.2 million (net of Vat) £15,064,000 (inclusive of Vat) across all phases of delivery. The appointment will begin with an initial development phase and is expected to extend, subject to review gateways, through to final installation and handover in 2032.
Key Outputs and Deliverables
- The Designer will lead the creative and technical development of new permanent galleries, supporting interpretative, digital, spatial, and environmental design across:
- 4,740m² of permanent exhibition space including War, Peace, Tournament, Self Defence, and Asia/Africa galleries
- A new immersive, multi-functional performance space
- Ground-floor interpretive installations to enhance early visitor engagement
- Integrated digital and physical interactives
- Participatory design areas reflecting co-creation with community groups
- Display systems to accommodate over 75,000 collection objects and rotation capacity
The exhibition design scope includes but is not limited to:
- 2D and 3D exhibition design
- Digital interactive and immersive environments
- Lighting design
- AV integration and art direction
- Interpretative design (including wayfinding, signage, and orientation)
- Engineering and M&E consultancy for exhibition fitout
- Cost consultancy and programme phasing advice
- Fire, access, and CDM advisory services
- Stakeholder engagement visualisations and prototyping
Procurement Phases
The design contract will be structured in phases, aligned with the museum's funding programme and National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) application process. These include:
- Initial Development Phase (Present - March 2026)
- Review of existing studies and design brief development
- Visualisation and interpretative concept design (RIBA Stage 0-1)
- Elemental cost plans, programme advice and stakeholder engagement materials
2. NLHF Development Phase (Sept 2026 - March 2028)
- RIBA Stage 2 development of proposals
- Detailed interpretative, phasing, fire, access, and environmental strategies
- Stakeholder consultation and support for NLHF Stage 2 submission
3. Delivery Phase - Three gallery zones:
- Zone 1 (Sept 2028 - Feb 2030)
- Zone 2 (Feb 2030 - July 2031)
- Zone 3 (July 2031 - Nov 2032)
Each phase will require full RIBA Stage 3-7 design and delivery, including oversight of fitout contractors, detailed specifications, on-site installation support, and defect remediation.
Design Priorities
All design proposals must adhere to the Royal Armouries' core principles, including:
- Collection-focused storytelling: Foregrounding objects to unlock narratives across four interpretative pillars - Design, Make, Use, Impact.
- Inclusive and participatory design: Co-creation with diverse community representatives, researchers, and audience advocates.
- Multi-sensory engagement: Designing for immersive, performative, playful, and reflective experiences.
- Sustainability and accessibility: Complying with the Bizot Green Protocol and exceeding statutory accessibility standards. Passive environmental controls, low-energy solutions, and minimal structural interventions are expected.
Audience & Impact Goals
The redisplay aims to:
- Attract over 500,000 visitors per annum
- Significantly grow underrepresented and diverse audiences
- Embed inclusive narratives that resonate with local and global communities
- Establish the museum as a national destination and cultural anchor in the North of England
- Operational Integration
Designs must allow for continued operation of the museum throughout the build period, support flexible programming (e.g., live performances, school visits, corporate hire), and ensure future maintainability and adaptability.
Supplier Engagement Goals
This early market engagement aims to:
- Gauge market capability and interest in delivering a high-profile, phased exhibition design project
- Inform the development of the procurement strategy, lot structure, and timeline
- Encourage partnerships between design consultancies and specialist subcontractors (e.g., digital, lighting, access)
- Interested parties should consider how they would propose to:
- Mobilise a multidisciplinary design team with relevant experience
- Collaborate with the Royal Armouries team and external stakeholders
- Integrate interpretative, environmental and commercial requirements
- Ensure continuity of quality and budget control over an 8-year delivery programme
Next Steps
We invite interested suppliers to register their interest and contribute to the market engagement process. Responses will inform the forthcoming tender documentation and may influence the final procurement approach. A formal call for competition under the Public Contract Regulations 2015 is anticipated later in 2025.
For further information, interested contractors should visit the following link.
The deadline for engagement is 1 July 2025.
Contact:
Royal Armouries Museum
Armouries Drive
Leeds
LS10 1LT
United Kingdom
procurement@armouries.org.uk
