Leeds Royal Armouries Museum sees visitor numbers soar after TikToks go viral

The Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds has seen visitor numbers soar after launching its TikTok channel earlier in the year, with their videos going viral for featuring Gen Z language.

The Leeds military museum told ITV visitor numbers have surged by 60 per cent, with the social media content being recognised as some of the best this year by TikTok.

And as ITV’s Tom Bradby commented, that’s nothing short of “a flex.”

Katie Glover, Communications Officer at the Royal Armouries, explained social media is the key to attracting Gen Z. “TikTok is the gateway to a younger audience,” she said.

And with nearly 10 million views on a Royal Armouries tour video, it’s clear the museum has cracked the code.

Mark Murray, the star behind the Royal Armouries’ TikTok success, told ITV it’s about helping people to understand and appreciate the collections he’s so passionate about, and TikTok is proving to be the perfect platform.

Their content is the perfect blend of humour, trends and historical storytelling: Think dancers in medieval armour grooving to Bye Bye Bye, or nods to Henry VIII as “The Rizzler,” a playful twist on his well-documented romantic history.

@royalarmouriesmuseum

POV: you asked if medieval armour was hard to move in… Tickets for the joust available via our website, link in bio! #royalarmouries #historytok #museumtok #museum #medievaltok #armour #knight #byebyebye #nsync #deadpool

♬ Bye Bye Bye – From Deadpool and Wolverine Soundtrack – *NSYNC

Tailoring TikTok trends has been key to widening audience engagement to younger demographics, who may be less inclined to visit museums. Its posts hit the perfect balance between entertainment and education, with videos racking up millions of views—three times the annual number of visitors to the museum.

Mark admitted he now can’t help but drop Gen Z slang like “slay” into his daily conversations.

Highlighting just how far-reaching the videos have been, Mark said: “Suddenly, people are recognising me on the train.”

@royalarmouriesmuseum

Serving curatorial realness fr #armsandarmour #royalarmouries #museum #history #genz #historytok #museumtok #marketingscript

♬ Jazz Bossa Nova – TOKYO Lonesome Blue

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The Royal Armouries’ success is proving that when a cultural institution embraces innovation and lets creativity take the reins, it can open up its doors to a whole new audience.

If dancing knights and viral tours are the future of museums, then the Royal Armouries is leading the charge—and slaying while they’re at it.

Featured image via Youtube/TikTok