Historic Chain Maille

Chain Maille Armor

If you love historic chain maille and would like to see chain maille from the past, you can often find maille on display in museums. While many museums house arms and armor collections, there are also museums that are exclusively arms and armor museums. 

Please note that arms and armor collections are predominantly made up of full body armor, weapons and objects. The amount of chain maille in each collection can vary greatly and sometimes be quite small. However, these are all fascinating collections and museums and certainly worth a visit.

Here are a few suggestions of places to visit. These are museums I have either visited or have heard or read about. All have well known arms and amor collections. Naturally, all the museums house many other incredible collections. 

Before Visiting:

Please check the museum website or call in advance to make sure that the museum you plan to visit is currently open.

Virtual Visits:

Some museums offer free online virtual visits. Virtual events and tours will generally be listed on the home page.

Museums:

The Worcester Art Museum (WAM)

Worcester, Massachusetts, United States
This museum houses the arms and armor acquisition from the permanently closed Higgins Armory Museum. 
https://www.worcesterart.org

The Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois, United States
Houses a collection of medieval and renaissance art and armor
One of the oldest and largest Art Museums in the US
https://www.artic.edu/exhibitions

The Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET)

New York City, New York, United States
Arms and Armor Department/Collection
https://www.metmuseum.org
(Pictured Above)

The Royal Armouries Collections

The Royal Armouries are housed in three locations: Leeds, Tower of London, & Fort Nelson, UK
The United Kingdom’s National Museum of Arms and Armor
https://collections.royalarmouries.org

Palace Armoury of Valletta

Valletta, Malta
An arms collection from the 17th and 18th centuries housed at the Grandmaster's Palace
https://heritagemalta.org/the-palace-armoury

Welt Museum (Weltmuseum Wien)

Vienna, Austria 
https://www.weltmuseumwien.at/en