Beginner's Classes

Next sessions starting
September 6, 7 & 11 MORE

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Body Mechanics

Cultivate better speed, agility, strength and endurance MORE

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Umbrella Self-Defence

Learn self-defence with umbrella and cane MORE

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Falconry Workshop

Fly and handle these amazing birds of prey! MORE

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SwordFit Warrior

Knightly Arts fitness program
with heavy weapons MORE

Historical Museum

Step from the modern streets of Downtown Vancouver into Europe’s martial past. Our interactive exhibits focus on the history and development of weapons, arms and the skills of warriors and include the opportunity to wield and handle the weapons and armour of history.

History of the Sword

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No weapon holds more sway in our collective imagination than the sword. It has been the weapon of the common soldier, the general, and the nobleman alike; and it has been an integral player in the history of civilization. Four millennia are represented in this collection, which ranges from Bronze Age swords to modern military sabres.

Weapons of War

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Though the queen of weapons may be the sword, the pawn is no doubt the pole arm. Weapon of the common man, who had only to attach a sharpened piece of metal to a stout staff to make himself the bane of armoured horsemen, the pole arm was the mainstay of many European infantries. Learn to tell a bardiche from a boar spear and a war hammer from a halberd with this intriguing display of pole weapons.

Plate Armour

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The latter part of the Middle Ages saw the pinnacle of design in plate armour, more often used for tournament and spectacle than for war. Beneath the beauty and craftsmanship, however, remained the serious function of defending the body from harm. Each piece of this suit of plate armour is identified by its name and its role.

Heraldry

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Far from being a mere mediaeval fashion statement, the brightly coloured surcoat and shield of the armoured knight identified him to his comrades on the battlefield, indicated his status, and showed his relationship to his family. The styles and rules of heraldry may seem complex and arcane, but every coat of arms tells a story. Illustrated by a set of beautifully hand-painted shields, this display offers to unlock the codes of heraldry.

Fight Books

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Possessing superior weaponry and armour is only half the battle: the other half lies in the art of defence. Fighting masters were employed in Mediaeval and Renaissance Europe both to train armies and tutor young noblemen in the arts of war. Pride of place in Academie Duello’s museum goes to the 16th century edition of Achille Marozzo’s Opera Nova dell'Arte delle Armi (New Work on the Art of Arms).

Hours of Operation

10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday to Saturday
Admission by donation
Guided tours weekdays at 2:00 pm for $10