Richard III Visitors’ Centre & Leicester Cathedral

Course Code: TRIII1905

Start Date: 19/05/2026

Day of the Week:

Tuesday

Session: All Day

Delivery method: Off Site (see description for further details)

Length in weeks: 1

Time: 9.45am

Price: £

We are delighted to announce our next trip to the Richard III Visitors’ Centre and Leicester Cathedral, taking place on Tuesday 19th May.  

What’s Included 

• Return transport to and from Leicester 
• An exclusive talk for members only 
• Entry to the award-winning King Richard III Visitors’ Centre
• Free time to explore the museum at your own pace and visit the Café and Shop.
• Interactive exhibits and immersive displays
• Audio Guided visit at the nearby Leicester Cathedral, where Richard III is laid to rest

 Perfect for history lovers, curious explorers, and anyone who enjoys a great story from England’s past 

Join us for a fascinating day out in Leicester to visit the incredible King Richard III Visitor Centre, built on the very site where the last Plantagenet king of England was discovered after more than 500 years. Learn about the incredible award-winning transformation of the former Alderman Newton’s Grammar School, located right next to the spot where the king’s remains were found by Philippa Langley’s ‘Looking for Richard’ project. 

Don’t just visit the exhibition—understand it.  

Our pre-museum, deep-dive talk equips you with an expert’s historical context to make every minute in the following exhibition count. We will begin our visit with an in-depth seminar into the life, death and incredible rediscovery of King Richard III. This exclusive talk will look at the story of how Richard III came to be buried in Leicester and then found over 500 years later underneath a car park. It will cover the amazing discovery of the remains, as well as the detailed analysis of those remains which led to the conclusion that they were in fact those of the last Plantagenet king. 

In the Presence of a King – Leicester Cathedral 

We will walk to Leicester Cathedral, about a 3-minute walk and your visit there will be complimented with an audio guide. It will be possible to view the impressive 6 -tonne block of Swaledale Fossil Stone on a Kilkenny marble plinth, crafted by stonemason James Elliott, where King Richard III is now interred. 

 The Itinerary 

Departure from Bedford: approx. 9.45am
Arrival at the Richard III Centre: approx. 11.30am 

1-hour talk: From 11.45am onwards in the King’s Suite 

Visitor Entry: After the talk, members will receive a brief introduction to the Visitor’s Centre and then they can begin their self-led tour.   

Cathedral: We will meet after the Visitors’ Centre to walk to Leicester Cathedral, the location of King Richard III’s tomb and complete the audio tour. 

Departure from Leicester: approximately 4pm 

Return to Bedford approximately 5.45pm-6pm (traffic dependent) 

There is a café and museum shop on site, and several cafés are located close by should you wish to purchase lunch. 

The trip will be led by Lisa Bamford and a REC Trustee or member of staff.  

Tickets are non‑refundable. If you are unable to attend the trip, we can try to resell your ticket, in which case we can reimburse you. In the event of circumstances beyond our control that prevent the trip from going ahead, we will seek to postpone the trip until a later date. 

This trip has now sold out, but you can join the waiting list for returned tickets by clicking the button at the bottom of this page. 

We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday 19th May 2026.