Leicester’s King Richard III Visitor Centre has been shortlisted for a national tourism award, for its work in telling the story of the king’s discovery and reburial.
The attraction, which includes the king’s lost gravesite and is just a stone’s throw from his final resting place at Leicester Cathedral – has been shortlisted for the Small Visitor Attraction of the Year category in the Visit England Award for Excellence 2023.
It comes on the 10th anniversary of the discovery and reinterment of the king’s remains, at the long-lost Grey Friars church beneath modern-day Leicester.
The winners of the Visit England Awards for Excellence are due to be announced at the end of April.
The attraction was nominated after winning the Leicestershire Promotions Tourism and Hospitality Award last November.
Since opening its doors in 2014, the attraction has notched up more than 40 accolades, and has been going from “strength to strength.”
Awards include being named ‘Best Museum’ at the Group Leisure and Travel Awards, and ‘History Museum of the Year’ at the Luxury Travel Guide Global Awards.
Since 2019 it has also been home to the Visit Leicester tourist information centre, making it a one stop shop for visitors wanting to discover more about the city’s history, culture, hospitality and retail.
“We’ve been going from strength to strength since opening in 2014 and the addition of the Visit Leicester tourist information centre four years ago has further expanded upon what we can offer to visitors,” said Phil Hackett, general manager of King Richard III Visitor Centre.
“This national recognition from Visit England, where we are up against some of the very best visitor attractions in the country, is a testament to all that the team do here, from the housekeeping team through to our visitor engagement volunteers, who proudly deliver the best visitor experience.”
The King Richard III Visitor Centre opened in July 2014 and tells the story of Richard III’s life, death and the remarkable search, discovery and identification of the remains found under a car park in Leicester in August 2012.
Built within a Victorian Grammar School adjacent to Richard III’s grave site, which is now incorporated into the visitor centre under a glass viewing floor, the visitor centre is managed by Leicester Museums and Galleries, part of Leicester City Council’s Arts and Museums Service.
The King Richard III Visitor Centre is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the discovery, reinterment and many other related milestones and events from August 22, 2022, until March 26, 2025.
For more information about the King Richard III Visitor Centre visit https://kriii.com/news/
