Worcester Art Museum Brings Arms, Armor Collection Back for Public Exhibition
It is the first time in 12 years that this collection has been displayed in Massachusetts since the Higgins Armory Museum, which opened in 1931, closed permanently in 2013.
The former Higgins Armory Collection of jousting suits, armor, and swords has found a new home at the Worcester Art Museum. It is the first time in 12 years that the Arms and Armor collection has been displayed in Massachusetts since the Higgins Armory Museum, which opened in 1931, closed permanently in 2013.
One of the cornerstones of the permanent exhibition, “Arms and Armor,” centers on three distinctive suits of armor — a 19th-century Sudanese armor, a 16th-century southern German knight's armor, and a 16th-century Mughal-influenced Indian suit — framing a global cultural narrative.
While much of the collection represents medieval Europe, several objects represent societies from around the world. One notable example is a 17th-century Japanese conch-shell helmet.
According to a WBUR report, more than 1,000 objects are shown in a rear gallery using an open storage concept that also details conservation, restoration, and research work behind the scenes. Two massive walls are filled from floor to ceiling with hundreds of objects in an “open-storage” concept.
Curator Jeffrey Forgeng explained that the armor's symbolic and cultural dimensions juxtapose a visually striking, globally representative gallery that invites members of the public to explore world cultures.
The exhibition also integrates interactive elements, such as trying on a helmet and lifting a sword, experiences located in a rear gallery space. Forgeng said that providing access through community programming helps engage younger generations with historical stories.
“ I really love the notion of young people — and honestly people of all ages — being able to put themselves into that museum experience to see themselves as an integral part of the museum,” he said in a statement shared with WBUR.
An accompanying exhibition titled “Power on the Page: Arms and Armor on Paper” illustrates how the Higgins collection objects relate to the Worcester Art Museum's broader holdings, including Japanese woodblock prints and medieval German combat manuals.
