Worcester Art Museum Now Displaying Higgins Armory Collection
A long-standing joke from comedian Conan O’Brien about a Worcester landmark isn’t a laughing matter anymore. O’Brien is referring to the Higgins Armory in Worcester, which he recounts from rainy-day…
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A long-standing joke from comedian Conan O'Brien about a Worcester landmark isn't a laughing matter anymore.
O'Brien is referring to the Higgins Armory in Worcester, which he recounts from rainy-day memories, family trips, and a nostalgic yet critical view of an armor collection displayed there. O'Brien remembered it as a poorly curated “hoarder's attic of armor” (which he pronounced as “ar-mah” with a thick Boston accent).
Today, though, the new exhibition experience might even prompt O'Brien to take a second look. In late 2025, the Worcester Art Museum unveiled a new 5,000-square-foot installation that reimagines the Higgins Armory collection in an interactive exhibit.
The museum houses the Higgins collection with interactive elements, including opportunities to handle or wear items such as a katana and a Mandalorian helmet within the exhibit.
History of the Higgins Armory Collection
According to a MassLive report, the Higgins Armory Collection originated from John Woodman Higgins's private holdings. It opened in 1931 as a four-story Art Deco landmark in Worcester and was transferred to the Worcester Art Museum after its 2013 closure.
MassLive clarified that Higgins, who was born a decade after the Civil War, did not possess a Mandalorian helmet in his original collection.
While the Higgins Armory building on Barber Avenue remains standing, it no longer operates as a museum. Instead, it is now available for event rentals.
The armory and its former collection have long been a topic of fodder for O'Brien and his podcast. According to MassLive, the comedian said last year, “There was no attempt to try and make it look interesting,” although he said he had fond memories of visits there with his family.
“Truth be told? Greatest days of my life,” O'Brien said. “Boy, did this little orange-haired boy love a suit of armor.”
If you want to see the same armor that O'Brien viewed as a child, you can visit the Worcester Art Museum in person. It's at 55 Salisbury St. in Worcester. Free parking is available on Lancaster Street, across from the museum.
Admission to the Worcester Art Museum is $22 for adults and $17 for students and older adults. Admission is free for visitors ages 17 and younger.
The museum is open from Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
