Guards Museum

The museum, which opened in 1988, is situated within Wellington Barracks. It tells the story of the Grenadier Guards, Coldstream Guards, Scots Guards, Irish Guards and Welsh Guards - the five regiments which, together with the Household Cavalry, the Life Guards, and the Blues and Royals, make up the Household Division of the Army. The Guards were formed from a regiment of Oliver Cromwell's Model Army and two regiments of the exiled King's Body Guard, following the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 after the English Civil War. The museum is currently mostly given over to displays of uniforms, pictures and regimental silver celebrating the 350th anniversary of the formation of the Grenadiers. The military tunic worn by a 16- year-old Princess Elizabeth to take the salute at the Trooping of the Colour in 1947, the year she was made Colonel of the Grenadier Guards, in on display, along with a mix of personal and official war memorabilia dating from the 17th century onwards. Look out for the potty from a child's dolls house which Florence Nightingale used to administer strong liquor to comfort the men that she realised were not going to make it through the night. If you've always wondered just how uncomfortable those bearskin hats are, ask staff if you can try on the one they keep for the purpose. For collectors of model soldiers, the museum shop is well worth a visit.