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Ned Kelly’s armour

  • Date recorded: 26 Nov 2004

  • Duration: 6:01

'A menacing figure in what appeared to be a tin-can helmet…'

About this video

Ned Kelly armour

Ned Kelly’s armour is currently on display in the South Rotunda. The armour will relocate from South Rotunda to the Redmond Barry Reading Room in October 2023.

The armour will be removed from display on 2 October and will be installed in its new location in November. We expect the armour to be off display for around a month. Learn more

Ned Kelly’s armour weighed around 45 kilos but the heavy suit of steel saved his life when he emerged from the bush at Glenrowan, gun blazing, and helped launch the Kelly myth.

Our virtual reconstruction of Kelly’s iconic suit of armour shows how each piece was fashioned from plough metal and put together with bolts and leather. You can also see where the bullet from a policeman’s rifle struck the helmet’s visor.

The virtual tour of the most complete version of Kelly’s armour since it was worn at the 1880 siege of Glenrowan reveals that, ironically, Ned Kelly was captured when police fired at his unprotected legs.