In the 16th and 17th centuries, Tula with its Kremlin served as a defensive line on the southern border of Russia. Tula blacksmiths have long mastered the art of making various weapons, aided by the availability of raw materials from the nearby brown iron ore quarry. The proximity to the Moscow Armory created professional rivalry, but Tula and Moscow craftsmen maintained good relations and exchanged skills. After the capital was moved to St. Petersburg, Tula became a leader in weapon production. In 1712, by the decree of Peter I, a weapons factory was established in Tula, which soon began supplying arms for the army. Peter I also ordered the preservation of the most interesting samples of weapons at the factory, which became the basis for the future museum, opened in 1775. Catherine II, upon visiting the factory, ordered the creation of the 'Chamber of Rare and Exemplary Weapons,' but in 1789 the collection was moved to Moscow. In the 1870s, V. V. Notbek revived the museum based on the returned collection and exhibits from the factory. The museum opened on August 30, 1873. In the early years of Soviet power, the museum was threatened with closure, but in 1924 the exhibits were placed in one of the factory's workshops. During the Great Patriotic War, the collection was evacuated to Mednogorsk and returned to Tula in 1945. In 1959, the museum moved to the center of Tula due to an increase in exhibits. In the late 1970s, the building of the former Epiphany Cathedral on the territory of the Tula Kremlin was transferred to the museum, which opened there on May 18, 1989, after restoration. The museum gained recognition at international exhibitions in Philadelphia and Paris. It houses an extensive collection of weapons, including works by S. I. Mosin, aviation machine guns and cannons, as well as Western European and Eastern weapons. In 2012, a new museum building was opened on the banks of the Upa River, designed in the shape of an ancient helmet. On February 23, 2015, an exhibition titled 'The History of Firearms and Cold Weapons from the 14th Century to the Present' was presented in the new building, featuring multimedia complexes and installations. The museum also hosts an exhibition of Russian military equipment from the second half of the 20th century, 'Steel Guardians,' showcasing unique samples of armament, including anti-aircraft missile systems and tanks.