What would be the top five museums in North America dealing with armour ?

Obviously the Met has a great collection, but so does the Art Institute in Chicago. Honestly, can't say after that.

Met is number 1 hands down. Philadelphia Museum of Art is up there, not sure whether it should be above or below Chicago on the list. Cleveland Museum of Art has a significant collection, and so does the Worcester Museum of Art which got the former Higgins Armory collection.

Thank you for your input. Much appreciated.

Visiting Philadelphia is 75% less expensive than NYC and the Met, plus we have much better food in every category and we are just friendlier - believe it or not.

Check this out: https://www.pbs.org/video/experience-arms-and-armor/

I think Chicago recently expanded their armour exhibit, some time in 2017.

Right now the NYC Met has the Maximilian I exhibit on display, which is amazing. It has a lot of 15th century stuff (and of course early 16th century) from all over that you will never see in one place again, plus their usual world class collection. If you can, you better see it before it's gone - January 5 2020, IIRC is the last day. After that, Philadelphia, but Chicago has the most ambitious display. Cleveland is nice, too. Detroit has a small collection but most of the pieces are outstanding, though right now, the crown jewel, the 'Siegmaringen gothic', is in NYC at the Maximilian show. Cleveland is nice, too, but I admit I haven't been there yet. I know I'm forgetting something...

It's remarkable what fine items can be found in some unexpected places. I went to the Texas History Museum in Austin, and they had a kind of leather pikeman's armor I'd never seen before as well as adarga, swords, and firearms. Not to mention the entire wreck and contents of a French colony ship.