Palace of Westminster

The Palace of Westminster is the seat of the two houses of the United Kingdom Parliament and, unlike the other great buildings on this stretch of the Thames, it is a workplace before it is a monument. Over 1,100 rooms, 100 staircases and three miles of passageways sit behind the river front. Tours run selected Saturdays and parliamentary recess dates. Step-free entrances, lifts and accessible toilets serve principal public areas. Tours are date-priced; public debates are free when capacity permits. Events, ceremonies, maintenance and security can change the ordinary route. Special tours, exhibitions and premium products use separate tickets.

There is no general admission to the Palace of Westminster; there are tours, and choosing between them is the whole of planning a visit. The self-guided audio tour is available to all visitors, offered in ten languages plus an English version made for children, and covers the House of Commons, the House of Lords and many other spaces at the visitor's own pace. The guided tour is delivered in English only, lasts 90 minutes, and takes a group through Westminster Hall, the Commons and the Lords with a guide. Tours are date-priced; public debates are free when capacity permits.

Allow two hours. Parliament states that the guided tour of the Palace of Westminster lasts 90 minutes; the self-guided audio tour is taken at the visitor's own pace and has no published length. The 75-minute MP-booked tour for UK residents is shorter and correspondingly cheaper, being free. Step-free entrances, lifts and accessible toilets serve principal public areas.

Tours run selected Saturdays and parliamentary recess dates. Dated closures, ceremonies, performances, weather or security notices from the operator take priority over ordinary hours. Arrive early enough to complete the public route before final admission. Follow staff directions on arrival.

Tours are date-priced; public debates are free when capacity permits. The base ticket excludes transport, tours, premium access, special exhibitions and independently operated activities unless explicitly listed. Carry any required identity or concession document. Follow staff directions on arrival.

Use the named entrance and station because security, separate exits and large complexes can change the practical route. Allow extra time for screening and the final walk. Follow staff directions on arrival.

Step-free entrances, lifts and accessible toilets serve principal public areas. Tours run selected Saturdays and parliamentary recess dates. Tours are date-priced; public debates are free when capacity permits. Historic surfaces, crowds and security remain relevant.

Three places, and only three, are open to a visitor's camera. Photography and filming for personal, non-commercial purposes are welcome in Westminster Hall, in St Stephen's Hall, and in the visitor area of New Palace Yard, which is where the view of the Elizabeth Tower from inside the estate is taken. Everywhere else on the tour routes, and in the public galleries of both Houses, cameras and mobile phones may not be used. The rule covers every device including phones and tablets, and extends to sound recording, painting and sketching; tripods are banned outright. Tours are date-priced; public debates are free when capacity permits.