There are a number of ways you can visit the Houses of Parliament including taking tours and watching debates and committees.
Tours
Tours are free of charge if booked through our office for constituents in Aldershot, so please get in touch if you would like us to help make arrangements. It is recommended that you book as early as possible, as thousands of people visit the Palace every day and they book up very fast.
An expert guide will accompany you on a 75 minute tour that recounts the history of the Palace of Westminster and describes how the business and traditions of both Houses contribute to the day to day workings of the UK Parliament. If the Houses are sitting, the full tour route may not always be available and can be subject to last minute changes or cancellation due to parliamentary business. The tour may include:
- Westminster Hall, the ancient hall at the heart of the Palace where Parliament first sat and where many historic events have taken place;
- The House of Commons, including the Speaker's Chair and the famous green benches and the 'lobbies' where MPs actually vote;
- The House of Lords, including the Royal Throne;
- The Queen's Robing Room, Royal Gallery and many other fascinating parts of the Palace of Westminster;
You can find out more about tours of the Houses of Parliament here.
Watch Debates/Committees
You can simply turn up to watch debates and committee meetings - it's free of charge and tickets are not required. If you enter Parliament via the Cromwell Green entrance, you may queue for entry to either Chamber on the day. There is usually a queue for the public galleries, and the Visitor Assistants will be able to inform you of how long your wait is likely to be.
All visitors to Parliament are welcome to watch debates and committee hearings in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords. You can visit the public galleries to watch MPs and Peers question the government and debate current issues and legislation. The galleries are open to the public on Monday to Thursday (and some Fridays) - times differ weekly.
You can find out more about watching debates and other parliamentary activities here.