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Houses of Parliament & Big Ben

The Houses of Parliament are both a working legislature and one of London's great historic interiors. The official name of the building is the Palace of Westminster, home to the House of Commons and House of Lords; the famous clock tower is the Elizabeth Tower, while Big Ben is technically the Great Bell inside it. You can admire the riverside Gothic Revival exterior for free, but the richer experience is to go inside on an official tour, watch a live debate, or book the separate Big Ben tour.

Last updated: August 2026 · Written by the Totally London Online Team. Tour, public-gallery, security and accessibility information below was checked against current UK Parliament guidance. Parliament is a working building, so sitting business, security requirements and special events can change access at short notice.

Is it worth going inside Parliament?

Yes, particularly if you are interested in politics, architecture or British history. The exterior is familiar from television, but the interior explains how the institution actually works: Westminster Hall, St Stephen's Hall, Central Lobby and the two chambers place centuries of ceremonial history beside the routines of a modern legislature. A paid tour is the simplest option for a first-time visitor because it gives structure to a complicated building and explains why rooms that look ceremonial are still used for real political business.

If your budget is tight, watching a debate from a public gallery can be an even more memorable experience because admission is free. You are not visiting a staged attraction; you are watching MPs or peers conducting parliamentary business in the building where it happens.

The Palace of Westminster in a few minutes

Westminster has been a centre of royal and political power for roughly a thousand years. The oldest surviving part of the present complex is Westminster Hall, begun under William II at the end of the 11th century. It has hosted royal ceremonies, state occasions and famous trials, and its vast medieval hammer-beam roof makes it one of the essential spaces on a tour.

Most of the palace visitors recognise today is much younger. A devastating fire in 1834 destroyed much of the old parliamentary complex. Architect Charles Barry won the competition to rebuild it, working with Augustus Pugin on the Gothic detailing. The result is the long, highly ornamented riverside façade and an interior in which political function and Victorian symbolism are tightly intertwined.

Official guided and multimedia tours

UK Parliament offers several official ways to tour the Palace of Westminster, including guided tours and self-guided multimedia visits on selected dates. The standard route typically includes major ceremonial and working spaces such as Westminster Hall, St Stephen's Hall, Central Lobby and the chambers when parliamentary business allows. Tours are generally around 75–90 minutes, although you should allow extra time for security and for browsing Westminster Hall or visitor facilities afterward.

Book through Parliament's own ticketing system rather than a reseller. Advance booking is recommended both for availability and because official pricing can distinguish between advance and on-the-day purchases. Parliament's published price table changes over time — including a new schedule from 1 September 2026 — so the live official page is more reliable than a price copied into a travel guide months earlier.

A free option for UK residents

UK residents can request a free 75-minute Inside UK Parliament guided tour, normally through their local MP and up to three months in advance. Parliament also says UK residents can request a tour directly through its visitor team. These visits focus on how Parliament and democracy work today, making them especially worthwhile for residents who can plan ahead rather than buying a commercial visitor slot.

You do not need to know or support your MP to ask for a tour. Availability is limited, so treat it as an advance-booking opportunity rather than a same-day trick.

Watching a Commons or Lords debate for free

Both UK residents and overseas visitors can watch debates and many committee hearings free of charge. Public galleries are open when the Houses are sitting, generally Monday to Thursday and on some sitting Fridays. For ordinary debates, tickets are not normally required: visitors join the public queue at the Cromwell Green entrance and are admitted subject to capacity.

This can be a better choice than a tour for politically curious travellers. A quiet legislative debate may not have the theatre of Prime Minister's Questions, but it often means a shorter queue and gives you a clearer sense of Parliament as a working institution.

Prime Minister's Questions: know the ticket rule

Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) normally takes place in the House of Commons at 12 noon on Wednesdays when Parliament is sitting. It is free, but it is not simply an unrestricted walk-in event. Free advance tickets are available only to UK residents through an MP, and demand is high. Overseas visitors and people without a ticket may queue for any remaining gallery capacity, but entry is not guaranteed.

If PMQs is your priority, check the parliamentary calendar before planning your day and arrive prepared for a wait. Do not build a short Westminster itinerary around an assumption that you will definitely get in without a ticket.

Big Ben tour: what you actually visit

The separate Big Ben tour goes inside the Elizabeth Tower rather than around the wider Palace. Visitors climb to the clock mechanism and belfry, where the Great Bell known as Big Ben hangs. The standard experience lasts up to about 90 minutes and includes 334 steps on a stone spiral staircase, narrow passages, uneven surfaces and periods of very loud noise from the clock and bells; ear protection is provided.

All UK-based and international visitors aged 11 and over can book, subject to availability. The standard route does not use a lift, and children aged 11–17 must be supervised by an adult. Parliament offers an accessible-tour request process for people who may find elements of the standard experience challenging, but visitors should read the official suitability information carefully before purchasing.

Big Ben ticket timing and price

Official Big Ben tickets for tours from August 2026 are listed at £55 for adults and £35 for children aged 11–17. Because ticket releases, prices and available dates can change, use Parliament's own Big Ben page and official ticket platform for the day you want. Popular slots can disappear well ahead of a visit.

Allow more time than the nominal 90-minute tour. Current ticket instructions ask visitors to arrive at Cromwell Green about 30 minutes before the booked start, and the total visit can approach 1 hour 45 minutes once arrival, security and belongings are included.

Security: arrive earlier than you think

Every visitor must pass airport-style security. Parliament currently advises that screening can take up to about 30 minutes on average and around 45 minutes at busier periods, particularly Monday to Wednesday afternoons. The queue begins outdoors, so wet or cold weather matters.

There is no public cloakroom for ordinary visits. Luggage larger than 60cm × 40cm is not allowed, and restricted items include knives, tools, large chains, banners and certain open liquids or semi-liquid foods. Do not arrive between hotel checkout and an evening train with a large suitcase and expect Parliament to store it.

Accessibility

The Cromwell Green visitor entrance is step-free, and Parliament provides alternative lift routes around parts of the historic building where stairs would otherwise be required. The Commons public gallery has a step-free route and wheelchair spaces; the House of Lords public gallery is accessed by stairs, so visitors with mobility requirements should check current arrangements before arriving.

Visitor staff can assist with wheelchairs, fast-track arrangements for people unable to stand for long periods, hearing or sensory needs and assistance dogs. If you need a specific adjustment, contact Parliament's visitor team in advance rather than relying on improvisation at a security queue.

Getting there

Westminster Underground station is the obvious stop, served by the Jubilee, District and Circle lines and offering step-free access. The exit places you almost beside the Palace. Waterloo is a practical mainline alternative across Westminster Bridge, and river services can also be useful if you are combining Parliament with the South Bank.

The main Palace postcode is SW1A 0AA. Most tour and public-gallery visitors use Cromwell Green on St Margaret Street; the Parliament tour ticket office is at Portcullis House on Victoria Embankment. Check your booking confirmation because specialist events can use different entrances.

How to combine Parliament with Westminster

The best nearby pairing is Westminster Abbey, directly across Parliament Square. Together they explain two different strands of British public life: monarchy, worship and national memory at the Abbey; legislation and political power at Parliament. If you have more time, walk through St James's Park to Buckingham Palace, or cross Westminster Bridge to the London Eye.

A sensible half-day is Abbey first near opening, Parliament tour late morning or early afternoon, then the riverside exterior and South Bank. On a sitting day, reverse the order if a particular debate or committee session is the main objective.

Best viewpoints for the exterior

For the classic long façade, cross Westminster Bridge and look back from the South Bank. The angle near County Hall gives you the river, Elizabeth Tower and the Palace in one frame. For architectural details, walk along Parliament Square and the Victoria Tower side rather than staying at the congested corner beside Westminster station.

At night the illuminated riverside façade is especially striking, and the South Bank remains one of the easiest places to photograph it without needing a ticket.

Common mistakes to avoid

Sources and references

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