Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
With an epic history, the Houses of Parliament (home to the House of Commons and the
House of Lords) remains the site of fierce verbal tussles among members of the UK's Con-
servative, Labour, and smaller parties. “Westminster” (as Brits call the place) appears al-
most nightly on TV, as the impressive backdrop to the latest political news. A visit here
gives both UK residents and foreign tourists alike a chance to tour a piece of living history
and see the British government inaction.
(See “Westminster Walk” map,
here
.)
Cost:
Free.
Hours:
The public galleries of both houses are open for visitors only when Parliament is
in session—generally October to July, Monday through Thursday. If you see a light
above Big Ben's clock, then Parliament is in session.
More specifically, the
House of Commons
is in session Oct-July Mon 14:30-22:00,
Tue-Wed 11:30-19:00, Thu 9:30-17:30;
House of Lords
is in session Oct-July Mon-
Tue 14:30-22:00, Wed 15:00-22:00, Thu 11:00-19:00; last entry usually around 20:00,
both houses closed Fri-Sun except for Sat tours.
During the Aug-Sept recess and on Sat year-round, the only way to visit is on a
guided tour (see “Tours,” later).
Getting There:
You can't miss this gigantic, riverside, Neo-Gothic temple of govern-
ment—it's London's most recognized symbol. The visitor's entrance is around the
back side (away from the river), facing the buttresses of Westminster Abbey. Tube:
Westminster.
Information:
Tel. 020/7219-4272 or 020/7219-3107. See
www.parliament.uk
for sched-
ule, or visit
www.parliamentlive.tv
for a preview. To preview a debate from home,
tune into “Prime Minister's Questions”; in the US, the 30-minute broadcast airs live
Wed mornings at 7:00 (ET) on C-SPAN2, re-airing Sun at 21:00 (ET) on regular C-
SPAN (
www.c-span.org
).
Crowd-Beating Tips:
Expect lines—it may take a while to get through security, plus
another 20-60 minutes once inside to be admitted to the house chambers. Lines are
