Visits to the House of Lords
Information about how visitors may tour the Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament) is on the Arrange a tour page. Further information can also be found on the Visiting page.
Tours of the Houses of Parliament (Palace of Westminster)
Visits to the gallery in the House of Lords
The public gallery is open when the House of Lords is sitting.
Sitting times
Mondays and Tuesdays from 2.30pm
Wednesdays from 3pm
Thursdays from 11am
Fridays (occasionally) from 10am
The House normally finishes business about 10pm Monday-Wednesday and at 7.30pm on Thursday.
Recesses
The House of Lords does not normally sit during August, September and early October, during the weeks before and after Christmas and for a week or so at Easter and at the Spring Bank Holiday. This session's recess dates are available on the Recess Dates page.
How to obtain entry
The queue starts at the Cromwell Green and St Stephen's Entrances - please see the Map of the Parliamentary Estate (locations 6 and 7 on the key).
There are two queues, one each for the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The Lords' queue is normally shorter so it is easier to get into the Lords public gallery, although it may not always be possible to secure a place for the oral questions.
The oral questions last for 30 minutes from 2.30pm on Mondays and Tuesdays, 30 minutes from 3pm on Wednesdays and from 11am on Thursdays.
Further information
Further information about the House of Lords is available from the House of Lords Information Office.