Visiting Parliament
The Scottish Parliament at Holyrood is the home of Scottish democracy, and is open to visitors year-round.
We welcome visitors six days a week, Monday to Saturday. It’s always free to enter and explore our public spaces during opening hours.
All of our guided tours are expected to run as normal, so please arrive in time as it may not be possible to join later tours.
We hope you enjoy your visit to the Scottish Parliament.
What is there to do at Parliament?
There is plenty for you to take in when you visit the Scottish Parliament.
During your visit you can:
– Take in one of our events or exhibitions
– Take one of our tours
– See our permanent art collection, which offers world-class painting, sculpture and crafts
You can also experience democracy in action by:
– Sitting in on First Minister’s Questions (FMQs) each Thursday
– Watching MSPs debate in the Debating Chamber
– Attending any of our public committee meetings
There’s also our annual cultural programme of exhibitions and events. These cover topics such as:
– Science
– Art
– Photography
– Architecture
– Politics
Opening Times
Open
Monday, Friday, Saturday and Public Holidays
10am to 5pm (last entry 4.30pm)
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
9am to 6.30pm (last entry 6pm)
When Parliament is in recess, the building is open from 10am until 5pm.
Full recess dates for 2019 can be found on the Scottish Parliament’s website.
Admission
Free
Some of our events may have a cost, but where this is the case it will be clearly noted.
Facilities
Café
Refuel in our family-friendly café, the perfect spot for lunch, coffee or afternoon tea during your visit.
You’ll find our café in the Main Hall, with a selection of light meals, snacks and drinks on offer.
Shop
Our gift shop has a great range of exclusive souvenir gifts, china, food and textiles.
You can visit our shop inside the Parliament building, just to the left of the Main Hall information desk and exit doors.
Find out more about our shop
Crèche
The Parliament is family friendly and we welcome visitors of all ages.
We offer a free crèche facility for visitors who would prefer to have their children looked after while they take a guided tour.
The crèche is open Monday to Friday from 8am – 6pm, catering for children aged between six weeks and five years, and can be used for up to 4 hours at a time.
To book a place, or find out more information, contact the crèche on 0131 348 6192 or email creche@parliament.scot.
Getting here
Address
The Scottish Parliament,
Edinburgh, EH99 1SP
The Scottish Parliament building is located in the Holyrood area of central Edinburgh at the foot of the Royal Mile, on Horse Wynd, opposite the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
Further information on how to travel to Parliament and guidance for visitors with mobility access needs are available on the How to Find Us page of the Scottish Parliament website.
Security and Accessibility
As we are a working Parliament, it is necessary to pass through security to enter the building. Usually, this should only take a few minutes.
You can find full details on what you can and cannot bring into the Parliament building, along with a video on what to expect from the security process, at the Scottish Parliament website. You can also request information in other formats there.
Please also see our accessibility guide, produced through VisitScotland, which provides detailed information on what to expect when you visit.
