Today the State Rooms are used extensively by The Queen and Members of the Royal Family to receive and entertain their guests on state, ceremonial and official occasions. During August and September when The Queen makes her annual visit to Scotland, the Palace’s nineteen state rooms are open to visitors.

A complimentary audio tour provides a lively introduction to centuries of royal history and includes interviews with Royal Household staff about the working Palace and the works of art on display.

Find out more about the history of Buckingham Palace and how it is used today on the British Monarchy Website.

What There Is To See

The State Rooms form the heart of the working palace and are lavishly furnished with some of the finest treasures from the Royal Collection – paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens, Poussin, Canaletto; sculpture by Canova; exquisite examples of Sevres porcelain, and some of the finest English and French furniture in the world.

The Palace’s 39-acre garden is an oasis for wildlife, and visitors can enjoy a garden walk that offers superb views of the Garden Front of the Palace and the 19th-century lake.

The Queen’s Year

A special exhibition at the Summer Opening of Buckingham Palace
The special exhibition at the Summer Opening of Buckingham Palace in 2010 will give visitors a lively insight into the principal national and ceremonial events in the royal year.

The Queen’s Year will include displays of ceremonial robes, gifts, uniforms, dresses and jewellery, as well as archive photography and film to evoke the many and varied aspects of the sovereign’s work.

The exhibition will illustrate the pageantry, tradition and ceremony of the State Opening of Parliament, the historic Garter Day ceremony at Windsor Castle and Trooping the Colour, as well as investitures, garden parties and State Visits.

Notes

• During visits, all visitors and their belongings will be subject to security checks. Photography, video recording, filming, smoking and eating are not permitted inside the buildings. Mobile phones should also be switched off.
• Wheel Chair Access: All locations are accessible to wheelchair users with the exception of the garden at Buckingham Palace. Also, with Buckingham Palace State Rooms an alternative entrance is used, as there are a number of stairs along the standard visitor route. It is therefore essential for the advisor to notify the Palace in advance of the visit if any wheelchair users will be coming. Please be aware that regrettably, if such access has not been pre-arranged, we cannot guarantee admission.
• Tickets must be exchanged for timed entry tickets at the Voucher Exchange Desk at the Buckingham Palace Ticket office on Buckingham Palace Road