Crystal Palace Park, Crystal Palace, London

Details

Accessibility

https://www.crystalpalaceparktrust.org/topics/getting-here

2026: Maps and signage are available at key entrances to help you navigate the park.

There are two cafés in the park: the Concert Café by the Concert Platform and Brown & Green Life by the Thicket Road entrance.

Many areas of the park are accessible for visitors with pushchairs and mobility aids, with paved paths and level compacted stone surfaces.

There is a free, accessible toilet located opposite Brown & Green Life Café.

Some areas of the park may be temporarily closed for maintenance or events – please check before visiting.

Brief description

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_Palace_Park

2026: "Crystal Palace Park is a large Victorian park in south-east London, Grade II* listed on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.[1] It was laid out in the 1850s as a pleasure ground, centred around the re-location of The Crystal Palace – the largest glass building of the time – from central London to this area on the border of Kent and Surrey; the suburb that grew around the park is known by the same name.

The Palace had been relocated from Hyde Park after the 1851 Great Exhibition and rebuilt with some modifications and enlargements to form the centrepiece of the park, before being destroyed by fire in 1936. The park features full-scale models of dinosaurs in a landscape, a maze, lakes, and a concert bowl.[2]

After the relocation of the Palace, sports facilities were built in the park, including a cricket ground which became the home of the Crystal Palace Cricket Club in 1857. Kent County Cricket Club played a county match at the ground against Nottinghamshire in 1864.[3] The London County Cricket Club also played matches at the cricket ground from 1900 to 1908, when they folded, but the ground continued to stage a number of other first-class cricket matches. The site contains the National Sports Centre, previously a football stadium that hosted the FA Cup Final from 1895 to 1914, as well as Crystal Palace F.C.'s home matches from 1905, until the club was forced to relocate during the First World War.

The park is situated halfway along the Norwood Ridge at one of its highest points. This ridge offers views northward to central London, eastward to the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge and Greenwich, and southward to Croydon and the North Downs. The park remains a major London public park; originally maintained by the LCC and then the GLC, but with the abolition of the GLC in 1986 the park and its management were moved into the London Borough of Bromley. Since 2023, much of the park has been managed by Crystal Palace Park Trust,[4] with the GLA continuing responsibility for the National Sports Centre complex. It also has one of the largest weekly outdoor Farmers' Markets in London. The park has also played host to organised music events such as the Wireless Festival. 

In 2007 the London Development Agency developed a Masterplan for the park that cost almost £70 million.[20][21] Although the Masterplan received planning permission in December 2010, the funds were never identified.[22]

In 2015 Bromley council committed resources to an adapted version of the 2007 Masterplan. This regeneration plan included plans to raise a £40 million endowment fund (largely through two residential developments and grant giving bodies) to establish a sustainable business model run by a new charitable trust that would eventually become the sole custodian of the park.[23][22] A shadow board was established in 2016, becoming the Crystal Palace Park Trust in 2018 and a registered charity in 2021.[22][24][25] The Trust took ownership of the park in 2023,[26] work on regeneration began in May 2025 and is expected to be largely completed by 2027.[27]"

https://web.archive.org/web/20160924024003/http://www.cocgb.dircon.co.uk/cry_pal_park.htm

Address

Crystal Palace Park, Thicket Rd, London SE19 2GA

Email

2026:

‍General enquiries

Email: contact@crystalpalaceparktrust.org

‍‍Telephone: 0208 0507 120 (during office hours 09:00 - 17:00)

By post: Crystal Palace Park Trust, GLL College, Ledrington Road London, SE19 2BB

Phone

0208 0507 120 (during office hours 09:00 - 17:00)

Website

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_Palace_Park

https://www.crystalpalaceparktrust.org/
https://www.bromley.gov.uk/crystal-palace-park

Directions

https://www.crystalpalaceparktrust.org/topics/getting-here

2026: By bike - The park is accessible by bike, with limited bike racks available. See TFL’s cycleways route finder for details and Bromley’s park map for bike rack locations.

By car - There are three car parks within the park, accessible via Thicket Road, Anerley Hill, and Crystal Palace Park Road. Our fourth car park at Sydenham Gate is closed until July 2026 due to regeneration works. Please note car parking charges apply. Blue Badge ticket holders are exempt from parking charges.

Opening Times

Always check with the venue directly for up-to-date information including opening times and admission charges as they may be subject to change

https://www.crystalpalaceparktrust.org/

https://www.crystalpalaceparktrust.org/topics/getting-here

2026: The park gates open at 7:30am every day. Closing times vary throughout the year:

January: 5.00pm
February: 6.00pm
March: 8.00pm BST / 6.30pm GMT
April: 8.30pm
May: 9.00pm
June: 9.30pm
July: 9.30pm
August: 9.00pm
September: 8.00pm
October: 7.00pm BST / 5.00pm GMT
November: 5.00pm
December: 4.30pm"

Transport

https://www.crystalpalaceparktrust.org/topics/getting-here

2026: By train - The park is a short walk from Crystal Palace Station or Penge West Station, with Anerley and Penge East nearby. These stations are served by Southern and London Overground (Windrush Line) services. Plan your journey: Southern Railway | TFL Journey Planner

By bus - There are several bus routes serving the park. Plan your journey on TFL.

Amenities

Terrance Straight & Paxton Car Park | Crystal Palace Park

CWCH+G7

London

SE19 2GA

+ Crystal Palace Dinosaurs

Thicket Road

London

SE20

+ Crystal Palace Sphinxes

Upper Terrace

Anerley, London

SE19 1UE