Kensington Palace, London. Admission Charge. Open Daily
Details
Accessibility:
Accessible parking (approached along a tarmac drive through the black gates on the south side of is available for Blue Badge holders next to the Orangery restaurant. Spaces must be booked in advance. Telephone: 020 3166 6119.
Nearest car parks are: Q-Park Queensway: https://www.q-park.co.uk/parking/london/q-park-queensway and NCP Kensington High Street: https://www.ncp.co.uk/find-a-car-park/car-parks/london-royal-garden-hotel/
Cycle racks available at Sunken Gardens entrance, no cycling allowed in Kensington Palace Gardens.
Liberty Drives provides free electric buggy transport around Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park for less able visitors and their carers/family. Each buggy seats up to 5 people and one wheelchair passenger. The service operates Mon – Fri from 1 May to 31 October. See their website for further information: http://www.libertydrives.org.uk/
Level access to the palace from Kensington Gardens. Accessible toilets and baby changing facilities. Wheelchairs and portable seating available. Lifts to all floors. Free Wi-Fi. Free maps to aid access around the palace. Photography allowed, restrictions apply on some exhibits.
British Sign Language Tours and Describer Tours for visually impaired visitors are available for The King’s State Apartments and Victoria Revealed exhibitions, tours must be booked at least two weeks in advance. Telephone: 020 3166 6133 or email: Kensingtontours@hrp.org.uk
There are Braille and large print versions of our ‘History Where It Happened’ guide. Braille signage is provided on toilet doors and at the lift. Some rooms have low level lighting.
Pre-recorded audio tours of The Queen's State Apartments can be downloaded from their website.
Kensington Palace also provides a comprehensive guide to aid parents/carers of children or adults on the autistic spectrum:
https://www.hrp.org.uk/media/1063/kensington_palace_autism_spectrum_guide_2014.pdf
See their website for full accessibility information: https://www.hrp.org.uk/kensington-palace/visit/accessibility/#gs.Vg0qsT8
Brief Description:
The palace was originally a small suburban villa, Nottingham House. William III and Mary II chose it in 1689 to be their country retreat. It was transformed over the years by the Stuart and Georgian monarchs. Queen Victoria spent her childhood here, moving to Buckingham Palace in 1837. Over the years it has become home to many members of the royal family.
More recently it was home to Diana Princess of Wales, and presently TRH The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children.
The palace consists of many grandly decorated state apartments and galleries, containing paintings, sculptures and tapestries. These include Queen Mary II private rooms, collections from the life of Queen Victoria and Princess Diana's dress exhibition.
For the History of the Palace see https://www.hrp.org.uk/kensington-palace/history-and-stories/the-story-of-kensington-palace/#gs.=4x3aBo
and to see 'what's on' https://www.hrp.org.uk/kensington-palace/explore/describer-tours/#gs.bDrLJ8g
Address:
Kensington Palace, Kensington Gardens, London W8 4PX
Email:
Contact form via their website: https://www.hrp.org.uk/contact-us/#gs.v1dr=ck
Telephone:
Enquiries: 020 3166 6000
Tours: 020 3166 6133
Blue Badge parking: 020 3166 6119
Website:
https://www.hrp.org.uk/kensington-palace/#gs.OuAIawM
Opening Times:
Winter (01 November - 29 February) Monday - Sunday: 10.00 - 16.00 Last admission: 15.00
Summer (01 March - 31 October) Monday-Sunday: 10:00-18:00 Last admission: 17:00
Please check its website for more information on closures and notices.
Tours are available from 10.00 - 15.00 summer and 10.00 - 14.00 winter.
Admission:
It is cheaper to buy tickets online before your visit.
- Members: Free
- Adult (16+ years old): £15.50
- Child (under 16 years old): Free
- Disabled visitors are entitled to bring an accompanying carer free of charge.
Tours are included in the admission price. See their website for up to date admission price:
https://www.hrp.org.uk/kensington-palace/visit/tickets-and-prices/#gs.CJUraoY
Directions:
Situated in the heart of Kensington in Kensington Gardens. OS TQ 258 799
Transport:
The London Congestion Charge Zone ( https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge/congestion-charge-zone) runs from Monday to Friday and motorists have ample signage to alert them to the entry points; only vehicles that are registered by the DVLA as ‘Disabled Tax-Exempt’ are NOT liable to the Charge. Disabled Tax-Exempt drivers can also use the Dartford Crossing without charge, which is a river crossing to the east of London which links the north and south of the M25 orbital motorway. Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) automatically identifies the registration number plate of these vehicles so that their owners do not need to take any additional action.
Kensington Palace is outside the Congestion Zone area but If travelling by car, for specific directions it is best to use a satnav, but please be aware that the route may take you in and out of the Central London Congestion Charge zone. It is best to approach Central London using the excellent public transport.
Nearest Stations:
Underground: Kensington: Circle and District line, about 10 - 15 mins walk.
Queensway: Central Line, about 10 - 15 mins walk
Overground: Kensington Olympia , about 30 mins walk.
Buses stop on Kensington High street and Bayswater road
For more information on buses, trains, tube, cycle hire, airports and river traffic please contact Transport For London on 0343 222 1234 (Textphone 0800 112 3456). For further details on accessible services please see the website: https://tfl.gov.uk/
Amenities:
Two cafes on site, The Orangery (currently closed as at Feb 2018) and The Palace Cafe. Picnics allowed in the gardens.
Shop on site selling souvenirs and gifts.
Travel Information
For further travel information please see: www.traveline.info
Or call Traveline on 0871 200 22 33
(Calls cost 12p per minute plus your phone company's access charge)
NB London ULTRA-LOW EMISSION ZONE
This started on 8 April 2019 in the Central London Congestion Charge Zone, and will extend to the whole of the London area within the
M25 Motorway from 25 October 2021.
For more details please see:
https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/check-your-vehicle-35896
Vehicles registered with a 'disabled' or 'disabled passenger vehicles' tax class will benefit from a grace period after the ULEZ starts until 26 October 2025 as long as their vehicle doesn't change tax class, and this also applies to a 'disabled' vehicle registered outside the UK.
Location
Nearest Venues
Kensington High Street, London
473 metres*
671 metres*
*Distances are calculated in a straight line from the current venue, please allow extra time/distance based on available paths or roads.