Visiting

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• Can I go on a guided tour of the building?

  Guided tours of the Parliament building run on most days when there is no parliamentary business. You can find more information about guided tours in the Visiting The Parliament section of the website.

• What will I see when I visit?

  What you are able to do and see when you come to the Parliament will depend on the day of your visit. You can find more information about the options available by looking at the Visiting The Parliament section of the website.

• Can I take photographs when I visit?

  You are welcome to take photographs of the public areas of the building such as the exhibition in the Main Hall. However, please note that photography of specific items within the public areas and of temporary exhibitions may not be permitted. Signage will indicate if photography is not allowed. You are also welcome to take photographs of the Debating Chamber from the public galleries when no parliamentary business is taking place.

  You are not permitted to film or take photographs during parliamentary business or while you are on a guided tour of the Parliament building.

• How can I find out what’s happening in the Scottish Parliament?

  The programme of parliamentary business in the Chamber is normally decided two weeks in advance, although it is subject to change. If you want to find out what is happening in the next two weeks, you can look in Section B of the current Business Bulletin. If you want to find out what is happening in the Parliament today, you can look in Section A of the Business Bulletin. (The Business Bulletin is published on our website each weekday when the Parliament is sitting and at regular intervals when the Parliament is in recess.)

  Information about the current business of Scottish Parliament committees can be found on the web pages of each committee. Committee agendas and information about forthcoming committee business are published in Section C of the Business Bulletin. (Committee agendas normally appear two days before the meeting.)

• Can I attend committee meetings and debates?

  All meetings of the Parliament in the Debating Chamber and most committee meetings are open to the public.

  You can find information about attending parliamentary business by looking in the Tickets for Parliament Debates and Tickets for Committee Meetings sections of the website.

• How do I get to the Parliament?

  There is a map showing the location of the Parliament building along with advice about how to reach us by rail, bus, car and bicycle on the How to Find Us page in the Visiting Holyrood section of the website.

• Are there parking facilities at the Parliament for the public?

  A small number of public parking spaces are reserved for disabled people near the Parliament building, on Horse Wynd. (Please note that these parking bays are for visitors to the Holyrood area in general, not just for visitors to the Parliament.)

  There is no public car park at the Scottish Parliament building, but information about the nearest public car parks is available in the Visiting Holyrood section of the website under the heading Getting to Holyrood by road.

• Do I have to bring proof of my identity to get access to the building?

  You do not normally have to bring any identification documents in order to get access to the building. During periods of increased security, however, you may need to provide some form of identification. At such times, Visitor Services staff will be able to advise you about what is required.

• Is there a dress code or a code of behaviour for visitors?

  There is a code of behaviour for visitors that you need to follow. There is no formal dress code, but please note that you are not allowed to display any banners or slogans if you are watching proceedings in the Chamber or at a committee meeting.

• Is the Parliament accessible for people with a disability?

  The Parliament building has been designed to be fully accessible for disabled people. Information that may be useful for visitors with disabilities is available in the Visiting The Parliament section of the website.

• Is there a public café at the Scottish Parliament?

  There is a self-service café open to the public in the Main Hall, offering soup, sandwiches, hot snacks, scones, cakes and pastries, as well as a range of hot and cold drinks. This café opens when the building opens and closes 30 minutes before the building closes. You can find details of opening times for the building in the Visiting The Parliament section of the website.