The Royal Mews,
Buckingham Palace

What there is to see | Contact details | Opening hours | 1-Year Pass | Admission prices | Ticket information | Visitors with disabilities | How to get there | Guided tours and guidebooks | Family resources | Visitor Information | Changing the Guard

One of the finest working stables in existence, the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace provides a unique insight into the department of the Royal Household that provides transport by road for The Queen and other members of the Royal Family. 

Find out more about the history of The Royal Mews and how it is used today on the British Monarchy Website

What there is to see

The Royal Mews houses the State vehicles, both horse-drawn carriages and motor cars, used for coronations, State Visits, royal weddings, the State Opening of Parliament and official engagements.  Visitors can see the Gold State Coach which was last used during The Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002 to carry Her Majesty and Prince Philip to the Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral.  

For most of the year the stables are home to the working horses that play an important role in The Queen's official and ceremonial duties.  They are mainly Cleveland Bays, the only British breed of carriage horse, and the Windsor greys, which by tradition always draw the carriage in which The Queen is travelling. As they may be on duty, undergoing training or having a well-deserved rest away from London, the horses are not always on view.

View a film of The Crown Equerry talking about preparations for the State Opening of Parliament

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Contact details

Ticket Sales and Information Office
The Official Residences of The Queen
London SW1A 1AA

Telephone (+44) (0)20 7766 7302
Fax (+44) (0)20 7930 9625
E-mail bookinginfo@royalcollection.org.uk

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20 March - 31 October*
Open daily, except Friday
11:00 - 16:00 (last admission 15:15)

* 27 July - 1 October
Open daily, 10:00 - 17:00 (last admission 16:15)

1 November - 23 December
Open Monday - Friday
11:00-16:00 (last admission 15:15)

Timing your visit

A typical visit lasts 1 hour.

The Royal Mews is closed:

During State Visits

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1-Year Pass - terms and conditions

Enjoy free re-admission for a year if you buy your ticket directly from us. Simply ask us to stamp your ticket on your first visit.

The benefit of 1-Year Pass complimentary re-admission is always subject to ticket availability and cannot be used on the following dates in 2010:

Saturday 31 July
Saturday 7 August
Saturday 14 August
Saturday 25 September
Sunday 26 September

Learn more about 1-Year Pass

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The Royal Mews
(includes audio guide)

Adult  £7.75
Over 60/Student (with valid ID)  £7.00
Under 17  £5.00
Under 5  Free
Family (2 adults, 3 under 17s)  £20.50

The Queen's Gallery and Royal Mews - Combined visit
(only available 20 March - 31 October 2010)

Adult  £15.00
Over 60/Student (with valid ID)  £13.50
Under 17  £8.75
Under 5  Free
Family (2 adults, 3 under 17s)  £38.50

A Royal Day Out
(The State Rooms, Royal Mews and The Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace)
(only available 27 July - 1 October 2010)

Adult  £30.50
Over 60/Student (with valid ID)  £27.50
Under 17  £17.50
Under 5  Free
Family (2 adults, 3 under 17s)  £80.00

By asking us to treat your purchase as a donation, you enable us to claim gift aid tax relief on your payment. Tickets purchased directly from the Royal Collection can be converted into a 1-Year Pass, giving 12 months' complimentary admission to the site(s) you have visited.

Learn more about 1-Year Pass

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Ticket information

Buying a ticket in advance
Book online or telephone (+44) (0)20 7766 7302. All major credit cards accepted.

Buying a ticket on the day
Tickets are available on arrival from the Ticket Office.

Buying tickets for groups of 15+
Please click here to visit the group pages

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Visitors with disabilities 

The Royal Mews is fully accessible and welcomes visitors with disabilities.

Download Access information (103 KB). 
If you are unable to download this PDF document please contact our Specialist Sales team on specialistsales@royalcollection.org.uk or +44 (0)20 7766 7324.

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How to get there

By train: London Victoria. (National Rail Enquiries Service 08457 484950 (UK)).

By underground: Victoria, Green Park, and Hyde Park Corner.

By bus: Numbers 11, 211, C1 and C10 stop on Buckingham Palace Road.

By road: The Royal Mews is situated within the London Congestion Charge zone. Please see www.cclondon.com for further details.

Visit the Transport for London website for maps and information about London Underground and bus routes.

Address: The Royal Mews, Buckingham Palace, London, SW1W 1QH

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Guided tours and guidebooks

Audio guide is included in the admission price and is available in the following languages:

English
French
German
Spanish
Italian
Japanese
Chinese
Russian

A descriptive audio tour is available for blind and partially-sighted visitors.

From March to October guided tours in English are available at intervals throughout the day.

Guidebooks are available in English.

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Family resources

Families can follow an interactive audio tour and discover what it's like to ride on a fairy-tale carriage, train a carriage horse and drive an elegant Rolls Royce car.

Every Saturday and Sunday, the Education Room is open for family groups to explore a range of self-directed activities from our art trolley.

Activities are designed for 5-11-year-olds.  Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Standard admission prices apply, with materials provided free of charge.

More information about family activities at the Royal Mews.

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Visitor information 

Lavatories are available at the Royal Mews, including toilets suitable for wheelchair-users. Baby-care rooms are also provided.

Photography and filming (for private use only) are permitted in the Royal Mews. Mobile phones can be used, but with consideration for other visitors.

Food and drink are not available for purchase at the Royal Mews.

The shop sells a wide range of merchandise, much of which has been designed exclusively for sale by the Royal Collection.

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Changing the Guard

Changing the Guard takes place at 11:30 daily from May until the end of July and on alternate days for the rest of the year, weather permitting.

Provisional Schedule for 2010 (please note that this schedule is set by the British Army and is subject to change.  Please check this site prior to a visit)

August - odd numbered dates (1, 3, 5, etc)
September - even numbered dates (2, 4, 6, etc)

More information about Changing the Guard

The new guards arrive at the forecourt of the Palace at 11:30 from Wellington Barracks. The journey takes about 5 minutes and the soldiers are accompanied by a band. The ceremony is conducted on the Palace forecourt and takes approximately forty minutes to complete.

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