Guided tours
Visitors are always welcome to look around the building and sit in courtrooms during hearings. A self-guided tour booklet is available for a small charge (£2). We also offer paid-for guided tours led by a member of Court staff.
For details of tours for schools, colleges and university groups, please see our School & college tours section.
Guided tours last approximately 50 minutes, and include a filmed welcome message from the President of the Supreme Court, followed by a walk through the building including each of the three courtrooms (when not in use) and areas not usually accessible to the public, such as the Library. Your tour will provide an introduction to the Court's role in the UK justice system and the type of cases we hear, as well as a brief history of the building and its refurbishment to become the home of the Court. Your tour will end in the exhibition area where you can spend time at leisure browsing the information on display – after which you might want to relax with a cup of tea or light meal in our café.
Guided tours are limited to 25 people on a pre-bookable basis. Organised groups are welcome to book all 25 places; if you book fewer you may be joined by other groups and individuals for your tour. You may be liable to pay for all the places you book. Families and smaller groups and individuals are also very welcome to book places.
Tours are available at the following times:
| Dates | Times |
|---|---|
| Most Fridays throughout the year(except Public Holidays) | 1130 1330 1500 |
| Summer recesss Weekdays 30 July - 31 August 2012 Weekdays 3 September - 28 September 2012 |
1330 1500 1500 |
Please email us to confirm availability for a specific date and to make a booking.
The following charges apply for guided tours:
| Rates | Price |
|---|---|
| Standard rate | £5 per person |
| Concessions (60+, UK students over 16) | £3.50 per person |
| Under 16s and carers for wheelchair users | Free |
Payment should be made when you arrive for your tour, preferably by cash or card. We do not take payment over the telephone or online. If you are the group organiser booking more than 10 places, we would ask that you co-ordinate the payments from your group and that you make a single payment on arrival.
Please note that there are no facilities to deposit coats, bags etc at the Court, and that all visitors are subject to a security search upon arrival.