Hampton Court Palace

About the museum

Hampton Court Palace was begun in the early sixteenth century by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, Henry VIII's Lord Chancellor, who turned an ordinary country house into a grand palace where he could entertain the king and foreign rulers. Wolsey's success made the king covetous, and Henry VIII took the palace for himself. By the 1530s it served as a royal residence, a place for banquets and entertainment, and a stage for the power of the Tudor court, and all six of his wives are linked to it.

After 1689 William III and Mary II commissioned Sir Christopher Wren to add a new Baroque palace beside the Tudor one, so that two very different architectural styles now stand side by side. Georgian kings and princes later lived in the state rooms. When the royal family left in 1737, the palace was divided into apartments for people who had been granted rooms as a favour by the Crown.

Queen Victoria opened Hampton Court Palace to the public in 1838. Today it is cared for by the charity Historic Royal Palaces and welcomes visitors to the Tudor and Baroque apartments, the working-style Tudor kitchens, the Georgian rooms and the extensive gardens, which include the Maze, the Great Vine and the Magic Garden for children.

Highlights

• Henry VIII's State Apartments and the Great Hall
• Henry VIII's Kitchens
• William III's Baroque State Apartments
• The Georgian Story
• The Maze, the Great Vine and the Magic Garden
• The Tudor World in the Wolsey Rooms

Permanent exhibitions

• Henry VIII's Kitchens – Rooms where meals for the Tudor court were prepared, with sound effects and objects that can be handled.
• William III's Apartments – State apartments created for William III and Mary II in the Baroque style, reached by lift or stairs.
• The Georgian Story – Rooms telling the story of the Georgian court, including the reign of George II and Queen Caroline.

Founded

1515

Operated by

Historic Royal Palaces

Admission & discounts

Free admission: Garden open days with free entry to the gardens only: 21–22 November 2026, 15–16 January 2027, 13–14 March 2027, 8–9 May 2027, 18–19 September 2027, 15–16 October 2027 and 14–15 November 2027 (26 December: the Wilderness only).

Prices shown are off-peak (weekdays outside bank holidays) until 27 November 2026; peak prices at weekends and bank holidays are £33.00 adult, £16.50 child and young person, £26.30 concession and £30.40 group. During the Winter Palace period from 28 November 2026 to 3 January 2027 adult tickets cost £33.00 off-peak and £36.00 peak. Historic Royal Palaces members enter free. An optional 10% donation is added to online tickets.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits
• Sign language tours
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description

The palace is a historic building with uneven floors, cobbles, gravel and many staircases, so access is limited in some areas. A staff-operated lift serves the first-floor State Apartments (Henry VIII's Apartments, William III's Apartments and The Georgian Story); the Tudor World is step-free on the ground floor only. Wheelchairs and electric buggies (outdoors only) can be borrowed on a first-come basis and cannot be pre-booked. There is no Changing Places toilet. Step-free toilets are in the Wilderness, Base Court, Fountain Court and the Kitchen Garden. Induction loops are at the ticket office, the Audio Guide Desk and the cafés; Bluetooth adaptors for hearing aids are available. A free BSL digital visitor guide and Deaf-led guided tours are offered, along with tactile objects, a self-led audio-described tour, access guides with a visual story and sensory maps, and a free ticket for one carer or companion per disabled visitor. The quietest time is before 11:00. Trained assistance dogs are welcome; emotional support animals are not admitted to the palace.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations
• Stroller-friendly
• Baby changing facilities
• Playground / play area

The Magic Garden is a play area for children, and the Family Room in Clock Court has soft play equipment. Seasonal family activities include Tudor kitchen weekends and Halloween events. Pushchairs can be used in the gardens; a Buggy Park is off Clock Court. Baby changing is available in Base Court, Fountain Court and the Magic Garden. Cycling, scooters, balls and rollerblades are not allowed.

Getting there & parking

Pedestrians and cars enter through Trophy Gate on the A308. From the M25 take exit 10 (A307) or exit 12 (A308). Cycle racks are by the Works Yard and next to the Rose Garden. The palace and car park are inside the Ultra Low Emission Zone for vehicles leaving the car park.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop
• Lockers
• Wi-Fi

Free wifi is available inside the palace. Tiltyard Café (deli bar and hot food) and Privy Kitchen Café; child menu options; picnics are allowed in the gardens. Small lockers in the Buggy Park cost £1 (coin deposit); large luggage cannot be stored. Gift shops including the Undercroft Shop.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Corporate events
• Weddings / ceremonies

State rooms, courtyards and gardens can be hired for receptions, dinners, large-scale events, corporate away days and weddings; a brochure with venue fees is published on the website.

Plan your visit