The Palace of Holyroodhouse and The Queen's Gallery

The Palace of Holyroodhouse
Canongate
Edinburgh
Lothian
EH8 8DX
Scotland

Website

www.royalcollection.org.uk

E-mail

familylearning@royalcollection.co.uk

Telephone

(+44) (0)131 556 5100

All information is supplied by the venues or providers themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.
The Royal Collection 2011 © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
baby changing facilities icon Food icon Guided tours icon Shop icon Hearing disability facilities icon Visual disability facilities icon Wheelchair access icon

The Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official residence in Scotland of Her Majesty The Queen, stands at the end of Edinburgh's Royal Mile against the spectacular backdrop of Arthur's Seat. This fine baroque palace is closely associated with Scotland's rich history.

The Palace is perhaps best known as the home of Mary, Queen of Scots, and as the setting for many of the dramatic episodes in her turbulent reign. Mary was married at Holyroodhouse and witnessed the brutal killing of her secretary Rizzio by her jealous second husband, Lord Darnley, in her private apartments. The Palace briefly served as the headquarters of Bonnie Prince Charlie during the 1745 uprising.

The Royal Apartments reflect the changing tastes of successive monarchs and are renowned for their fine plasterwork ceilings and magnificent furnishings, particularly the unrivalled collection of Brussels tapestries. One of the most famous rooms in the Palace is the Great Gallery, hung with Jacob de Wet's portraits of the real and legendary kings of Scotland.

Today the State Apartments are used regularly by The Queen and other members of the Royal Family for State ceremonies and official entertaining.

The new Queen's Gallery hosts a programme of changing exhibitions from the Royal Collection.

Venue Type:

Gallery, Historic house or home

 Opening hours

The Palace of Holyroodhouse

November - March
09:30-16:30 (last admission 15:30)

April - October
09:30-18:00 (last admission 17:00)



The Queen's Gallery

November - March
09:30-16:30 (last admission 15:30)

April - October
09:30-18:00 (last admission 17:00)

The Palace of Holyroodhouse
2 April and 25-26 December.

The Queen's Gallery
2 April and 25–26 December.

The Palace and Gallery may be closed on additional dates due to royal events. Please check before planning a visit.

 Admission charges

Standard admission includes an audio guide.

The Palace of Holyroodhouse
Adult £10.50
Over 60/Student (with valid ID) £9.50
Under 17 £6.35
Under 5 Free
Family (2 adults, 3 under 17s) £27.80

The Queen's Gallery
Adult £6.00
Over 60/Student (with valid ID) £5.50
Under 17 £3.00
Under 5 Free
Family (2 adults, 3 under 17s) £15.50

Joint Palace of Holyroodhouse and The Queen's Gallery
Adult £14.85
Over 60/Student (with valid ID) £13.50
Under 17 £8.50
Under 5 Free
Family (2 adults and 3 under 17s) £39.00

1 YEAR PASS! Enjoy free re-admission for a year if you buy your tickets directly from us. Simply ask us to stamp your ticket on your first visit or ask a staff member for more information.

 General services and facilities
  • Brochure or leaflet available with directions to museum
  • Foreign language audio guide available
  • Foreign language leaflet or brochure available
  • General audio-guide available
  • Guided tours
  • Pre-booking service for groups
  • Cafeteria
  • Gardens open to public
  • Parking for coaches
  • Refreshments
  • Restaurant
  • Shop
  • Toilets
 Children and families
  • Activities for pre-school children
  • Events and resources for children and families
  • Baby changing facilities
 Disability access
  • Audio guides specifically for blind and partially sighted people
  • Events/teaching/resources for people with disabilities
  • Induction loops in exhibition spaces
  • Large print information and/or interpretation
  • Toilets for disabled
  • Wheelchair access to some public areas
 Schools services and facilities
  • Direct teaching services for schools
  • Member of staff available with responsibility for education
  • Primary school education service available
  • Printed/audio-visual information available for schools
  • Secondary school education service available
  • Education facilities available
 Research and adult learning
  • Adult lectures and courses held
  • Teaching/resources available for HE/FE students
 Commercial and hire services
  • Facilities for private functions and events

The Palace of Holyroodhouse
Canongate
Edinburgh
Lothian
EH8 8DX
Scotland

Website

www.royalcollection.org.uk

E-mail

familylearning@royalcollection.co.uk

Telephone

(+44) (0)131 556 5100

All information is supplied by the venues or providers themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.

The Royal Collection, one of the finest art collections in the world, is held in trust by The Queen as Sovereign for her successors and the nation. It is on public display at the principal royal residences, The Queen's Galleries in London and Edinburgh, and is shown in a programme of special exhibitions and through loans to institutions around the world.

Collection details

Fine Art, Decorative and Applied Art, Architecture

Key artists and exhibits

  • The Royal Collection includes paintings, drawings and watercolours, furniture, ceramics, clocks, silver, sculpture, jewellery, books, manuscripts, prints and maps, arms and armour, fans, and textiles.

Collections services

  • Specialist publications on collections available

The Palace of Holyroodhouse
Canongate
Edinburgh
Lothian
EH8 8DX
Scotland

Website

www.royalcollection.org.uk

E-mail

familylearning@royalcollection.co.uk

Telephone

(+44) (0)131 556 5100

All information is supplied by the venues or providers themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.
Events details are listed below. You may need to scroll down or click on headers to see them all. For events that don't have a specific date see the 'Resources' tab above.

Make Your Face Famous!

11 — 17 February 2012

Be a part of Face Britain, a project that invites all young people in the UK to join a record breaking attempt to create the biggest online gallery of self portraits in the world! This will later be added to an image of HM The Queen and be projected onto Buckingham Palace to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee. Visit the Palace during the February half-term holidays and explore the Palace with a Royal Portraiture Trail before designing your own portrait in the Family Room!

Suitable for

  • 5-6
  • 7-10
  • 0-4

Where

Palace of Holyroodhouse

Admission

All family activities are free with standard admission to the Palace/Gallery or a valid 1 Year Pass.

Adult: £10.50 / Over 60/Student (with valid ID): £9.50 / Under 17: £6.35 / Under 5: Free / Family (2 Adults and 3 under 17s): £27.80

1 YEAR PASS! Enjoy free re-admission for a year if you buy your tickets directly from us. Simply ask us to stamp your ticket on your first visit – a great way to fill the school holidays at no extra cost!

The Palace of Holyroodhouse
Canongate
Edinburgh
Lothian
EH8 8DX
Scotland

Website

www.royalcollection.org.uk

E-mail

familylearning@royalcollection.co.uk

Telephone

(+44) (0)131 556 5100

All information is supplied by the venues or providers themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.
Resources listed here may include websites, bookable tours and workshops, books, loan boxes and more. You may need to scroll down or click on headers to see them all.
 Boxes, objects and other kit

Palaces and Homes

http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/default.asp?action=article&ID=55

Pupils looking at people’s lives and lifestyles can explore the Palace as a home and a working place. Pupils use a handling collection including domestic Victorian objects in the Education Rooms followed by a guided tour of the Palace.
By drawing comparisons with their own homes, pupils consider what life was like at the Palace over 100 years ago as well as exploring its present day role as The Queen’s official home in Scotland.

How to obtain

For further information and to book, please call 0131 557 2500.

 Face to face resources

An Introduction to the Palace of Holyroodhouse

http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/default.asp?action=article&ID=55

Pupils learn about the Palace of Holyroodhouse’s history, from its foundation in 1128 to the present day. Find out who has lived here and explore the lives of some of the Palace’s most famous residents. The visit, which includes an introductory session in the Education Rooms and guided tour of the Palace, can be tailored to reflect the individual needs of your group. Ask for details when booking. An art activity is included for Primary 1 – 7 pupils. We also offer audio descriptive and touch tours of the Palace for blind and partially sighted pupils.

How to obtain

For further information and to book, please call 0131 557 2500.

The Palace of Holyroodhouse
Canongate
Edinburgh
Lothian
EH8 8DX
Scotland

Website

www.royalcollection.org.uk

E-mail

familylearning@royalcollection.co.uk

Telephone

(+44) (0)131 556 5100

All information is supplied by the venues or providers themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.
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