Buckingham Palace ticket question
Aug 17th, 2005, 01:09 PM
#1
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Buckingham Palace ticket question
I'm getting ready to purchase advance tickets to tour Buckingham Palace in September. Does anyone have an opinion on whether to get the whole day out package (23.50 GBP)? I know we'd like to see the state rooms (13.50 GBP solo), but are Royal Mews and Gallery really worth seeing?
Aug 17th, 2005, 01:24 PM
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No need to purchase Buck Pal tickets in advance - even in August i've seen at most about an hour wait if you just show up - look for a tent on the road in front of the palace.
As for the others - the Royal Mews is a working stable - i found it fascinating - royal coaches, etc. and live horses. The Picture Gallery has a small but highly esteemed collection of Old Masters - part of the Queen's collection - if not interested in stuffy old paintings no not worth it but for art aficionados yes. Unless you get a break on the price you can buy as you go and not lock yourself in. Note Great British Heritage Pass covers the mews and gallery - Lonon Pass i believe covers all three, even Buckingham Palace, which is only open when the Queen is on holiday in Scotland - August to late Sep i think - originally opened to the public for the first time to help fund fire damage repairs at Windsor Caslte (could have been Hampton Court) the annual event, at first a one-off thing, seems established now. The palace tour is great! Take the Mace out of your purse however as intense security screening to get in and reports say lots of mace is confiscated - illegal in UK, as is pepper spray perhaps.
As for the others - the Royal Mews is a working stable - i found it fascinating - royal coaches, etc. and live horses. The Picture Gallery has a small but highly esteemed collection of Old Masters - part of the Queen's collection - if not interested in stuffy old paintings no not worth it but for art aficionados yes. Unless you get a break on the price you can buy as you go and not lock yourself in. Note Great British Heritage Pass covers the mews and gallery - Lonon Pass i believe covers all three, even Buckingham Palace, which is only open when the Queen is on holiday in Scotland - August to late Sep i think - originally opened to the public for the first time to help fund fire damage repairs at Windsor Caslte (could have been Hampton Court) the annual event, at first a one-off thing, seems established now. The palace tour is great! Take the Mace out of your purse however as intense security screening to get in and reports say lots of mace is confiscated - illegal in UK, as is pepper spray perhaps.
Aug 17th, 2005, 02:02 PM
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I don't agree about not buying the ticket ahead of time. Why would you want to wait for an hour if you don't have to? When we were there in Sept, it was fully booked for the day we went, so waiting wouldn't have gotten you in.
The tour of the palace is wonderful. We also really enjoyed the Royal Mews, just the gold state coach is worth it, and it was fun to see the horses and cars as well.
We didn't get to the Queen's Gallery, so I can't comment on whether it's worth it. The one thing I would point out is that you need to leave enough time between the appointment for the palace and the appointment for the gallery. The palace tour ends at the back end of the gardens, probably a half mile from the palace, and you have to go a ways to walk back up to the gallery. We had tickets for the gallery but didn't get there in time.
The tour of the palace is wonderful. We also really enjoyed the Royal Mews, just the gold state coach is worth it, and it was fun to see the horses and cars as well.
We didn't get to the Queen's Gallery, so I can't comment on whether it's worth it. The one thing I would point out is that you need to leave enough time between the appointment for the palace and the appointment for the gallery. The palace tour ends at the back end of the gardens, probably a half mile from the palace, and you have to go a ways to walk back up to the gallery. We had tickets for the gallery but didn't get there in time.
Aug 17th, 2005, 02:53 PM
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I was waiting for someone to post what Susan just posted. I haven't been there when the Palace is open for tours, but I'm pretty sure I've read more than one disappointed report about not being able to get in because they didn't have tickets in advance.
I have seen the Mews, though, and thought it was very interesting.
I have seen the Mews, though, and thought it was very interesting.
Aug 17th, 2005, 04:04 PM
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I've been by the ticket booth on several various days in recent Augusts and Septembers and there was hardly any wait. There was when it first opened several years ago due to pent up demand. But i can't argue with SusanP's personal experience, but just give my own. Maybe others will share their experiences.
