Are Guided Tours Available for Big Ben? Full Guide 2026

Published: September 2026 · Last updated: September 2026 · Facts checked: September 2026 · Curated by Clara Whitby, The Londonologist.

Big Ben is the sound and the silhouette of London. Almost everyone photographs it from the bridge, but far fewer know you can actually go inside and up. Here is what a tour involves, who can go and how to book, and, because the icon deserves it, the real history of the tower, the bell and the clock, plus its long life on screen.

Can You Actually Tour Big Ben?

Yes, and the rules have opened up. Guided tours of the Elizabeth Tower are now available to all visitors aged 11 and over, overseas travellers included, which was not always the case. There are two ways in. Anyone can buy a paid ticket through the official UK Parliament ticketing, and these are limited and sell out weeks ahead. Separately, UK residents can request a free ticket through their own Member of Parliament, though availability is tight.

It is a proper climb. The tour is about 90 minutes, you go up 334 stone spiral steps, and there is no lift on the standard tour, so a reasonable level of fitness is needed. Children must be 11 or older, and 11 to 17 year olds need an adult with them. Book as far ahead as you can, because dates are released in batches and go quickly.

What You See on the Tour

The climb is broken into stages, with your guide telling the story as you go.

• The Great Clock. You reach the clock room and see the Victorian mechanism that has kept London's time since 1859, still wound by hand.
• Behind the dials. You stand behind one of the four huge glass dials, each about seven metres across, and look out through the opal glass.
• The belfry and the Great Bell. At the top you come face to face with Big Ben itself, the 13.5 tonne Great Bell, alongside the four smaller quarter bells. If your timing is right, you hear them strike from a few feet away, a sound you feel as much as hear.
• The view. From the belfry you get a rare high view over Parliament Square, Westminster Abbey and the Thames.

A Short History of Big Ben and the Elizabeth Tower

First, the name. "Big Ben" is really the nickname of the Great Bell inside the tower, not the tower or the clock, though most people now use it for the whole thing. The tower itself was called simply the Clock Tower until 2012, when it was renamed the Elizabeth Tower to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.

The tower rose as part of the new Palace of Westminster, rebuilt after the old palace burned down in 1834. The architect Charles Barry designed the palace, and the soaring Gothic detail of the tower was the work of Augustus Pugin, his last great design. The Great Clock behind it was designed by the barrister and horologist Edmund Beckett Denison, later Lord Grimthorpe, with the Astronomer Royal George Airy setting the standard, and it was built by the clockmaker Edward Dent and his stepson Frederick. The whole thing was completed in 1859, and the tower stands 96 metres, about 316 feet, tall.

The Bell, the Crack and the Name

The bell has a troubled story. The first Great Bell, cast in 1856, cracked before it was even hung. Its replacement was cast at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry in 1858 and weighs around 13.5 tonnes. Then, only months after it began ringing in 1859, that bell cracked too. Rather than start again, they turned the bell so the hammer struck a fresh spot, fitted a lighter hammer, and left the crack in place. That crack is why Big Ben has its slightly imperfect, instantly recognisable tone to this day.

As for the nickname, nobody is certain. The most popular theory is that it honours Sir Benjamin Hall, the commissioner of works whose name is inscribed on the bell. Another says it was named after Ben Caunt, a famous heavyweight boxer of the day. Either way, the name stuck.

The Clock That Runs on Pennies

The Great Clock was, for its time, a marvel of accuracy, and it keeps superb time even now. Its most charming secret is how it is fine-tuned: a small stack of old pre-decimal penny coins sits on the pendulum, and adding or removing a single penny changes the clock's speed by about four tenths of a second a day. It is still wound by hand three times a week.

The quarter bells play the famous Westminster Quarters, the tune known the world over, set to the unofficial words "All through this hour, Lord be my guide, and by Thy power, no foot shall slide." High on the tower, the Ayrton Light has shone since 1873 whenever the House of Commons is sitting after dark.

Big Ben on Screen and on Air

Few buildings have had a bigger screen career. Big Ben is cinema shorthand for London, and filmmakers love both to charm and to destroy it. It appears gently in Peter Pan (1953), where the children rest on the hour hand, and in Mary Poppins (1964) and Mary Poppins Returns (2018). The hero climbs its face to stop a bomb in The 39 Steps (1978). And it is spectacularly blown up in Mars Attacks! (1996), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2010), Spectre (2015) and London Has Fallen (2016). On television it has appeared in Doctor Who some nine times since 1964, and its silhouette opens countless news broadcasts.

Its most famous role, though, is as a voice. The BBC has broadcast the live chimes since 1923, and the "bongs" that ring in the New Year and mark Remembrance are among the most listened-to sounds in the country.

See Big Ben for Free, and What Is Nearby

You do not need a ticket to enjoy Big Ben. The classic view is free from Westminster Bridge and Parliament Square, and the view back across the river from the South Bank is just as good, especially at night. See our guide to the free attractions you can visit in London.

The tower sits in the middle of London's grandest cluster of sights. Next door are Westminster Abbey and the Churchill War Rooms, the London Eye is a short walk over the bridge, a guided Westminster walking tour ties the area together, and a Thames river cruise leaves from the pier alongside. If you are seeing several paid sights, a pass can save money, see our guide to combo tickets and passes.

Find Westminster tours and tickets   See the London pass

Tips for Visiting Big Ben

• Book the tower tour early. Tickets are limited and released in batches, so plan ahead. UK residents should ask their MP well in advance.
• Be ready for the stairs. 334 steps, no lift, roughly 90 minutes. Wear comfortable shoes and skip it if stairs are a problem.
• Time the chimes. Being in the belfry on the hour is the highlight, but the bells are loud, so it is not for the noise-sensitive.
• Do the free view too. Even if you tour the tower, get the classic shot from Westminster Bridge and the South Bank.
• Make a Westminster day of it. Pair it with the Abbey, the Churchill War Rooms, the London Eye and a river cruise, and consider a pass if you are doing several.

Planning more? See the most visited attractions in London, the best sightseeing tours, and whether the Tower of London is worth visiting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are guided tours available for Big Ben?

Yes. Guided tours of the Elizabeth Tower, which holds the bell known as Big Ben, are available to all visitors aged 11 and over. You climb 334 steps to see the Great Clock and the Great Bell. Paid tickets are booked through the official UK Parliament ticketing, and UK residents can request free tickets through their MP.

Can overseas visitors tour Big Ben?

Yes. The tour is now open to international visitors as well as UK residents, aged 11 and over. Overseas visitors book a paid ticket through the official ticketing, while UK residents also have the option of a free ticket through their Member of Parliament.

How much are Big Ben tours and how do you book?

Paid adult tickets are in the region of £25 to £30 depending on the date, booked through the official UK Parliament ticketing, and they sell out well in advance. UK residents can request a free ticket through their local MP instead, though availability is limited. Confirm the current price and dates on the official site.

How many steps is the Big Ben tour?

The tour involves climbing 334 stone spiral steps, and there is no lift on the standard tour. It takes about 90 minutes and needs a reasonable level of fitness, so it is not suitable for anyone who struggles with stairs.

Why is it called Big Ben?

"Big Ben" is really the nickname of the Great Bell inside the tower, not the clock or the tower itself, although most people now use it for the whole landmark. The name most likely honours Sir Benjamin Hall, the commissioner of works, though some credit the boxer Ben Caunt.

When was the Clock Tower renamed the Elizabeth Tower?

The tower was known simply as the Clock Tower until 2012, when it was renamed the Elizabeth Tower to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. The bell is still Big Ben, and the whole structure is part of the Palace of Westminster.

Can you see Big Ben for free?

Yes. Seeing and photographing Big Ben is completely free from Westminster Bridge, Parliament Square and the South Bank across the river. You only pay if you want to go up inside the tower on a guided tour.

Why did Big Ben fall silent for several years?

Big Ben was largely silenced from 2017 to 2022 for a major restoration costing close to 80 million pounds. The work repaired the tower, restored the clock dials to their original Prussian blue and installed a lift, and the bell returned to regular service on Remembrance Sunday in November 2022.

The Bottom Line

So, are guided tours available for Big Ben? Yes, and now everyone can go, if you are up for the 334 steps and you book early. But even without a ticket, Big Ben is one of London's great free sights, and it sits at the heart of the city's finest cluster of attractions. Climb it if you can, photograph it from the bridge if you cannot, and take a moment to listen when it strikes the hour.

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