Visitors Experience the House of Commons from the Gallery
Public access to the House of Commons Visitors' Gallery is free and does not require booking, with entry allowed after security checks.
Visitors enter the gallery following the Speaker's Procession, climbing a narrow staircase behind a glass protection pane.
The gallery mirrors the chamber with wood panelling and green benches, separated from MPs by a glass screen, and signs discourage clapping.
The day's first business featured questions to business and trade ministers on topics including Brexit, the hospitality industry, and employment rights law.
Typically, the gallery attracts about 400–600 visitors per day; however, on the morning described, around a dozen people were present.
Visitors included Yinwen Yeh and Karen Fan from Taiwan; Alize Zobairi and Zarmeen Noor from Dubai; Libby Robinson and Renton Fewster from near Leeds; Pruthvirajsinh Zala from Cambridge; and Tom Bell from Southampton, each visiting for different reasons and observations about Parliament.
Visitors noted the MPs' connection with their constituents and the contrast between Parliament's grandeur and its everyday discussions, with some finding the environment peaceful.
A painting of Sir Thomas Roe at the Court of Ajmir (1614) was also discussed, touching on themes of colonial-era memory and the importance of memorials for public remembrance.
