st paul's cathedral school visit

Welcome to St Paul's Cathedral - Schools and Family Learning

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Explore St Paul’s Cathedral

Learn about this beautiful sacred space with our range of facilitated and self-guided visits for UK schools

Experience St Paul’s Cathedral

Climb to the galleries around the dome of St Paul’s for breath-taking views of London.

Engage with St Paul’s Cathedral

If you are a UK school our Learning Coordinators and Learning Volunteers will help you discover this incredible building, its history, its art and its stories.

Why St Paul's Cathedral?

St Paul's is an iconic building and a beautiful place of worship, but it is also an inspiring place to learn. Our team of experienced Learning Coordinators and dedicated Learning Volunteers lead cross-curricular Guided and Virtual Visits for UK schools, for all ages and abilities and across all key stages. We offer a variety of themed learning sessions, workshops, and self-guided trails related to RE, Art, History, literacy and STEM. Schools from outside of the UK are welcome to visit St Paul’s Cathedral but will need to book via the Admissions Department. Please click here for further details of how to get in touch.

What will you discover underneath the dome of St Paul’s?

St Paul’s Cathedral is an important meeting place for people and ideas, and it is a centre for prayer and worship, the arts, learning and public debate. There is much to see, to do and to learn here. What will you discover?

Virtual Visits

For those unable to visit, let us bring St Paul’s to you. We deliver a range of virtual classroom sessions mixing live teaching with activities and specially made films. We also provide you with a variety of curriculum-connected resources to use before and after the sessions.

A warm welcome for all

We welcome any and all students and hope to provide access for all. If you are visiting with a Special Needs School, or are bringing students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities to visit the Cathedral, then support, guidance, and extra resources are available.

Book Your Visit

Guided Visits

Self-Guided Visits

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Learning Library

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St paul's cathedral.

St. Paul's Churchyard London EC4M 8AD United Kingdom

Monday to Friday: 10am - 8:30pm Saturday: 11am - 4pm Sunday: Open for Worship Only

The Ultimate Guide to Visiting St. Paul's Cathedral

St. paul's cathedral ultimate guide.

Its glowing blue dome can be seen for miles, and it’s also been a focal point for many important historical events in London; but once you tour the inside of St. Paul’s Cathedral, you’ll see why it has such an important place in London’s history.

Away from the ritz and glitz of London’s West End, St. Paul’s Cathedral and its surrounding streets feel as if they’ve been trapped in time. Not only is St. Paul’s perched on the highest point of the City of London, it’s also the second largest church building in the UK, and one of the oldest landmarks in London.

St. Paul’s Cathedral was built on the former location of a church, which had dated back to 604 AD. Legend has it that King Ethelbert of Kent built this wooden church in dedication to the apostle Paul, but the church suffered massive damage in two separate fires, as well as in The Great Fire of London in 1666. The Cathedral as it is seen today was built between 1675 and 1710, and was designed by architect Sir Christopher Wren (who was influenced by Michelangelo’s dome of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome).

Throughout its history, St. Paul’s has served as a key location for several important events in British history, such as the wedding of Princess Diana and Prince Charles in 1981, and the funerals of Lord Nelson, Winston Churchill, the Duke of Wellington and Margaret Thatcher. It's no surprise that many guides consider this stunning church the highlight of any free tour in the City of London!

St. Paul's Cathedral Highlights

From chapels and monuments, to religious art, statues and galleries, it seems like every nook and cranny of St. Paul’s offers some kind of surprise or historical delight any visitor will appreciate. Make sure to visit the church after a free tour in the area so you can make the most of this wonderful landmark!

Upon entering, visitors will be greeted with the eight scenes of life of St. Paul (which were painted by Thornhill), as well as the Nave (the large, ceremonial and public space which also contains the Great West Door). At the northern section of the aisle stands the famous Duke of Wellington monument, as well as a group of statues representing valor, cowardice, truth and falsehood.

No visit to St. Paul’s Cathedral would be complete without walking up the 560 steps to the top of the Dome and the Whispering Gallery. This massive circular enclosure provides visitors with magnificent views of the interior of the Cathedral from up above, and it is said that even the slightest whisper can be heard throughout the cathedral thanks to the Gallery’s impressive acoustics.

If you have the stamina, you can also walk a further 117 steps to view the Stone Gallery, and another 166 steps for the Golden Gallery.

Another famous area inside St. Paul’s Cathedral would be the crypt, which is located on the bottom floor. Here you will see the final resting places of several notable people in London’s history, such as the tombs of The Duke of Wellington, Christopher Wren, and Admiral Nelson, just to name a few.

Visitors can also visit Oculus inside a theatre in the crypt, which provides visitors with a 270-degree film experience highlighting the extensive history of St. Paul’s Cathedral. During the film viewers will learn about everything from The Great Fire of London to the Blitz, as well as more information on the architectural design of the cathedral.

There are also several chapels located within St. Paul’s Cathedral such as the All Soul’s Chapel (dedicated to Field Marshal Lord Kitchener), and St Dunstan’s Chapel (which is reserved only for private prayer). There is also a chapel dedicated to St. Michael and St. George, the Middlesex Chapel, and the American Memorial Chapel (commemorating the 28,000 Americans who were killed in Britain during World War II).

Special Tips

Getting There

Visiting st. paul's cathedral.

Included in the admission ticket is an audio tour guide which is available in several different languages. The audio tour features a touch-screen multimedia guide with headphones, so you can listen to the tour and walk at your own pace throughout the cathedral.

Be forewarned that photography inside the cathedral is forbidden, and if you plan on walking up the 257 steps to the Whispering Gallery, make sure you wear comfortable walking shoes.

Visitors can attend church services for free, and there is also a cafeteria and gift shop inside the cathedral as well.

Ticket prices and Opening Hours

St. Paul’s Cathedral is open from Monday to Saturday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. (with last admission at 4:15 p.m.), and the recommended visiting time is approximately two hours.

Tickets at the door cost £18 for adults, £16 for students and seniors, and £8 for children (ages six to 17). If you purchase your ticket online beforehand, you can save up to £2 per ticket, and also get fast-track entry.

The admission ticket includes entry into the cathedral floor and crypt, as well as the three galleries in the dome. Be aware that the cathedral may be closed on selected dates for events, so it may be a good idea to check the official website before you visit.

Visitors will not be allowed to bring any large bags or luggage with them upon entry, and all bags will be searched by security personnel.

There is a cafe and restaurant on the lower floor of the cathedral.

If you are checking out St Paul’s Cathedral you might also want to join any of the  free tours in London  that are available on offer.

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Time to tour Saint Pauls Cathedral

How much time do you need to tour Saint Paul's Cathedral? With a trip to the top.

Rick's London book says 2 hours if you climb the dome, 1 hour if you don't.

there is a lot of detail to see in St Pauls (and Westminster Abbey etc), if English history interests you you could spend many more hours looking at all the inscriptions etc.

I would honestly give yourself a few hours minimum whane seeing St Pauls or Westminster Abbey. We thought htat this would be a good fast visit through St Pauls. The lower level tombs didn't take much time to see, however, the dome? Your breath is taken away and you can just sit in the chairs under it and enjoy the serenity and think. The audio tour is well worth the time and price for the details . Climbing to the top is in stages and it is not easy to just sprint up the spirals. Try to take in the construction details, the iron works , the sound traveling along the walls and of course the views. After acsending to the top and returning to the basement, we chose to rest for a bit and enjoy some snacks and drinks to catch our breath and plan out the next adventure. Westmintser Abbey is the same thing. The history and details to be seen can't be appreciated in a fast stroll. The nice thing about the location is that after you leave, one can walk across the Millenium Bridge to enjoy the Thames, see the Tate Modern, Globe Theater or catch a cruise boat. We planned our day to start off leaving the Hotel by taking a doubel decker bus to the center and walking to St Pauls. Later, we would walk across the Millenium Bridge. The afternoon was based on us seeing Macbeth at the Globe Theater at @ PM. Tremendous performance! We had a leasurely lunch at a nice place down the walk overlooking the Thames. Walking back to the Globe we found that the Tate Modern had free admission and enjoyed that for about a half hour seeing [INVALID] works that interested us. There were plenty of people on the lawn and on the walk enjoying the day as we walked a few minutes to the Globe Theater. After the performance we had the 99p cone from the Ice Cream Truck. There is a dock right there to catch any of the Thames river cruises and that led us to enjoy the late afternoon travelling to the Tower Bridge, turning around and ending up at the Millenium Wheel. Enjoy the history.

My rule of thumb is to plan one major site in the morning and one in the afternoon................................... I keep notes on other sites/activities in the area, if I find myself with extra time available......................................It seems more likely that getting to, through and out of a site takes longer than you expected and you find yourself rushing to keep up with your plan.

Thanks for all of the advice.

My cousin is a guide on Thursdays - ask for Viv. She does a 2 hour tour but the trip to the top is not included. Amazing building. So plan 3 hours.

We make it a habit to see every big cathedral that is nearby. Having seen so many, I couldn't imagine spending more than an hour touring one on the main floor. If you are new to the experience, by all means spend more time. However, the climb to the top between the two layers of the dome is my favorite part. Add an hour for that experience & if you are physically able don't even consider passing it up....

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Your event at St Paul's

Tickets give you access to the Cathedral Floor and Crypt, the Dome Galleries, our multimedia guides and any temporary exhibitions and installations. In addition, we offer a number of  free tours and ticketed tours  – including our Triforium tour add-on, which you can book when purchasing your sightseeing ticket. 

Explore our different ticket options below and book your tickets today.

Our sightseeing opening times are: 

Monday to Saturday 8.30am (10am on Wednesday) to 4.30pm Last sightseeing entry 4pm.

As a sightseeing ticketholder, you will have access to the Cathedral Floor (ground floor) and the Crypt. You can also climb the Dome, up to the three Dome Galleries – the internal Whispering Gallery, the Stone Gallery and the Golden Gallery, which provide incredible views over London. Why not explore our map in advance of your visit?

Please note that the Galleries can be accessed by stairs only. There are a total of 257 steps up to the Whispering Gallery, 376 steps up to the Stone Gallery and 528 steps (total) to the Golden Gallery. We recommend that those with pre-existing medical conditions, mobility difficulties or concerns with heights and confined spaces do not try to climb these stairs. 

You will be able to pick up a free multimedia guide and you have the opportunity to join our range of free tours . A video fly-through of the Gallery levels and their views is available on the multimedia guides. You will also have access to any temporary exhibitions and installations, which you can see advertised on our What’s On page.

Find out the cost of sightseeing tickets to the Cathedral, and what discounts are available, including for advance bookings, and for families, children and concessions. Visit our ticket types and prices page for more information.

Visit our helpful page full of frequently asked questions around our different sightseeing tickets, complimentary tickets and booking to visit the Cathedral. Find out more.

Select tickets

Single-date ticket

Adult: £25  Children: £10

• Pick a specific date and time to visit.
• Discounts available for children, families, students and seniors.
• Add-on a tour to the Cathedral Triforium.

Group tickets

Adult: £22.50  Children: £9

• For 15+ visitors.
• Free places available for supervising adults or a tour leader.

Open-dated ticket

• Perfect as a gift for someone.
• Discounts available for children, students and seniors.
• Gives access to the Cathedral on a flexible date of your choice, within one year of purchase.

Complimentary tickets

• Free tickets for disabled visitors.
• Disabled visitors can also bring a carer or companion free of charge.

Former Choristers

• Complimentary entry for former Choristers of St Paul's Cathedral.
• Bring up to six accompanying family members.

Triforium Tour

• One-hour tour of the Cathedral's Triforium.
• Go behind the scenes to see more of the Cathedral.
• Includes the Cathedral library.
• See the iconic Geometric Staircase.
• View the length of the nave from above the Great West Doors.
• Valid admission ticket, Annual Pass, Friends of St Paul's membership or other visit entitlement also required.

Become a Friend

If you're a regular visitor, why not become a Friend of St Paul's?

Established in 1952, the Friends began as a group of volunteers risking their lives to save the Cathedral from bombing during WWI. By joining for just £50 a year, you can benefit from free visits, discounts at our shop, priority access to events and the unique Friends digital offering. Visit our page to find out more.

Plan your visit

Planning your visit

Find out everything you need to know to get the most out of your visit to St Paul’s, including opening times, ticket types and prices and what's on offer.

Ticket types and prices

Find out the cost of sightseeing tickets to the Cathedral, and what discounts are available. 

Booking tickets FAQ

Booking sightseeing tickets for the Cathedral? Here’s what you need to know.

Why we charge

Although our services are free, we ask our sightseeing visitors to contribute an entrance fee. 

Terms and conditions of entry

Understand the terms and conditions of entering our building, whether for sightseeing or events. 

Ticket terms and conditions

Our terms and conditions apply when pre-booking sightseeing admission tickets, event tickets or concert tickets from St Paul’s Cathedral.