London • Tower Hamlets
Ceremony of the Keys
Exclusive experience that must be booked online in advance. Tickets are released at 13:00 London time on the first working day of each month for the following month.
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Pro tip: Set a reminder for 1pm UK time on the first working day of the month before your trip. That's when the next month's tickets go on sale, and the evenings you want rarely last long.
How to Get Tickets for the Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London
Updated November 2026
Its official name is His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, and that accumulation of titles is not pomposity: it is history. In a single complex of towers, walls, and courtyards on the north bank of the Thames, this building has been all of those things and more. William the Conqueror began the White Tower in 1078 to assert his authority over his newly conquered kingdom, and for the nine and a half centuries since, the Tower of London has served, at different times and often simultaneously, as a royal palace, a fortress, a prison for kings and queens and commoners alike, a place of execution, the home of the Royal Mint, a menagerie holding lions and polar bears and an elephant, an armoury, a records office, and since 1303 the repository of the Crown Jewels of England. Today, as a UNESCO World Heritage Site managed by the charity Historic Royal Palaces, it is one of the most visited paid attractions in Britain, receiving around 2.5 million visitors a year, and it is one of the very few places in the country where the accumulation of actual history on a single site is so dense that the experience of being there is unlike anything a museum reconstruction or a heritage centre can replicate. This guide covers everything you need to know before you visit.
At a Glance
How Early to Book:
On release day if you can. In What2Book's checks, the earliest open date was usually about 5 weeks away, and up to 2 months in summer.
Monthly, at 1pm UK time on the first working day of the month, for the following month (Friday releases move to the Monday).
Best Times to Visit:
Any evening; it runs every night. In What2Book's checks, autumn evenings were a little easier to get than summer ones.
Ticket price:
£10 per person (up to 6 tickets per booking).
Where to Book:
Landmark Address:
Do You Need to Book the Ceremony of the Keys in Advance?
Yes. You can't watch the Ceremony of the Keys without a ticket, and tickets are only sold in advance on the Historic Royal Palaces website. There's no ticket office sale on the night, no waiting list, and HRP doesn't accept group, school or third-party bookings.
Tickets cost £10 each, with up to six per booking. They are named, non-refundable and non-exchangeable, and the person named on the booking must attend or the whole group is turned away.
In What2Book's checks of the official booking calendar, the earliest evening with tickets left was typically about five weeks away. In April, June, August and late September 2026, every date before the newly released month had already gone. Only twice, both in autumn, did we find an open evening within about two weeks. Plan on booking the day tickets are released.
When Are Ceremony of the Keys Tickets Released?
Tickets are released once a month, at 1pm UK time on the first working day of the month, and each release covers the following month. If the first working day falls on a Friday, the release moves to the following Monday. For example, tickets released on Tuesday 1 December 2026 are for evenings in January 2027.
Returned tickets go back on sale, so if your dates are gone it's worth checking the HRP booking page again in the days before your trip. There's no fixed time for this.
Historic Royal Palaces members get separate member-only dates, so if you were already thinking about HRP membership for the Tower, Hampton Court and Kensington Palace, it gives you a second route in.
What Time Is the Ceremony of the Keys, and Where Do You Go?
The ceremony runs every night from 21:30 to about 22:05. Meet at the West Gate, the Tower's main entrance. You're escorted in at exactly 21:30, so be there by 21:25 at the latest. Late arrivals are not admitted.
The nearest Tube station is Tower Hill (Circle and District lines), about five minutes' walk. Tower Gateway (DLR) and Fenchurch Street (rail) are also close. Late-evening Tube services are still running when the ceremony ends.
What Happens at the Ceremony of the Keys?
The Ceremony of the Keys is the nightly locking of the Tower of London, carried out by the Chief Yeoman Warder and a military escort. Historic Royal Palaces describes it as a 700-year-old tradition. You stand outdoors in the Tower's grounds after dark, watch the gates being locked, and are escorted out when it ends. It's short and done in near silence, which is much of the appeal.
How Long Does the Ceremony of the Keys Take?
About 35 minutes from the 21:30 entry to the end. Ceremony tickets don't include a daytime visit to the Tower. If you want to see the Crown Jewels too, that's a separate ticket. Here's how far ahead to book a Tower of London visit.
The Tower of London has served many different functions beyond being a prison. From the 1200s until 1835, it housed a "Royal Menagerie" with lions, polar bears, and an elephant.
Where to Eat Before the Ceremony of the Keys
For eating beyond the Tower cafe, the surrounding area offers some of London's best eateries and markets.
Borough Market, on the south bank of the Thames across Tower Bridge, is around 15 to 20 minutes on foot via Tower Bridge and one of the great food markets in Europe. Open for the full market Thursday to Saturday (and more limited trading Tuesday and Wednesday), it is the best destination for artisan food, street food, and produce in this part of London. The combination of a Tower of London morning and a Borough Market lunch is one of the finest half-day itineraries in the city.
Bermondsey Street, continuing south from Borough Market, has evolved into one of London's most interesting independent dining streets, with restaurants, wine bars, and cafés at a range of price points.
St Katharine Docks, immediately east of the Tower, has a cluster of restaurants, bars, and cafés around the historic dock basin, popular with visitors and office workers. The setting is pleasant; the quality of individual establishments varies.
Monument area and Leadenhall Market, around 10 to 15 minutes on foot to the north-west, offer a wider range of City dining options from casual to formal. Leadenhall Market, a Victorian covered market of extraordinary architectural beauty, has restaurants, bars, and cafés under its glass and iron roof and is worth visiting purely as a space.
There are no toilets or refreshments inside during the ceremony, so eat and use the facilities beforehand. St Katharine Docks, a few minutes east of the West Gate, has the closest restaurants open late.
Where to Eat Before the Ceremony of the Keys
For eating beyond the Tower cafe, the surrounding area offers some of London's best eateries and markets.
Borough Market, on the south bank of the Thames across Tower Bridge, is around 15 to 20 minutes on foot via Tower Bridge and one of the great food markets in Europe. Open for the full market Thursday to Saturday (and more limited trading Tuesday and Wednesday), it is the best destination for artisan food, street food, and produce in this part of London. The combination of a Tower of London morning and a Borough Market lunch is one of the finest half-day itineraries in the city.
Bermondsey Street, continuing south from Borough Market, has evolved into one of London's most interesting independent dining streets, with restaurants, wine bars, and cafés at a range of price points.
St Katharine Docks, immediately east of the Tower, has a cluster of restaurants, bars, and cafés around the historic dock basin, popular with visitors and office workers. The setting is pleasant; the quality of individual establishments varies.
Monument area and Leadenhall Market, around 10 to 15 minutes on foot to the north-west, offer a wider range of City dining options from casual to formal. Leadenhall Market, a Victorian covered market of extraordinary architectural beauty, has restaurants, bars, and cafés under its glass and iron roof and is worth visiting purely as a space.
There are no toilets or refreshments inside during the ceremony, so eat and use the facilities beforehand. St Katharine Docks, a few minutes east of the West Gate, has the closest restaurants open late.
Where to Eat Before the Ceremony of the Keys
For eating beyond the Tower cafe, the surrounding area offers some of London's best eateries and markets.
Borough Market, on the south bank of the Thames across Tower Bridge, is around 15 to 20 minutes on foot via Tower Bridge and one of the great food markets in Europe. Open for the full market Thursday to Saturday (and more limited trading Tuesday and Wednesday), it is the best destination for artisan food, street food, and produce in this part of London. The combination of a Tower of London morning and a Borough Market lunch is one of the finest half-day itineraries in the city.
Bermondsey Street, continuing south from Borough Market, has evolved into one of London's most interesting independent dining streets, with restaurants, wine bars, and cafés at a range of price points.
St Katharine Docks, immediately east of the Tower, has a cluster of restaurants, bars, and cafés around the historic dock basin, popular with visitors and office workers. The setting is pleasant; the quality of individual establishments varies.
Monument area and Leadenhall Market, around 10 to 15 minutes on foot to the north-west, offer a wider range of City dining options from casual to formal. Leadenhall Market, a Victorian covered market of extraordinary architectural beauty, has restaurants, bars, and cafés under its glass and iron roof and is worth visiting purely as a space.
There are no toilets or refreshments inside during the ceremony, so eat and use the facilities beforehand. St Katharine Docks, a few minutes east of the West Gate, has the closest restaurants open late.
Accessibility at the Ceremony of the Keys
Access is limited: the ceremony is outdoors, standing, and on historic cobbled ground. Carer tickets are requested by replying to your booking confirmation email. For any other access needs, email Historic Royal Palaces at the address on the official page before you book.
Rules for the Ceremony of the Keys
Photography isn't allowed at any point during the ceremony. Dress for standing outside at night. There's nowhere to leave large bags, so travel light.
What Else is There to Do Near the Tower of London?
Tower Bridge is directly adjacent to the Tower and is one of the most recognisable structures in the world. The Tower Bridge Experience, entered via the north tower, allows visitors to walk across the high-level glass-floored walkways, see the original Victorian engine rooms, and learn the history of the bridge. A separate admission ticket is required. Booking online in advance is recommended. The combination of the Tower of London and Tower Bridge in a single day is one of the most historically rich and visually spectacular days London offers.
The Sky Garden is about 8 minutes on foot west along Byward Street, at the top of 20 Fenchurch Street. Entry is free, but every visit needs a booked time slot, so check our guide before you go.
The Monument to the Great Fire of London, around 15 minutes on foot to the north-west, is the column designed by Christopher Wren to commemorate the 1666 fire. Admission is charged to climb the 311 steps to the viewing gallery at the top, which offers a panoramic view of the City of London from its historical centre. The Monument is one of the most underrated viewpoints in the city.
The Museum of London Docklands (Museum of London at Canary Wharf), accessible via the DLR from Tower Gateway, covers the history of London's docks and the communities that built and worked them. It is free to enter for the permanent collection and is a substantial companion museum to the Tower's story of royal and political London.
The South Bank walk from Tower Bridge westward through Bermondsey, Bankside, and the Tate Modern to the South Bank and the London Eye is one of London's great riverside walks, covering several of the city's most rewarding cultural and culinary destinations along a flat, traffic-free route.
Final Tips for Visiting the Tower of London
Book at 1pm UK time on release day, the first working day of the month before your visit.
If your evening is sold out, check the HRP page again in the days before your trip, because returned tickets are re-released.
The lead booker must attend, or the whole group is turned away.
Arrive at the West Gate by 21:25. Latecomers aren't let in.
Eat and use a toilet first; there are no facilities during the ceremony.
No photos at any point.
Visit the Tower by day separately if you want to see the Crown Jewels.
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