victoria parliament tour

British Columbia Parliament Buildings

501 Belleville ST Victoria BC V8V 1X4

Overlooking Victoria’s majestic Inner Harbour, the Parliament Buildings and surrounding areas are located in the traditional territories of the Lekwungen people. Visitors are invited to discover the architectural splendour of the Parliament Buildings and learn about British Columbia’s Legislative Assembly.

The Parliament Buildings are open for free guided tours on weekdays throughout the year and seven days a week during the summer. Free tours are offered regularly throughout the day.

Please visit our website for the most up-to-date hours and tour information: bcleg.ca/tours.

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THE PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Along with the Empress Hotel, the Parliament Buildings dominate the scenery in downtown Victoria.

Victoria is the capital of the Province of British Columbia and is home to the Legislative

Legislative Chamber

Assembly of British Columbia.

The Neo-baroque buildings face north on Belleville street facing the Inner Harbour and diagonally across from The Empress Hotel. A statue of Queen Victoria stands on the front lawn as well a statue of a soldier to commemorate the province’s World War I, World War II and Korean War dead. Atop the central dome is a gold-covered statue of Captain George Vancouver.

This 12 ½ acre property has served as a site of government in British Columbia since 1864. The original structures, known as the Birdcages, were built to house the elected assembly for the Colony of Vancouver Island and continued to be used by the Legislative Assembly after British Columbia became a Province of Canada in 1871. The current Parliament Buildings were officially opened on February 10, 1898.

The Rotunda

The grand scale of its 500-ft (152-m) long andesite façade, central dome and two end pavilions, the richness of its white marble, and combination of Baroque rigorous symmetry, use of domes and sculptural massing with the rusticated surfaces of the currently popular Romanesque Revival style contributed to its being an innovative and impressive monument for the young province.

Its success garnered Rattenbury many more commissions in Victoria and other parts of the province, including the Legislative Library (constructed between 1913-1915 and the cornerstone of which was laid by Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught), the design of the Empress Hotel, the Crystal Gardens indoor swimming pool nearby, and the Vancouver Court House (now the Vancouver Art Gallery).

Free guided tours are available throughout the year. Come to ??discover the history of the province, the architectural splendor of our cherished heritage building and learn about British Columbia’s parliamentary process.

Tour Information:

Hours of operation:.

Open Monday to Friday, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm, for guided and self-guided tours.

Closed on weekends and holidays.

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR UP-DATED INFO!

Please contact the Parliamentary Tour Office at 250-387-3046 or [email protected]? closer to the date of your visit for up-to-date schedule information.

Tour Length

Tours last approximately 30 – 45 minutes?

All tours are free of charge.

Group Bookings

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Tour the Parliament Buildings

The Parliament Buildings are a landmark in Victoria, the capital of British Columbia.  Construction of this great architectural building started in 1893 and was lead by a 25-year-old architect by the name of Francis Rattenbury. During Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897, construction was deemed complete, however, details, refinishing, additions and upgrades were ongoing right up until 1915. Francis Rattenbury and his crew made an effort to use local materials, resources and expertise when building the Parliament Buildings, as during this time in B.C. it was important to both him and the government to support local businesses. Granite rock foundations were brought in from nearby Nelson Island, the site facades were locally imported from Haddington Island, and most of the local brick, lime and Douglas Fir were accumulated from areas around Vancouver Island.

The inside of the buildings are just as grand as the outside, which features a statue of Queen Victoria on the front lawn.  You can book tours of the buildings that will give you both insight and perspective on the historical significance of Victoria as the command center for British Columbia. The Parliament Buildings are also worth a visit at night-time, as the 3,300+ light bulbs that adorn the façade are lit up, casting a magical glow over the harbour.

The political governing body – elected by British Columbians – assembles in this house to pass law and make decisions affecting the future direction of the province.

Some of the nearby attractions include Beacon Hill Park, the history of the BC Royal Museum and the shops, boutiques and artisans in the downtown core on Government Street.

The BC Parliament Buildings provides guided tours Monday to Friday. Tours are provided in both official languages of Canada – English and French – and can be arranged in other languages when notice is provided.

BC Parliament Buildings are located on Belleville Street in Downtown Victoria’s Inner Harbour. (Telephone) 1-250-387-3046

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BC Parliament Buildings in Victoria

Also known as the Parliament Buildings, the BC Legislative Building is the beautiful palace-like structure with the green dome in Victoria’s Inner Harbour that’s home to British Columbia’s government and Legislative Assembly.

This article contains information about the following topics:

Parliament Tours and Hours | About the Parliament Buildings | Inside the Parliament Buildings | Tips & Advice | Other Information

BC Legislative Buildings

Completed in 1897, the BC Parliament Buildings are located at 501 Belleville Street in the heart of Victoria. Part of the well-known Inner Harbour, they are just a block southwest of the Empress Hotel .

Along with the Fairmont Empress, the Parliament Buildings are the most-recognizable landmark structures in Victoria. They house government offices and the Legislative Assembly where elected officials debate. They are also open to the public for free tours.

Parliament Tours and Opening Hours

Free daily guided and self-guided tours of the Parliament Buildings take place throughout the year.

The facility is open to the public on regular weekdays from 8:30 am until 4:30 pm for both guided and self-guided tours. It is closed on statutory holidays and weekends.

Guided tours start outside the main entrance at the front of the building and last for between 30 and 45 minutes. They are quite interesting and since they are free it’s well worth your time to take one. After the tour, visitors are welcome to stay inside and continue exploring on their own. For obvious reasons, only certain areas are open to the public.

For an online copy of the self-guided tour pamphlet, click BC Parliament English Guidebook . Copies are also available both online and at the Parliamentary Tour Desk in a variety of languages.

About the Parliament Buildings

Designed by the famous BC architect Francis Rattenbury, the Legislative Building was completed in 1897. Rattenbury was only in his mid-20s when he won the contract. In later years he designed other BC landmarks including the nearby Empress Hotel , the Crystal Gardens (just behind the Empress) and the present day Vancouver Art Gallery .

The Parliament Buildings were built for an original cost of slightly over $900,000. Additions over the following 20 years brought the full cost up to around $2 million, which, for that time, was a lot of money. In the 1970s the facilities underwent another $80 million in major upgrades and restorative work.

The building was designed in a “free classical,” Romanesque and Renaissance style, which explains why it looks so palatial. At night the 500-foot-long building is illuminated with thousands of light bulbs.

Situated on 12.5 acres of land in the heart of Victoria, the BC Parliament Buildings are beautiful both inside and out.

Inside the Parliament Buildings

Some of what you’ll see on both guided and self-guided tours include the official British Columbia Coat of Arms, the Reception Hall, a portrait of King Charles III, stained glass windows celebrating the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden and Diamond Jubilees, and both the Lower and Memorial Rotundas with their domed ceilings.

When the Legislature isn’t in session, including during most of the summer, the Legislative Assembly is available for viewing. When the Legislature is in session this important room can also be seen, along with all the political action, from the Public Gallery.

Tips & Advice

Below is a list of suggestions and information to help you make the most of your visit to the BC Parliament Buildings.

TIP #1 : If you’ve never been inside the Legislative Buildings before, we highly recommend that you go! Admission is free!

TIP #2 : Take a guided tour if you can. They are free, educational and very interesting. You’ll see pieces of art and learn about BC history and culture, just like in a museum! And, again, it’s free!

TIP #3 : If you’re hungry, check out the Parliamentary Dining Room. You can’t bring outside food and drinks into the building, but you can enjoy a meal at the same place as all the elected officials do (just not at the same time as them). The food is generally good and reasonably priced. When the Legislature is not in session the dining room is open from 8:30 am until 3:00 pm on Mondays to Thursdays, and from 8:30 am to 2:00 pm on Fridays. Lunch is served from 11:30 am.

When the Legislature is in session, the Parliamentary Dining Room is open from 8:30 am to 30 minutes post-adjournment on Mondays to Wednesdays, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm on Thursdays and from 8:30 am to 2:00 pm on Fridays. The public can access the building then from 8:30 am. Click Parliamentary Dining Room for more information.

Other Information

For further details about the Legislature, including tour information, check out the BC Government website.

Other places of interest within walking distance of the Parliament Buildings include the Inner Harbour , IMAX Theatre , Empress Hotel , Government Street , Bay Centre , Miniature World and Royal BC Museum . Beacon Hill Park also isn’t too far away.

For a list of other things to do in Victoria, check out any of the following:

• Museums, Historical Sites and Tourist Attractions
• Victoria’s Events Calendar
• Victoria Parks & Gardens

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