.To ensure the health and wellbeing of our visitors and staff, all visitors must adhere to current government guidelines relating to Covid-19, and follow our guidance provided on site.
- Can I access the Palace whenever I would like on the day of my visit?
- Do I have to wear a face mask/covering?
- Is The Churchill Exhibition currently open?
- Are you following the 1 metre or 2 metre distance rules?
- How do I listen to your audio guide as I go around the Palace?
- Is the Pleasure Gardens open?
- What other safety and hygiene measures will you be taking to make me feel safe on my visit?
- Will there be facilities and catering?
- Can I buy an Annual Pass or Gift Voucher?
- Do I need to book a date and time slot if I have a walking pass?
- Do I need to book a date and time slot if I have an annual pass?
- Other guidance we ask you to kindly follow whilst visiting:
Can I access the Palace whenever I would like on the day of my visit?
Unfortunately, it is not guaranteed you can access the Palace due to capacity constraints. You will need to book a site arrival time and a separate Palace entry time if you would like to go inside.
If you have a booked a slot we are letting each family pod in the Palace at three minute intervals. Afternoon slots are quieter with some possible delays to earlier slots being the most popular and our need to keep you safe at the required socially required distances.
The rest of the site can be explored should the Palace be fully booked on your visit and if you have donated your ticket you can convert to a free annual pass to visit throughout the year.
Do I have to wear a face mask/covering?
Yes, guests must wear face coverings when entering the Palace, our retail shop and our café's and restaurants. This is required under current government guidance which should also be followed in relation to medical exemptions.
Is The Churchill Exhibition currently open?
After trialling the opening of the Churchill Exhibition, we have had to make the difficult decision to close this again, due to social distancing. We understand that this will be disappointment, however the health and safety of our visitors and staff is always our top priority.
Are you following the 1 metre or 2 metre distance rules?
We are currently maintaining a 2 metre distance rule throughout the site. We ask all guests to follow this while onsite to enable social distancing. Please follow any floor markings or safety guidance in relation to social distancing.
How do I listen to your audio guide as I go around the Palace?
You can get our free wifi on your phone and then access our onsite guide at blenheimpalace.com/app where the audio tour will be located for the Palace, the Formal Gardens and the Cecily Brown Art Exhibition. If you want to use one of our handsets to listen the audio guide in the Palace you are very welcome, each handset will follow a strict cleaning programme after each use.
Is the Pleasure Gardens open?
The Pleasure Gardens is open, with the adventure playground, pizzeria café and train open, they are all currently running with restricted numbers to ensure the safety of visitors and staff. Our Maze and Butterfly House will remain closed due to social distancing rules not being able to be enforced in this area. A strict cleaning regime is in place in the playground. It is cleaned once before opening and once at 2pm to maintain the cleanliness of the play equipment. We also have hand washing and hand sanitiser stations available.
What other safety and hygiene measures will you be taking to make me feel safe on my visit?
We have introduced the following steps to keep you feeling safe:
- Giving a warm welcome at a distance
- Patrolling our site to monitor visitor activity
- Using one-way systems
- Our staff will wear personal protective equipment where required
- Operating a cashless system
What we ask of you in return:
- Keep two metres away from other visitors
- Wash your hands for 20 seconds after using facilities
- Use the hand sanitiser dispensers at every opportunity
- Wear face coverings where required, unless medically exempt.
- Follow the safety guidance that is located at key locations across the Palace, Park and Gardens
Will there be facilities and catering?
Yes, on our visitor map here you can see we will have outside toilet facilities with washing and hand sanitiser stations and in various locations catering facilities for you to enjoy a range of different options. Along with outdoor pop up outlets offering snacks and ice cream, our Oxfordshire Pantry Café, The Pleasure Gardens Pizza Café and the Orangery Restaurant are open. See our opening times page for more details.
Can I buy an Annual Pass or Gift Voucher?
Yes and we would welcome your support by making these purchases. By donating your admission and subsequently agreeing to Gift Aid we can continue to complete vital restoration and conservation works to keep Blenheim maintained and secure for future generations.
Do I need to book a date and time slot if I have a walking pass?
No you do not need to book a time slot. If your walking pass has expired please book an arrival time and visit the Annual Pass Kiosk to renew.
Do I need to book a date and time slot if I have an annual pass?
Existing Annual Pass, partner card or ticket holders are required to book a site arrival time and date through our website before arriving, as well as a Palace entry time if wishing to explore the Palace. Head to the Tickets & Booking page to book.
Other guidance we ask you to kindly follow whilst visiting:
- Children under 12 must be accompanied and supervised by an adult at all times.
- Cycling to and from Blenheim Palace is encouraged, however we do not permit cycling in the park. Bicycle racks are provided.
- The Park and Gardens are part of a working Estate, be aware of vehicles and works being undertaken to enable the continued enjoyment of your visit.
- Dogs must be kept on leads at all times. We welcome dogs on site and in our park, but please note dogs are not allowed in the Formal Gardens with the exception of assistance dogs.
- BBQs or fires are not permitted anywhere in grounds.
- Due to the historic nature of the Estate, there are uneven surfaces and walkways.
- Drones must not be used anywhere onsite due to the proximity to Oxford Airport and for the protection of the public and buildings.
- The Estate is managed naturally to ensure that the different ecosystems work in harmony, please be aware that at different times of the year there can be insects which may sting or bite eg Blandford flies (between May and June and close to water), ticks or wasps/bees. It is recommended to follow the NHS advice on prevention of bites and stings and the guidance on symptoms and treatment if you experience a bite or sting.
Can't find what you're looking for?
Our Customer Service team will be happy to help. Get in touch via email on customerservice@blenheimpalace.com or call 01993 810530.
Please note: Blenheim Palace reserves the right to change any of its opening hours, events or offers or to restrict access at any time without notice. You are strongly advised to check the relevant details before visiting. Tickets are non-refundable and any refunds given are at the discretion of management. We reserve the right to refuse the sale of a ticket or entry to the Palace and Estate.
