Without the distraction of those massive political egos, this wonderful 360 degree virtual tour of the Houses of Parliament allows the building itself to take the spotlight.
Better yet, you don’t have to traipse all the way to Westminster to get in on the action – you can take the HoP’s 360 degree tour from the comfort of your own living room.
The tour is packed with facts and tasty morsels of information about the building. You’ll learn about the famous Central Lobby (which gave the world the term Lobbyist), the gorgeous Royal Gallery with its golden walls and expensive artworks, and the House Of Commons Post Office, established after a member of staff called Richard Frogatt was found guilty of stealing all of the HOP’s post!
The ‘Women and Parliament’ section is nicely done too, taking us through the same rooms but giving us an insight into some of the most significant women to grace those areas instead.
At the heart of the tour, however, are the two chambers that lie at the centre of our democratic system – the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
It the latter that comes of best, with its elegant Pugin designed furnishings and luxuriant red benches. The House of Commons looks rather drab by comparison, although it is thrilling to think of some of the men and women who have sat in that Chamber – Clement Atlee, Harold Macmillan, Sir Winston Churchill, the list goes on and on.
This 360 degree virtual tour of the Houses Of Parliament is surprisingly comprehensive for the medium. The chamber descriptions are packed with information and detail, and the 360 degree images are quite superb. And without the distraction of our members of Parliament, Charles Barry’s gothic revival masterpiece comes to vividly to life for a grateful armchair crowd. Worth doing.
You can access the tour here.
For information on other great ways to access London culture during the lockdown, please click here: things to do at home.
