Fulham Palace
Bishop’s Avenue, Fulham, London SW6 6EA
The captivating history of Fulham Palace spans over 1,300 years and 133 Bishops of London. The site has been a residence of the Bishops of London since AD 704, when Bishop Waldhere acquired the Manor of Fulham.
During the mid-13th century the original manor house was abandoned. The foundations of the current house start at this time. Over the past 750 years the house has evolved as different Bishops carried out building works, from remodelling the great hall to demolishing the Tudor state wing. This has created an interesting mixture of architectural styles which reflect changing fashions and the differing needs of the Bishops and their families.
The Bishops of London used the Palace primarily as a summer retreat away from the crowded and dirty city. It was also a place to entertain important visitors, including royalty. Queen Elizabeth I was guest of honour at a lavish banquet in 1601. Over 150 years later King George III was treated to a simpler affair — breakfast.
After the English Reformation in the 16th century clergy were allowed to marry and Fulham Palace became a family home. In the 19th century the Bishops and their wives began to share the house and garden more with the community, hosting large parties and church pageants.
In 1918 a hospital for wounded soldiers occupied much of the house. During the Blitz in 1940 two hundred people stayed for several nights after their homes were destroyed by bombs.
Bishop Stopford was the final Bishop of London to live at Fulham Palace, leaving in 1973.
Important information: opening info is generated by artificial intelligence; check specific attraction details before travelling.
The indicator above will show ‘open’ when the public have any kind of access to any part of this property. That could be the park, a shop, or a special event, and may not reflect regular admission times to the main attraction. Always consult the website of the house or garden you intend to visit before travelling to check that the attraction you are interested in is open.
Regular Opening Times
Museum & Historic Rooms are open daily from 10.30 to 17.00, with last entry at 16.30. Please note that some areas may occasionally close for private events — we recommend checking our ticketing platform a week before your visit for any closures.
Botanic Garden is open daily from 07.00 to 18.00. The garden may close fully or partially during periods of high winds. In the event of a partial closure, the grounds and garden will be closed, but the museum, shop and café will remain open. Access during partial closures is via the main entrance on Bishop's Avenue only, with the back gates closed.
Walled Garden is open daily from 10.15 to 16.15. This area may be closed for private events — please check our opening times web page for any scheduled closures. We particularly recommend visiting on Thursdays and Fridays this summer to enjoy the garden at sunset.
Market Barrow is open Monday to Sunday from 10.30 to 15.30. On Mondays, the barrow operates on an honesty box basis. Tuesday to Sunday, it is volunteer-run and also operates on an honesty box basis.
Special Opening Hours
Bishop Terrick Rooms will have adjusted opening times on two dates in July:
- Tuesday 7 July: Opens at 13.00 (instead of the usual 10.30)
- Wednesday 8 July: Opens at 14.00 (instead of the usual 10.30)
Museum & Historic Rooms will also have reduced hours on two dates in July:
- Wednesday 22 July: Closes at 16.00 (last entry 15.30)
- Thursday 23 July: Closes at 16.00 (last entry 15.30)
Guided Tours
Guided history and garden tours are available. Recent tour dates include:
- Thursday 25 June 2026: History Tour
- Saturday 27 June 2026: History Tour
- Sunday 28 June 2026: History Tour and Garden Tour
Family Activities
Free Family Trails are available during museum opening hours (10.30 – 17.00 daily).
Current Exhibition
The Bishops of London, Colonialism and Transatlantic Slavery: Resistance Exhibition is on display at Fulham Palace. This exhibition has been running since 24 April 2023.
Admission to the museum, historic rooms and garden is free to all.
In addition, Historic Houses members enjoy free tickets on scheduled guided tours.
Typical tour tickets start at £8 for non-members.
See details of tours here.
Victorian costumes, Roman object handling, scientific discovery of materials and plants — Fulham Palace offers your class a powerful learning experience in one of Britain’s most important historic sites.
We offer a variety of hands-on sessions for Early Years, KS1 and KS2, all with links to the Early Years Framework and National Curriculum.
As well as offering sessions at the Palace, we’ve made resources which bring the Palace to your classroom or directly to your students at home.
For early years we offer bespoke sessions to ensure learning at school is supported here at Fulham Palace.
For secondary schools we offer flexible sessions both on-site and through outreach programmes. Individual topics and cross-curricular days can be arranged. All topics include costume, archive material and resources where appropriate.
We can accommodate up to 30 children per session. Morning sessions begin at 10.00 and afternoon sessions at 13.00.
Booking for all sessions is essential. Full details of all our school sessions are available on our website.
Contact [email protected] for more info.
Image credits to Fulham Palace, Giselle Brosnahan, Graham Lacdao and Ruxi.