Visiting the European Parliament in Brussels and Strasbourg
Parliament offers visitors a wide range of possibilities to get acquainted with the history and functioning of the institution and of the European Union.
About half a million people from the EU and beyond visit the Plenary Chamber (or “Hemicycle”) of the European Parliament in Brussels and Strasbourg every year. Many of these visitors come as part of a group (either invited by an MEP or on their own), but the number of individual visitors has been increasing in recent years. Groups are welcomed by Parliament staff, who give a talk on the work and role of the European Parliament. The groups may meet with MEPs and can visit the Plenary Chamber where debates and votes of Parliament take place. Individual visitors can visit the Plenary Chamber using an interactive multi-media guide in 24 languages. They can also follow a plenary session or book a Hemicycle talk with one of the Parliament’s guides.
The European Parliament believes that public access to its proceedings and premises should be easy, because it sees transparency as important to the exercise of democratic rights within the European Union. As the cost of travelling to Brussels and Strasbourg may be prohibitive for many EU citizens, in some cases, the Parliament helps to cover part of the visitor group expenses of MEPs.
Visitors coming to Brussels can also visit the Parlamentarium and the House of European History, which are outside the European Parliament premises and open during the weekend.
In Strasbourg, an exhibition space known as Parlamentarium Simone Veil is part of the visit. It includes a 360-degree cinema and interactive tools.
The visitors’ offer is not limited to physical visits. The European Parliament has increased its online offer and is now providing, for example, Online Youth Talks and a new Digital Journey.
Further information