The grand mansion in the City of London that’s home to the Lord Mayor of London isn’t usually open to the general public, but they do hold a once-weekly guided tour. The tours take place on Tuesdays, so not ideal for some, but in a way that makes them rarer to visit as you need to make a bit of an effort to take the day off work.
Entry is through what is today the main entrance, but was originally the stables, until they quickly realised that smelly horses living under a house was a bad idea. Upstairs though is where the main tour starts, and it’s really a “look and wow” type of tour as the interior of Mansion House would put many a palace to shame
The tours are guided by a City of London Guide and they include the 18th-century public rooms and a brief view of the Harold Samuel art collection. And yes, they include the massive dining room, which is the one shown on the telly for the big formal dinners in Mansion House.
Tours take place roughly every Tuesday, and you need to arrive by 1:50pm to get through security for a 2pm tour that’ll last around an hour.
The tours cost £9.50 per person, and you can book a tour from here.
Note, photography is not allowed on the tours
My father worked there and had his workshop in the cellars. As a kid in the 60’s I used to pop in through that front door and go see him at work as a carpenter and general odd job man. Consequently I got to see around the building. I even got to see myself on tv news whilst standing at the front of the building for the Lord Mayor’s Show!