Tynwald, Manx Parliament
Tynwald, Manx Parliament
The High Court of Tynwald is the parliament of the Isle of Man. Tynwald is of Norse origin and over 1,000 years old, and is thus the oldest parliament in the world with an unbroken existence.
It has two Branches, the Legislative Council and the House of Keys, which sit separately to consider legislation, but also sit together in Douglas, and annually at St John's, for other parliamentary purposes.
Visitors to the Legislative buildings are always made very welcome.
There are a number of reasons why people visit the Isle of Man Parliament:
- To watch a sitting
- To take a tour
- To visit a Member
- To watch a committee evidence session
- To give evidence to a parliamentary committee
- To use the reference library
- To visit the gift shop and exhibition area
Educational and Youth Group Visits
There are two types of visit available to schools and other youth organisations:
Question and Answer Tour - All Ages
Suitable for almost any age group we look around the building and tell the young people something of the history of Tynwald and how it works today. There is plenty of opportunity for them to ask questions about what they see and hear. This usually runs for about an hour, is suitable for any number of children and can be arranged outside of usual business hours for youth groups.
Scripted Tour - Upper Key Stage 2
After a short tour around the building with time to ask questions the young people take part in their own sitting of the House of Keys. Click on the button to the right to download a sample copy of the script for information. This usually works best with children aged 9-12. A group of around 20 young people is best and the visit takes about 90 minutes. For this option the material is prepared in advance so that the young people know which parts they will be playing and have time to practice.
Help with Transport Costs for Schools - All Ages
The Isle of Man branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association will fund the cost of transport for school visits. To take advantage of this, contact us prior to your visit to let us know who you are booking with and the cost. Following the visit please send the invoice to us or ask the provider to invoice the Clerk of Tynwald’s Office directly.
How to Book
Tours can be booked at any time when the chambers are available, this is usually any day except Tuesday and the third Wednesday and Thursday of the month.
To arrange a visit please contact the Tynwald Information Service with one or two possible dates, the type of tour you would prefer and the maximum number of children. We will then check the date is available and confirm the booking with you.