Stonehenge

About

*Stonehenge will open on 4 July. You now need to book your timed tickets in advance. There will be other new steps in place to ensure everyone’s safety, so your visit will be a little different. If you’re a Member or Local Resident Pass holder, your ticket will be free, but you still need to book in advance. Find out more.*

Stonehenge stands impressively as a prehistoric monument of unique importance, a World Heritage Site, surrounded by remains of ceremonial and domestic structures - some older than the monument itself. Many of these features - earthworks, burial mounds and other circular ‘henge’ monuments - are accessible by road or public footpath. Stonehenge’s orientation on the rising and setting sun has always been one of its remarkable features. Whether this was simply because the builders came from a sun-worshipping culture, or because - as some scholars believe - the circle and its banks were part of a huge astronomical calendar, remains a mystery.

The stone circle itself forms the highlight of any visit to the World Heritage Site and is not to be missed. However, the Stonehenge Visitor Centre completes a day out at this world-famous monument. With museum-quality exhibitions showcasing many items on loan from nearby museums – the Salisbury Museum and Wiltshire Museum as well as a changing special exhibition the interpretation and significance of Stonehenge is more detailed than ever before. You can even stand inside the incredible audio-visual 360 degree stone circle experience allowing you to get a sense of standing inside Stonehenge.

The visitor centre is complete with a spacious gift shop housing a variety of souvenirs and locally produced crafts and collectables alongside a café catering to all dietary requirements and serving up delicious rock cakes and luxury hot chocolates.  End your visit with a walk around the Neolithic Houses and speak to the knowledgeable volunteers to understand how the people of Stonehenge may have lived, and if you are feeling strong enough try pulling a replica Sarsen stone to see how you would have fared in the building of Stonehenge.

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Summer Explorer Quest
If you're visiting Stonehenge with children during the summer holidays, they can take part in a new self-guided trail. Take a look at the Stonehenge Summer Quest Booklet and get going on your adventure! 

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Stone Circle Experiences

A Stone Circle Experience at Stonehenge gives you a unique opportunity to be up close to this world-famous monument and wander amongst the ancient stones. Walking between the standing and fallen stones is an awe-inspiring experience, allowing you to marvel at the incredible ingenuity required to construct this 4,500 year old monument.

The visits take place outside of our normal opening hours, most mornings and evenings. Each visit lasts for one hour, with a maximum of 30 people per session. Where a group is more than 15 people the group will be divided into two with 30 minutes within the stone circle itself and 30 minutes around it. This will be managed by your English Heritage host. 

Do you have a special event in mind, such as an anniversary, birthday or maybe a proposal of marriage in a unique location? It is possible to make a group booking or even arrange exclusive access. Find out more about Stone Circle Experiences.

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