London Today Halloween at the Tower of London 2026
Tower of London, London · Organized by Historic Royal Palaces
- Dates
- Oct 24, 2026 – Nov 1, 2026
- Time
- 10:30 – 16:00
- Format
- In person
- Where
- Tower of London, London
- Organizer
- Historic Royal Palaces
Every other Halloween in London wants you in costume. This one will turn you away at the gate for it.
Halloween at the Tower 2026 dates and times
24 October to 1 November 2026, 10.30am to 4pm daily, at the Tower of London. Included in palace admission; members go free and need not pre-book.
What happens
Actors in theatrical costume and ghoulish make-up appear around the Tower, with atmospheric sound in some areas: a poet, a pirate, a queen, an astronomer and a bear are among the ghosts to find. The Haunted Forge draws them together three times a day — 11.15am, 12.45pm and 2.45pm — when, as the palace puts it, the furnace burns most powerfully. Elsewhere there is a Haunted Forge, an Enchanted Wishing Well and a Raven's Observatory to find.
No costumes
The rule is unusual and it is firm: visitors arriving at the Tower in costume will be refused entry. The ghosts are dressed for the occasion; visitors are asked not to be.
How frightening is it
Historic Royal Palaces describe it as designed to delight rather than to fright, and say nervous visitors can watch from a distance. If it rains, some of the ghosts retreat indoors for a while.
Hampton Court Palace runs its own Halloween on exactly the same dates, also included with admission.
A daytime Halloween is a rarer thing in London than an evening one, and it changes who it suits: this is the option for small children and for anyone who does not want to be out after dark in half term. The three Forge gatherings are the fixed points — build the visit around one of them rather than hoping to catch a ghost by wandering, because the Tower is large and the actors are not. And take the costume rule seriously; it is stated as a condition of entry, not a preference.
Halloween at the Tower of London 2026: questions
When is Halloween at the Tower of London 2026?
24 October to 1 November 2026, from 10.30am to 4pm every day.
Is Halloween at the Tower included in the ticket?
Yes — it is included in palace admission, and members go free without pre-booking.
Can I wear a costume to the Tower of London at Halloween?
No. The palace asks visitors not to, and says anyone arriving in costume will be refused entry.
What time do the ghosts appear?
They gather at the Haunted Forge at 11.15am, 12.45pm and 2.45pm each day, and appear around the Tower in between.
Source: Historic Royal Palaces checked against the source
