Parliament Buildings is home to the Northern Ireland Assembly, the legislative body for Northern Ireland established under the Belfast Agreement 1998 (Good Friday Agreement).Built in 1921 at a cost of nearly £1.7 million, it was designed to house the newly formed Government of Northern Ireland and was officially opened on 16th November 1932 by the then Prince of Wales, on behalf of King George V.Make The Most Of Your Day Out At Parliament BuildingsIf you’ve ever wanted the chance to have good look around the ‘House on the Hill’ where your MLAs debate important issues, or walk around the beautiful grounds of Stormont Estate this summer you can!Come along to Parliament Buildings during July and August 2012 and take one of the free hourly tours, Monday to Friday between 10am and 3pm.You’ll see the Debating Chamber where your MLAs debate and make laws, visit the historic Library, and learn about the history and architecture of the building from one of our experienced guides--and all for free. You’ll also find out some fascinating facts about Parliament Buildings - for example, did you know that the building is exactly 365 feet wide, representing a foot for each day of the yearThis year’s programme also gives you an opportunity to view art exhibitions in the Assembly’s beautiful Great Hall. This year the exhibitions have an Olympic flavour. In July, you can see ‘The Screaming Silence of the Wind’, an exhibition by a local artist chosen as part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad while in August, you will see posters specially designed to celebrate the Olympics. Both of these special exhibitions are well worth a visit this summer.In fact, why not make a day of it Once you’ve visited Parliament Buildings, why not take advantage of what the grounds of the Stormont Estate have to offer New attractions this year are the nature trails and orienteering walks which give you the opportunity to explore the estate and its beautiful grounds. It’s a great way to build up an appetite so why not bring a picnic or have a barbeque at one of the many picnic tables .You can then relax while your children enjoy playing on the swings and slides in the Mo Mowlam Play Park. For more information about the Stormont Estate please visit: www.niassembly.gov.uk/Visit-and-Learning/Stormont-Estate. If you cannot make it to Parliament Buildings, we have created a virtual tour which you can watch here.You can also find us on Facebook and/or follow us on Twitter @niassembly.
