The Lookout is a free viewing gallery on the 50th floor of 8 Bishopsgate, and its best hours are the ones nobody expects. On Mondays and Fridays it stays open until 9pm. Every other weekday it shuts at 5.30pm. So the two nights you can watch the City go dark from 50 storeys up, for nothing, are Monday and Friday.
The rest of the week is daytime only: Tuesday to Thursday 10.30am to 5.30pm, Saturday 11am to 6pm, and Sunday and bank holidays 10am to 5pm.
We read the building’s own page on 10 October 2026.
Free, but booked
Admission is free and you book a free ticket for a time slot online. The gallery is about 2,500 square feet. Because the lobby downstairs is small, visitors with a booked slot may still have to queue outside, so dress for the weather rather than the view.
If Horizon 22 is fully booked, this is the obvious substitute: a comparable view from the same cluster of towers, usually with more availability.
What the building does not tell you
The page publishes hours, the floor and the booking link, and nothing else. There is no published policy on bags, security checks, ID, children, how long you can stay, or step-free access. For a building with airport-style lobbies, that is a gap worth filling by email before you go if any of it matters to you. The address for enquiries is on the same page.
New Year’s Eve is the exception
For the first time, The Lookout is opening to the public on New Year’s Eve, and that one is neither free nor casual. Tickets were listed at £200 for an early release of 50, then £250 for a general release of 150, with an optional open bar at £100 more. It is standing only, strictly 18 plus, and last entry is 11pm.
The Lookout at 8 Bishopsgate
- Address
- 8 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4BQ
- Nearest
- Liverpool Street or Bank
- Hours
- Monday and Friday midday to 9pm. Tuesday to Thursday 10.30am to 5.30pm. Saturday 11am to 6pm. Sunday and bank holidays 10am to 5pm
- Booking
- Free tickets booked online for a time slot. The lobby is small, so you may queue outside even with a booking
- Price
- Free, with a booked time slot. New Year's Eve is a separate paid event, listed at 200 pounds for the first release and 250 for the general release, with an optional 100 pound open bar
- Standing
- A free viewing gallery of about 2,500 square feet on the 50th floor of 8 Bishopsgate, with views across the City
How to get in
The building publishes no policy on bags, ID, security checks, children, time limits or step-free access, so ask by email if any of those matter. New Year's Eve is standing only, strictly 18 plus, with last entry at 11pm
Where to go next
Horizon 22 is the other free viewing gallery, and the Sky Garden is the one with the plants.
Rooftop bars cover the paid views, and free things to do covers the rest.
Questions we get asked
Is The Lookout at 8 Bishopsgate free?
Yes. Admission is free, but you book a free ticket for a time slot online. Because the lobby is small, you may still queue outside.
What are The Lookout's opening hours?
Monday and Friday midday to 9pm, Tuesday to Thursday 10.30am to 5.30pm, Saturday 11am to 6pm, and Sunday and bank holidays 10am to 5pm. Monday and Friday are the only evenings.
Which floor is The Lookout on?
The 50th floor of 8 Bishopsgate, in a gallery of about 2,500 square feet.
Is The Lookout better than Horizon 22?
They are comparable views from neighbouring towers, and both are free with a booked slot. The Lookout is the usual fallback when Horizon 22 is fully booked, and it opens late on Mondays and Fridays.
Can you visit The Lookout on New Year's Eve?
Yes, as a separate paid event, which is new. Tickets were listed at £200 for the first release and £250 for the general release, with an optional £100 open bar. It is standing only, strictly 18 plus, and last entry is 11pm.
Written by Robert J Wills, no. 443 in the guide.
Last checked 10 October 2026 against the venues' own published information. Nobody pays to appear here and we take no bookings.
