Built between 1870 and 1874, the buildings have been the meeting place for both chambers of Parliament since 16 June 1874, and a former site of Colonial administration of Barbados.

The buildings are situated along the north bank of the Constitution River and are bordered by Upper Broad Street and National Heroes Square to the south; strategically at the heart of the capital city Bridgetown.

In 2011 both buildings were designated as UNESCO protected properties within the World Heritage Site of Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison area.

This of course was frowned upon by many of the island's previous Governors, several of whom proposed that money be voted for the erection of an appropriate building to house Parliament.

In 1857 John Glasglow Grant, a member of the House of Assembly, tabled a motion for the erection of the public buildings.

After requesting and unanimously accepting the design of John F. Bourne, the then Superintendent of Public Works, the Committee invited tenders for the construction of the west building.

New lighting was also upgraded using the purely decorative original gas chandeliers which are still in place; in September 1988 renovations of the Senate Chamber commenced using the same applications as in the work for the House of Assembly, except the ceiling was aesthetically restored to its original finish; also in 1988 the ground floor of the East Wing was fully renovated to allow for the whole east wing to be available for parliamentary purposes.

Notable features: The stained glass windows in the House of Assembly show the British sovereigns spanning from James I to Queen Victoria.

Among other things, the newly refurbished West wing houses a National Heroes Gallery as well as a Museum of Parliament.

During this time the Parliament Buildings are often elaborately illuminated in the colours of the National Flag (in November) or Green/Red for Christmas (by the middle of December).

The Tower located in the west wing can be seen from several vantage points around Bridgetown and is complemented by a four faced clock on each side.

A clock tower with a peal of bells was previously attached to the east-wing where both the Senate and House of Assembly chambers are located,[8] however poor soil conditions destabilised the clock-tower's base causing it to begin sinking.