Doors Open Days

A host of buildings across the UK will throw open their doors this September in a free celebration of architecture and the built environment. Many of these fascinating structures are normally closed to the public. Some are open every day and some just once in a lifetime.

From cathedrals to tiny parish churches, factories and futuristic office blocks and from banks to libraries there are literally hundreds of buildings to explore.

In London, gain access to the high security vaults at the Bank of England, in Scotland check out the Irn-Bru factory and in Wales explore the Tudor Merchant's House in seaside Tenby. These three are just a tiny sample of what you can expect in this UK-wide festival of amazing architecture. There’ll also be walking tours, lectures, storytelling events and more. For more information about individual buildings and details of other events click on the links below.

The Open House London event runs over a weekend from 18-19 September while Doors Open Days events in Scotland and Wales run throughout September. Many buildings have unrestricted access but if you want to see some of the most popular you’ll need to pre book.