Heritage Open Days returns this September with thousands of free events and experiences taking place across England. Each year, millions of people take part in a nationwide celebration of their heritage, community and history. The festival is brought to you by the National Trust and supported by Postcode Lottery players, with an exciting programme of events delivered locally by thousands of organisations and volunteers.
It’s all about doorstep discovery – whether you’re stepping into a cold war bunker or a crematorium, a museum or a mandir, a lido or a lighthouse, a canal boat or a colliery, a signal box or a submarine. The festival offers thousands of free, community-led events all over England, with endless opportunity for discovering something new.
From working lives to cherished rituals, many events will focus in on this year’s festival theme, ‘Everyday Histories’ presented by leading family history website Findmypast. Organisers are invited to explore the varied and often overlooked stories of ordinary working people and their daily lives. From factory floors, workhouses and high streets to kitchens, schools, and community centres, this theme shines a light on working-class voices, local superheroes and the part-of-the-furniture places that have quietly shaped England’s heritage.
The festival will feature thousands of events and activities such as:
- Insights into the working worlds of nurses, reformers, and the patients they cared for at Florence Nightingale Museum in London.
- Stories of Dobcroft’s brickmakers at The Intact Centre in Preston, where the former site of Cottam Brickworks has been transformed into a thriving nature reserve.
- British postal history at a unique private collection with hands-on experiences at Colne Valley Postal Museum in Essex.
- The journey of coffee from bean to cup with a Moon Roast Roastery Tour in Hampshire.
- An after dark torchlit tour of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Northampton.
Find out more
- Press gallery - Access further images and contact information
- Case studies - Hear more from local organisers
- Festival impact review 2025 - Find out more about what happened last year
- How to get involved - Feeling inspired? Why not join the community?!