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Free entry to Colchester's Roman Circus Visitor Centre. Learn about the architecture, archaeological remains and history of Britain's only known Roman chariot-racing track.

Colchester possesses one of the finest and most imposing town halls in England which reveals in its architecture the history of Britain's newest city.

Explore Colchester's first Public Library opened in 1894. Then venture into the former law courts and prison cells.

St Mary's is a largely mid-Victorian church in the heart of the picturesque riverside town of Wivenhoe. The church was recently refurbished and extended to enable it to function as a community space in the 21st century.

You are invited to come along to a church tower near Colchester to see a demonstration of ringing, meet our ringers, and maybe have a go yourself in a safe, friendly environment.

St Helen's is a medieval chapel in the heart of Colchester's historic Dutch Quarter.

St Martin's is a medieval church with an impressive 14th century roof, wall paintings and a Norman tower damaged in the 1648 Siege of Colchester.

Hollytrees is the best 18th-century house in Colchester and has been a museum since 1929.

St James the Less and St Helen's was completed in 1837. It is a good example of a relatively early Roman Catholic church in England by one of the leading Roman Catholic architects of the day.

A much loved museum in the picturesque Castle Park, this is the annual opportunity to explore this fascinating building free of charge.

St Leonard's was the parish church for the port area of Colchester known as the Hythe. It dates back to the 14th century but was heavily restored by the Victorians.

Join the team of Earls Colne Heritage Museum for a Pop-up Display and Free Walking Tour 'Industrial Housing for Hunt's Atlas Workers' led by John Stedman. Starting at the Quaker Meeting House built in 1733.

A rare opportunity to hear and play the remarkable organ in Colchester Town Hall which provides music for the town's annual Oyster Feast and other civic events.

The annual exhibition of historic photographs of the town of Wivenhoe in north-east Essex.

A rare opportunity to explore the remarkable late Victorian School, built in 1898 by architects Goodey & Cressall.

The 16th-century burial chapel of the Audley family, with a fine hammer-beam roof and unique monuments and features. Knowledgeable guides will be on hand to answer questions.

The Roman Barrow Mound is an excavated burial chamber, the contents of which are in Mersea Museum. They are the cremated remains of a male contained in a glass Roman cremation urn, found with a lead casket. It was excavated in 1912.

A maritime institute and museum established in 1896 in memory of Capt. Charles G. Nottage and, since 1947, located in a former sail loft.

Originally a Norman church, St Giles has had many later additions including a wooden tower built in 1819. It was converted to its present use as a masonic centre in 1972-76.

St James the Great is a beautiful Grade II* listed Anglo-Catholic church situated in an imposing position. It is a house of worship and of historical, architectural and artistic interest being a repository of Colchester's heritage.

A guided walk from Colchester's Castle Park to the Hythe, Colchester's historic port area on the River Colne.

Colchester Cemetery is a beautiful and peaceful green space. This is a rare opportunity to explore its history with an expert guide.

This is one of two Roman theatres in Colchester, the other being at Gosbecks Archaeological Park also featuring in this year's programme. Going to see a play was a popular leisure activity in the Roman world.

This is a rare opportunity to explore the Special Collections at the University of Essex. Located in the Albert Sloman Library, this fascinating archive offers a glimpse into lives, movements and ideas that reflect Colchester, Essex and the world.

Colchester's Mercury Theatre reopened in 2021 following a major redevelopment. The theatre takes its name from the Roman messenger god Mercury whose statute was found at Gosbecks, just outside Colchester, in the 1940s.

Cuckoo Farm Studios was established over thirty years ago when a small group of artists moved in and began to turn this derelict farm into a suitable venue in which to work. Today it is the home of more than thirty artists.

New for 2026. Royal Observer Corps post, ww2 camera of the type carried on aircraft to record mission effects. New artefact additions to B26 Aircraft collection.

St Mary-at-the-Walls has a rich history, both as a church and, more recently, as the Colchester Arts Centre. Refurbished in 2021, it boasts amazing mosaic toilets, which are not to be missed, as well as stunning views from the top of its tower.

A guided walk around the oldest and most complete town wall in Britain. It was built in response to Boudica's attack on Colchester in AD 60 and over two-thirds still remain.

The Temple-Cox Museum & Library is an archive that has been several decades in the making. Part collection of objects and reference books, part immersive installation.

A guided walk around this remarkable archaeological site which features prominently in the story of Iron Age and Roman Colchester, and is associated with the visit of the Emperor Claudius to Britain in AD 43.

St John's Church was built in 1856 at the time of the Crimean War as the place of worship for Colchester military garrison. Its design incorporates timber-framing, weatherboarding and exposed cast-iron brackets supporting iron trusses.

There have been Baptists active in Colchester for many centuries, with their community being one of the oldest in England. This church dates back to 1834 and is still in active use today.

An opportunity to visit the meeting house of the Colchester Quakers who have been active in the area for centuries.

A visit to St Botolph's Church and Priory combines a superb example of Norman architecture with a mid-19th-century church.

This Medieval church was badly damaged during the Colchester Earthquake of 1884 and was subsequently rebuilt.

Gray's Summer House in Castle Park in Colchester was built by the town's MP Charles Gray in 1731. The building is in the form of a miniature Greek temple with an interior decorated with plaster medallions.

Tudor & timber-framed, Peake's House was originally probably three weavers' houses and shops at the centre of Colchester's Dutch Quarter, where Huguenot refugees settled bringing their skills as they fled religious persecution.

Wivenhoe Chapel Museum opened as the town's museum in 2015.

Join Dorian Kelly in one of his unique looks at the buildings of Colchester and their famous inhabitants. A gentle two-hour stroll, with some surprises along the way.

Enjoy a closer look at the art of Sir Alfred Munnings in his former home for forty years at Castle House.

A collection of family paintings, drawings, china and other items collected over 400 years and bequeathed to the current owner, a descendant of the Gresley and Madan families, in 1992

Step through the last surviving gateway of Colchester's great Benedictine abbey. Admire its stunning medieval flintwork and uncover stories of rebellion, royal intrigue and Civil War siege.

A walking tour of the oldest buildings of Colchester's Victorian military garrison. Learn why the Cavalry and Royal Artillery Barracks were built, view the remarkable architecture and learn the stories of those soldiers who were based at Colchester.

A guided tour exploring the Colchester places and people at the time of the English Civil War Siege in 1648.

A guided tour exploring the places and people associated with Roman Colchester.

A self-guided audio tour of Colchester, exploring the silk weavers, oyster fishers and garrison workers of Britain’s oldest recorded town.

Recorded in the Domesday Book (1086) St Peter's remains at the top of North Hill almost a thousand years on; a building bursting with history & heritage, alongside its vibrant life as a parish church in 2026.

Join the Commonwealth War Graves Commission for a free tour of Colchester Cemetery, led by one of our experienced volunteer tour guides.

This 'Artist Open Studios' event is set in the former Colchester police station, now a thriving artist community space. Dating back to the 1750s, this building was considerably altered in the 20th century but retains its elegant exterior.