For nine days in September you can explore historic London locations totally free.
Ever wondered what’s behind that locked door? Who lived in that creepy old house? Us too. No doubt then that we’re all pretty excited to hear that Heritage Open Days has announced its return for 2023.
What’s Heritage Open Days we hear you ask. It’s basically a string of days, the 8th – 17th of September in this case, where loads of period buildings, old churches and the like open their doors to the public so you can have a look around. On top of that a bunch of cultural institutions scrap their entrance fees.
There’s also workshops, the chance to ride a Routemaster bus on one of London’s oldest bus routes and free tours.
What’s Worth Seeing?
A few of our top pics…
The 38 Bus Route
Saturday 16th September
You can ride on an old-school London bus as part of the events. The busses running will all be from the 50s and 60s (yep, that includes the classic Routemaster) and taking the 38 route between Victoria and Hackney. Fun fact: the 38 route is one of London’s oldest. It’s been running for 111 years.
The Golden Hinde
Sunday 10th September
Francis Drake’s ship will throw its doors open for free. The boat was used by the legendary explorer to circumnavigate the Earth and now sits in a dry dock near London Bridge. It’s been restored so you can see what it would have looked like in its heyday.
Scadbury Moated Manor
Saturday 9th + Sunday 10th September
You can take a look back into the past at Scadbury Manor. The open day takes the form of a tour of the manor’s moat and offers a chance to look at the archaeological digs that have unearthed the building’s Tudor foundations. There’s also WW2-era defences to explore.
Union Chapel
Saturday 9th September
The gorgeous Grade I & II listed Union Chapel will open its doors for free tours around the gothic building. Their famous organ will also get some action in the form of recitals and workshops where you can learn to play too.
Naturally there’s way more stuff going on than we could write up here. We can’t recommend strongly enough that you have a click through their site to see what else is on. If you’ve made it this far in the article you’ll definitely find something more to interest you in the full listings.
See the complete list of open days here.
Heritage Open Days 2023: Practical Information
When: 8th – 17th September
Where: All around London
Tickets: Free, but you need to book. Do that here
