Alistair Hardaker
Image: Burnley Empire - Paul Harris-2
Programmes across four UK nations will feature over thousands of events and free access next month.
Free access, opened buildings, and events are scheduled across the UK next month as part of European Heritage Days.
Taking place across 50 countries, the initiative year’s shared theme is Architectural Heritage: Windows to the Past, Doors to the Future.
This September, Heritage Open Days, run by the National Trust, will run its largest programme of events across England from 12th-21st September 2025 as part of the project.
More than 5,800 events will take place at free heritage sites as well as for free at places that usually charge entry fees, and those not usually open to the public, which is now in its 31st year.
Liam Montgomery, Heritage Open Day’s Marketing & Projects Manager said the 2025 programme is “set to offer the most ambitious and wide-reaching Heritage Open Days programme yet, and it’s brimming with great things to do.
“It’s a testament to the passion and dedication of local organisers and volunteers who make this celebration of our shared heritage possible.
In Scotland, Doors Open Days will run weekend events across September, with different areas of the country opening over the month. Hundreds of unique buildings and historic sites across Scotland will open up as part of the event, coordinated by the Scottish Civic Trust alongside Scottish Archaeology Month, coordinated by Archaeology Scotland.
Open Doors Days in Wales is the largest, free celebration of architecture and heritage in the country, and the largest volunteer event in the heritage sector. Funded by Cadw, It too will offer visitors free access to hundreds of historic sites across the country, complimented by a programme of activities and special events over September.
And in Northern Ireland, its heritage events are presented under the European Heritage Open Days banner across 200 sites. Taking place over the 13–14 September 2025, it will offer free public access to historic sites, cultural landmarks, and special events across Northern Ireland. In 2024 it saw growing participation, with 75,267 visitors exploring 344 events across 230 sites.
