About

Heritage Open Days is England's largest community led festival of history and culture, involving thousands of local volunteers and organisations. Every year in September it brings people together to celebrate their heritage, community and history. Stories are told, traditions explored, and histories brought to life. It’s your chance to see hidden places and try out new experiences – and it’s all FREE.

Heritage Open Days 2025: 12-21 September

Noticeboard

Mosaic of photographs including: a windmill. brick house, green railings, wooden wheel, large map, person at workshop.

07 Nov 2024

Festival Review 2024

This year we celebrated three decades of connecting communities and helping them discover the stories on their doorstep. Over 1 million visitors enjoyed the 5,427 events organised by our community of thousands of local volunteers and organisations.

News

03 Oct 2024

Chelmsford Civic Society

Over 10 years this local society has been developing a fantastic, creative hub of festival events. Their History Rock Snake really captured people's attention locally this year, while online they have 'visitors' as far afield as Australia with their series of films, which can showcase places and stories inaccessible any other way.

Case studies

Long, two story white house set amid greenery on a hillside.

04 Oct 2024

Portland House

This stunning holiday home in Dorset tends to be booked up all year. To ensure the house and its story connects with as many people as possible though, the team saves space in the calendar for rare, but very special (and popular!) open days.