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**Price and promotions are accurate at the time of posting but can change or expire at anytime.**
Bookings open Wed 19th Aug, 12pm. Free access to many places that either normally (a) costs money to visit, or (b) is not open to the public. Some require advance booking, some are drop-ins. There are exclusive guided tours on offer, plus family-friendly activities. Lots of educational events too, and event listings that will attract those interested in architecture. Play around with the filters to find places, events, and activities that appeal to you. I list some highlights below.
Offer link: open-city.org.uk/opeval .
View all listings – currently shows previous year listings, 2026 listings added 16th July: programme.openhouse.org.uk/caldar .
View by map – currently shows previous year listings, 2026 listings added 16th July: programme.openhouse.org.uk/map .
TBC, this may apply this year 2026:
To keep the festival programme as open as possible, we have capped the number of places that an individual visitor can book on a single activity at 4 and the total number of activities that a single visitor can book in a day at 3. This total does not include drop in activities.
NOTABLE LISTINGS Check back shortly before bookings open Wed 19th Aug, as I will have updated the list with 2026 listings D – has drop-in activities,
T – has ticketed activities – if it is fully-booked, keep an eye out for cancellations, else it may be possible to queue on the day in the event of no-shows if permitted by the venue. Contact the venue to find out.
NOTABLE LISTINGS FROM LAST YEAR
D Bank of England Museum (rare weekend opening) – .
D Drapers Hall (drop-in) – .
D Florence Nightingale Museum (normally RRP £12) – TBC, but for now: .
D Old Royal Naval College (various activities) – .
D Old Royal Naval College – Queen Anne Court (guided tour) – .
D Old Royal Naval College – Queen Mary Court (guided tour) – .
D Old Royal Naval College – King William Court (guided tour) – .
D South East London Combined Heat & Power Energy Recovery Facility – .
D Two Temple Place (not usually open to public) – .
D Preedy Glass (guided production tour) – .
D Devils Botany Distillery (behind the scenes and tastings) – .
D UN International Maritime Organization (the only UN HQ based in London) – .
D City Hall (moved to Newham in 2021-22) – .
D Argentine Ambassadors Residence – .
D BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir (Neasden Temple) – .
DT Benjamin Franklin House (normally RRP £8 / Glass Armonica demo) – .
DT Union Chapel (various activities) – .
DT Guildhall – .
DT The Fan Museum (drop-in / ticketed talks, usually £5) – .
DT St Augustines Church (drop-in / ticketed guided tour) – .
DT Brunel Museum (drop-in / ticketed guided tour, usually £8.50) – .
T St Pauls Cathedral – Triforium Tour (normally RRP £15 £26 general admission) – .
T Royal Hospital Chelsea, Home of the Chelsea Pensioners – 30-min guided tour (90-min tour normally RRP £25) – .
T Mansion House (guided tour of the residence of the Lord Mayor of the City of London) – .
T Historic BBC Studio Tours (Alexandra Palace) – .
T Barts Pathology Museum (not usually open to public) – .
T St Pancras Chambers and Clock Tower (guided tour) – .
T Westminster Abbey – guided tour of Undercroft, Pyx Chamber and Dark Cloister (NOTE: does NOT include entry to the main Abbey building) – .
T Broadgate Tower (2-hour guided tour) – .
T Nirvana Brewery (tour & tastings) – .
T Westminster Abbey – East End – .
T London Film School – Shelton Street (filmmaking workshops & guided tours) – .
T Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew – Herbarium (guided tour) – .
T E.ONs Citigen energy centre (guided tour) – .
T IFS Cloud Cable Car (behind the scenes tour) – .
T Instituto Cervantes London – various activities (inc. Accordion Concert by Sofía Ros, BBC Radio Scotland Young Classical Musician of the Year) – .
T The London Centre (The London Model talk) – .
T London Aquatics Centre (guided tour) – .
T London Fire Brigade (The Operations Support Centre guided tour) – .
T Billingsgate Roman House & Baths (guided tour, usually £12) – .
T Wardian: tour with Howells (50- & 55-storey Canary Wharf skyscrapers – conclude with a complimentary drink in the rooftop sky lounge) – .
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