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Open House: nine days of free access to London’s closed buildings

The 35th Open House Festival runs from 12 to 20 September, opening buildings across all 33 London boroughs, free of charge. The London Design Festival runs alongside it, also until 20 September. Some venues take walk-ins, others require booking.

Published 13 September 2026, 10:20 2 min read Editorial

A queue of people along the Lloyd's building in the City during Open House London — The queue at the Lloyd's building during Open House: entry is free and needs no booking. Photo: Wikimedia Commons, public domain Photo: ONLYWAY NEWS

Open House is the week when the city takes down its “no entry” signs. Private houses, offices high in towers, engineering works, old churches and schools let anyone in, and all of it is free. In 2026 the festival runs 12-20 September, its 35th edition, with venues in all 33 boroughs.

How does Open House work?

The programme splits in two. Some venues are walk-in: turn up within the stated hours and queue — at popular addresses people start queuing an hour or more before opening. Others require booking: tours, roof visits, working sites where numbers are capped. Booking opened on 19 August and the famous addresses went fast, but returns appear constantly, so it is worth checking daily.

The full programme is at programme.openhouse.org.uk; booking needs a free account. The filters by borough and building type work well — searching your own area beats scrolling the list of landmarks.

What runs alongside it?

The London Design Festival covers the same dates, 12-20 September, at venues across the city. Part of the programme is free, part ticketed. Installations go up in museums and public spaces, so you can simply walk into them.

Heritage Open Days, 11-20 September, is the national version of the same idea: free access to historic buildings across England, not only London.

Oxo Tower Wharf on the South Bank is open to browse from 12 to 20 September — studios and galleries, no ticket needed.

What should you know before you set out?

Many venues refuse entry with large bags, and photography is not always allowed — that is the building owner’s call, not the festival’s. Lifts and step-free access are far from universal and are flagged in the programme. And each venue keeps its own hours, with some open on a single day only, so plan the route in advance and stay within one area: London is large, and two addresses at opposite ends cost you an hour in transit.

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