London Open House is a free festival of London’s architecture, engineering and urban landscape. Open House describe it as the world’s biggest architecture festival.
Most buildings are not usually open to the public, so it’s a rare chance to visit anything from a medieval hall to a modern skyscraper.
London Open House 2024 Dates
The Open House festival is on 14–22 September 2024
Visits and guided tours
Visit and/or take a behind the scenes guided tour of a wide range of buildings including:
- Historic houses, livery halls and monuments
- Government buildings, workspaces, schools & town halls
- Private clubs, houses and institutions
- Places of worship, cemeteries
- Theatres, cinemas and arts centres
- Windmills, pumping stations
- Train stations, tunnels, cabbie’s shelters and much more
Walking tours
There are many free guided walking tours and trails showing architectural highlights and historical areas. Some require pre-booking.
How to find out what’s open
Most places are open on a first come basis. Some have limited numbers and need advance booking.You now need to create a visitor account to book attractions and events.
To find what’s open:
- Search the online listings
- View locations on a map
Download the free app. Search for ‘Open House London’(Does not seem to be working for 2023)Order a guide in August. £11.99Not available in 2023.
Get a guide if you can. It’s more comprehensive than the website.
During Open House, the @openhouselondon twitter account usually posts updates on queue length for popular venues.
Free admission to attractions that normally charge an entrance fee
The information below relates to 2023. Info for 2024 is updated in August 2024
For fans of historic buildings and quirky museums, the Open House festival is a chance to save money on entrance fees.
The places listed below are open to the public and normally charge an entrance or tour fee. They are free to visit on certain days during the Open House festival.
Click on the titles for more information.
Central London
Benjamin Franklin House
Grade I listed Georgian house of Benjamin Franklin.
Address: 36 Craven St, WC2 5NF
Open: 9-10 & 16 & 17 September 2023 10am–4pm
Tube: Charing Cross (zone 1)
The Cartoon Museum
Small museum displaying British cartoons, caricatures and comic strips
Address: 63 Wells St, W1A 3AE
Open: 10 September 2023 10:30-5:30pm
Tube: Oxford Circus/Tottenham Court Rd
Banqueting House
Only surviving part of Whitehall Palace with a ceiling painted by Reubens
Address: 61 Whitehall, London SW1A 2ET
Open: Sunday 10 & 17 September 2023 10am-4:30pm
Tube: Westminster/Charing Cross
Museum of the Order of St John
Address: 26 St John’s Ln, London EC1M 4DA
Open: Saturday 16 September 2023 1pm-6pm
Tube: Farringdon/Barbican
North London
Heath Robinson Museum
Gallery showing life history and original artworks of former Pinner resident
Address: Pinner Memorial Park, West End Lane, Pinner HA5 1AE
Open: Sunday 10 September 2023 11am-4pm
Tube: Pinner
South East London
The Old Operating Theatre Museum & Herb Garret
Europe’s oldest surviving operating theatre
Address: 9a St Thomas St, SE1 9RY
Open: Wednesday 6 September 2023 10:30am-4:15pm
Tube: London Bridge
Last updated: 21 August 2023