Heritage Open Days is England’s largest festival of history & culture, taking place every September and involving thousands of local volunteers and organisations. Stories are told, traditions explored and histories brought to life. The festival provides members of the general public with the chance to see usually hidden places and try out brand-new experiences. And what’s more, it’s all absolutely FREE...

The event returns this year from Friday 11 to Sunday 20 September - and here are just some of the venues you can explore around the region...

Warwickshire

Albany Theatre Backstage Tours | The Albany Theatre, Albany Road, Coventry, CV5 6JQ
Enjoy exclusive backstage access to The Albany, a 1930s art deco theatre, and discover its fascinating history. Learn about the building’s origins as a college lecture hall, its role during World War Two, and its transformation into a much-loved theatre. Tour guide Adam Wood will share notable dates, stories and moments from the venue and surrounding area. The tour lasts around 30 minutes, with tea, coffee and refreshments available to purchase before or after.

Sunday 13 & Saturday 19 September | 10am, 11am and 12pm, pre-booking required

---

Dame Goodyvers Daye | Broadgate City Centre, Coventry, CV1 1NH
Celebrate Coventry’s historic feast day, dating back more than 500 years, with a colourful celebration bringing together the city’s diverse communities, cultures and faiths. Enjoy a vibrant musical procession featuring traditional costumes, a giant phoenix, Chinese dragon, Indian elephant, Coventry horse, handmade umbrellas and flags.

The celebrations then continue at Priory Gardens, with dancing, music, craft stalls and a community picnic. Led by the official Lady Godiva and her multicultural Godiva Sisters, the event celebrates Coventry’s heritage while showcasing the city’s diverse modern-day community.

Friday 11 September | 10am-11.30am, pre-booking not required

---

Faces Of The Somme - 110th Anniversary Exhibition & Activities | Pageant House, Jury Street, Warwick, CV34 4EW
Mark the 110th anniversary of the Somme Offensive by visiting this special exhibition exploring the Royal Warwickshire Regiment’s experiences during the First World War. Discover personal stories through diaries, photographs, letters, uniforms and other objects, gaining an insight into the lives of soldiers who served on the Somme. Family activities will bring the history to life through real artefacts and creative activities, including those inspired by AA Milne, who served as a signal officer with the regiment and later became famous as the author of Winnie the Pooh.

Friday 11, Saturday 12, Tuesday 15 - Saturday 19 September | 10am-5pm, pre-booking not required

---

Hall’s Croft: Behind The Scaffold - Everyday Histories, Extraordinary Lives | Halls Croft Museum, Old Town, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 6BG
Enjoy a rare opportunity to visit and discover the fascinating history of Hall’s Croft, the former home of Shakespeare’s daughter, Susanna Hall, and her husband, John. Temporarily closed to the general public while a major conservation project is carried out, the Jacobean house will open its doors on designated Heritage Days to showcase the work being undertaken.

Visitors can meet the conservation team, enjoy talks, live workshops and tours, and discover traditional 17th-century building techniques. They can also try their hand at Tudor peg house building and peg-cutting workshops, learning how craftspeople have helped preserve the historic home through the centuries.

Saturday 12 & Sunday 23 September | 10am - 4pm, pre-booking preferred

---

Upton House & Gardens | Upton House, Upton, Banbury, Warwickshire, OX15 6HT
Explore Upton House & Gardens, the former country retreat of Lord & Lady Bearsted, and discover one of the finest private collections of European art assembled in the 20th century. Admire works by artists including Stubbs, Hogarth, Bosch and El Greco, presented alongside an impressive collection of porcelain. Outside, explore the beautifully designed gardens, including terraced planting, the Kitchen Garden and Mirror Pool. During Heritage Open Days, visitors can also enjoy Meet Rembrandt, a guided slow-looking experience. Check for details with visitor reception on arrival.

Saturday 12 & Sunday 13 September | 10am-5pm,  pre-booking not required

---

River Festival Coventry at Charterhouse | National Trust Charterhouse,  London Road, Coventry, CV1 2JR
Celebrate the River Sherbourne at this free Charterhouse festival, with a packed programme showcasing local creativity, culture, nature and heritage.

Enjoy theatrical performances, live music, storytelling, guided river walks, crafts and workshops, plus the chance to meet Lady Good-Diver, the Sherbourne Valley Project’s mascot. Local nature and heritage organisations will be hosting stalls and activities, and visitors can explore the historic Charterhouse building, including its remarkable medieval and Tudor wall paintings. The on-site café offers food and refreshments if you fancy taking a break.

Saturday 19 & Sunday 20 September | 11am - 4pm, pre-booking preferred

---

Worcestershire

Forge Mill Needle Museum and Bordesley Abbey Visitor Centre | Forge Mill Needle Museum, Needle Mill Lane, Redditch, B98 8HY
Step into Redditch’s industrial and medieval heritage at Forge Mill Needle Museum, home to the only surviving water-powered scouring mill, which has recently been refurbished. Enjoy free entry to the museum and current exhibition, tours of the Needle Museum and nearby Bordesley Abbey ruins, plus family activities and a newly refurbished children’s play area. The event will also feature classic Royal Enfield motorbikes and model boats, plus contributions from local artists, wildlife organisations and community groups. Visitors can browse local produce and gifts before enjoying refreshments at the Mill View Coffee Bar.

Sunday 13 September | 11am-4pm, pre-booking not required

---

North Malvern Clock Tower - Open Day | North Malvern Water Tower, North Malvern Road, Malvern, WR14 4LX
Discover the historic Clock Tower near Tank Quarry, a striking brick and red terracotta water tower dating from 1901. Featuring a four-faced clock, crenellations and distinctive animal waterspouts, the tower also incorporates an earlier stone commemorating the water tanks built in 1835/36. Nearby, visitors can see Cascade Gates. The contemporary welded-steel artwork, created in 2007 by artist & sculptor Rose Garrard, provides a fascinating contrast between Malvern’s heritage and modern art.

Sat 19 Sept | 2pm-3.30pm, pre-booking not required

---

Pershore Abbey Welcome Festival | Abbey Church of the Holy Cross, Church Walk, Pershore, WR10 1BB
Uncover the fascinating history and architectural beauty of this spectacular Abbey Church, built in the 11th century as part of a Benedictine monastery.

Explore its magnificent stained glass, distinctive ‘ploughshare’ vaulting and impressive Ruffatti pipe organ, installed in 2023. Members of the Abbey community will be on hand to share stories and answer questions, with organ performances taking place throughout the day. Visitors can also join a tower tour, to enjoy stunning views across the surrounding area, before relaxing with tea and cake.

Dogs on leads are welcome.

Saturday 19 September | 10.30am-4pm, pre-booking not required, book on the day

---

Royal Worcester Factory Site Walking Tour | Museum of Royal Worcester, Severn Street, Worcester, WR1 2ND

Discover the history of Royal Worcester on a free 30-minute guided walking tour around the original factory site. Along the route, six unique wall-mounted ‘hallmarks’ combine historic kiln drawings, iconic porcelain transfer prints and archive photographs to tell the story of Worcester’s world-famous pottery.

Bring your smartphone to scan the QR codes on each marker and hear immersive audio soundtracks, bringing the sights, sounds and stories of the former pottery to life.

Saturday 12, Tuesday 15 & Thursday 17 September | 1.30pm, pre-booking required

---

The Firs: Elgar’s Birthplace | National Trust: The Firs - Elgar's Birthplace, Crown East Lane, Lower Broadheath, WR2 6RH
Visit the birthplace of composer Sir Edward Elgar - a charming cottage surrounded by a traditional cottage garden, orchard and woodland, with views towards the Malvern Hills. Step inside the humble home where Elgar was born, then explore the modern visitor centre, featuring personal belongings, artefacts, photographs, videos and interactive displays telling the story of his life and work. Families can enjoy the outdoor Sound Garden and free-to-play piano, while Little Al’s Café serves homemade cakes, brunch and refreshments. There are also plenty of peaceful outdoor spaces to explore.

Friday 11 - Monday 14 September |10am-5pm,  pre-booking not required

---

Worcester News Newspaper Archives | Friary Walk Shopping Centre, 54 Friary Walk, Worcester, Worcestershire, WR1 3LE
Saved from landfill by the Worcester Civic Society, the Worcester News archives offer a fascinating glimpse into the city’s past.

The collection includes more than a million press cuttings, negatives and photographs, historic glass plate negatives and hundreds of image discs, along with 250 bound volumes of Berrow’s Journal - dating from 1801 to the 1990s.

Volunteers are currently cataloguing the collection in a secure room beneath the History & Heritage Pod. 
Visitors can join a free guided tour to find out more about this remarkable archive and the stories it preserves.

Monday 14 September | 10.15am & 11.15am, pre-booking not required

For further information on Heritage Open Days across the region, visit heritageopendays.org.uk