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Free entry to hundreds of UK tourist attractions in September
A series of heritage open days in London, Scotland and Wales mean you can visit some of the UK’s best tourist attractions for free in September.
These include places that usually charge an entry fee, such as HMS Wellington and Penrhyn Castle and Garden, and sites not usually open to the public, including Downing Street, the Canadian High Commission and a Royal Observer Corps Monitoring Post in the Brecon Beacons.
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When are free open days in the UK?
During September there are several different heritage days in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, as well as the London Open House Festival, where you can gain free entry to tourist sights and historic attractions.
You’ll need to check when each attraction is free, and for some booking in advance (still free) is required.
A handful of the most popular attractions in the London Open House Days require you to register in advance, as they conduct a ballot for tickets.
Which tourist attractions are free in Scotland?
The Doors Open Days Festival runs throughout September across Scotland. You can gain free entry into some of the country's best tourist attractions and historic buildings.
The most famous attractions require booking in advance, but there are also some where you can just drop in. This includes free entry to the Abbey Strand buildings in Edinburgh, part of the Palace of Holyrood House which date back to the 14th century.
One of the more unique events is on Yell, in the North Shetland Isles. You can visit the Cullivoe Galley Shed and meet many of the people who run the Cullivoe Up Helly Aa – one of the Shetland’s Isles best Viking Fire Festivals.
Several of Scotland's best tourist attractions are free all year, including the National Museum of Scotland – rated one of the UK's best museums.
Which tourist attractions are free in Wales?
The Open Days 2024 Festival runs throughout September in Wales, and includes free entry to more than 200 attractions, historic sights and tours.
There's free entry to the National Trust’s Penrhyn Castle, which, alongside the surrounding Slate Landscape, is the UK’s newest UNESCO World Heritage Site.
More unique is a trip down into a Royal Observer Corps nuclear monitoring post in the Brecon Beacons. The post has been recreated to look the same as it would have during the Cold War, and ex Royal Observer Corps members will lead the tour.
Missed the dates? St Fagan's open-air museum in Cardiff, 40 buildings from different historical periods, was rated the best museum in the UK. It's completely free
Free National Trust pass
Each September, the National Trust offers free tickets to many of its historic houses, castles and gardens. This offer has now closed for 2024. Check the National Trust's free offer page for details on 2025 - the deal usually launches in early to mid September.
In 2024, free entry was possible to Chartwell in Kent, the family seat of Churchill. It usually costs £20 per person to enter. And Buckland Abbey in Devon (pictured), from where Sir Francis Drake plotted strategy against the Spanish Armada. You can visit the home and apple tree that inspired Issac Newton, in Lincolnshire.
Which tourist attractions are free in England?
Heritage Open Days 2024 has now finished in England. It ran from 6-15 September.
The Heritage Open Days run every year in early September and includes thousands of buildings and attractions across England.
Which tourist attractions are free in London?
The London Open House Festival 2024 ran from 14 to 22 September.
Highlights included HMS Wellington – moored on the Thames, this is the last remaining World War Two convoy escort ship in Europe. Or you could take a behind the scenes tour and ride on the Thames cable car, for the best views of London. Both these events require booking.
Many other places are not typical tourist attractions, or even ordinarily open to the public. They're free and you don’t need to book. You can take a tour of the Royal College of Physicians, one of the few Grade I-listed buildings in London built after the war, the Canadian High Commission and the Argentine Ambassador's Residence.
Many of the biggest sights, such as Downing Street and BBC Broadcasting House require you to register your interest in early August, as ticketing is done by ballot. Set a reminder for 2025 now.
If you missed the Open Days Festival, you can still visit one of the best historic attractions in the UK for free – write to your MP for a free tour of the Houses of Parliament.
Which tourist attractions are free in Northern Ireland?
The European heritage Open Days 2024 in Northern Ireland has now finished. It ran from 14-15 September.
The event runs every year in mid-September and offers free entry to many historic attractions in Belfast and across Northern Ireland.
