Heritage Open Days in Dorset 2026
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Every year in September, Heritage Open Days offers the public the opportunity to visit hundreds of attractions, castles, churches, theatres, town halls, museums, and more for FREE!
In 2026, the event runs from Friday 11th to Sunday 20th September however you will need to check with each location which dates their event applies.
Below are just a few attractions and places of interest that you can visit in Dorset.
CASTLES, COUNTRY PARKS, ESTATES & HISTORIC BUILDINGS
• LULWORTH CASTLE & PARK •
Info: Walk in the footsteps of Royalty as you explore the 17th Century Castle. Discover the stunning landscapes, beautiful 18th Century Roman Catholic Chapel and unrivalled views from the Castle tower. Enjoy the woodland walks and children's playground and some coffee and cake in the Castle Tearoom. Children can Hunt the Bat in the Castle and Hunt the Squirrel in the Park. Parking charges apply.
Dates: Tuesday 15th & Wednesday 16th September 2026
Address: Lulworth Castle, East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5QS
• LULWORTH CASTLE HOUSE •
Info: Visit the Weld family home in the grounds of Lulworth Castle. The Entrance Hall and Drawing Room will be open to view. Please note the gardens are not open and parking charges still apply.
Dates: Tuesday 15th & Wednesday 16th September 2026
Address: Lulworth Castle House, East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5QS
• CORFE CASTLE •
Info: Join a storytelling tour with the Keeper of the Castle to discover all about castle life in medieval times. Explore the castle mound on an ecology walk and learn about the plants that grow in the castle today. Find out about puffins, peregrines, plants and beavers with the Countryside Team and chat about the past, present and future of Purbeck's landscape. Plus, have a go at fun archery, meet the volunteer stone carvers, and get hands on with the handling collection.
Dates: Saturday 19th & Sunday 20th September 2026
Address: Corfe Castle, The Square, Corfe Castle, Dorset, BH20 5EZ
• KINGSTON LACY •
Info: There's plenty to see, from spectacular artworks to beautiful landscapes. Enjoy a summer picnic on the south lawn, or let little visitors run wild in nearby play areas. Wander through the Japanese Garden to the Kitchen Garden, which is being restored to Victorian splendour. Or explore the vast 8,500 acres of estate, featuring Iron Age hill forts, colourful heathland, water meadows and the world's oldest pedigree herd of Red Ruby Devon cattle.
Dates: Thursday 17th - Saturday 19th September 2026
Address: Kingston Lacy, Wimborne Minster, Dorset, BH21 4EA
• SHERBORNE OLD CASTLE GUIDED TOURS •
Info: Uncover fresh archival insights, untold local stories, and new perspectives on the site's transformation from a grand 12th-century bishop’s palace into a fierce Civil War stronghold.
Dates: Sunday 13th, Thursday 17th & Saturday 19th September 2026
Address: Sherborne Old Castle, Castleton, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 3SA
• NOTHE FORT •
Info: Step inside Nothe Fort’s Cold War Nuclear Bunker for a special Heritage Open Days event and uncover hidden secrets. Explore normally closed underground areas and discover how the fort was to operate during one of the tensest periods of the 20th century. Enjoy short talks by Matt Barrett, an expert on Nothe Fort’s nuclear bunker and UK Cold War defences, and Bev Harrison, former RAF and Royal Observer Corps, sharing first hand insight and knowledge. Talks will be in the Engine Room and items from the Cold War Collection will be on display.
Date: Sunday 13th September 2026
Address: Nothe Fort, Barrack Road, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 8UF
• HIGHCLIFFE CASTLE •
Info: The Castle has been described as arguably the most important surviving house of the romantic and picturesque style of architecture, which flourished at the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century. Its significance is recognised nationally by its Grade 1 status on the Statutory List of Buildings of Special Architectural and Historical Interest. Explore at your own leisure or book a Guided Tour.
Date: Wednesday 16th September 2026
Address: Rothesay Drive, West Borough, Highcliffe, Dorset, BH23 4LE
• CHRISTCHURCH CASTLE & NORMAN HOUSE TOURS •
Info: Led by an expert volunteer, this tour uncovers the rich history behind two remarkable survivals of a once vast, elite residence. For over 200 years, this site served as a fortified home and administrative hub for the influential De Redvers family, Earls of Devon. Discover how the impressive stone keep atop its earthen mound stood as a towering symbol of power, while the nearby riverside chamber block - the Norman House - offered comfortable private living space. Today, the Norman House remains a remarkably rare surviving example of 12th century domestic architecture.
Dates: Tuesday 15th & Wednesday 16th September 2026
Address: Christchurch Castle, High Street, Christchurch, Dorset, BH23 1AS
• HARDY MONUMENT •
Info: This is a 72ft monument to Vice-Admiral Hardy, built in 1844 stands on an exposed location above the village of Portesham, near Dorchester. Climb to the 120 steps to the top of the monument and enjoy breathtaking views across Dorset.
Date: Saturday 12th September 2026
Address: Hardy Monument, Portesham, Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 9HY
• UPTON HOUSE •
Info: Explore the ground floor of Upton House to discover the families that have called it home and find out more about the staff that lived and worked there through the discoveries of research volunteers who have been working on our Llewellin Letters Transcribing Project. You can also pre-book a free, below-stairs guided tour of the House’s basement level to find out more about the people that kept the place running.
Dates: Saturday 19th & Sunday 20th September 2026
Address: Upton Country Park, Poole Road, Upton, Poole, Dorset, BH17 7BJ
• MAX GATE •
Info: Max Gate, home to Dorset's famous author and poet, Thomas Hardy, was designed by the writer himself and built by the Hardy family building firm in 1885.
Dates: Saturday 12th & Sunday 13th September 2026
Address: Max Gate, Alington Avenue, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 2FN
• MELBURY HOUSE TOUR •
Info: An opportunity to experience a tour of the historic Melbury House with a knowledgeable guide. This exclusive tour is limited to small groups. You will be guided around private rooms to view architecture, works of art and antiquities which are not normally seen by the public. The Gardens will not be open, but the church can be visited by prior arrangement, and there are walks on the footpaths through the estate.
Dates: Monday 14th & Tuesday 15th September 2026
Address: Melbury House, Melbury Sampford, Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 0LF
• BELMONT OPEN DAYS •
Info: This fine 18th-century maritime villa in Lyme Regis is listed Grade II* and once belonged to the remarkable businesswoman, Mrs Eleanor Coade.
Dates: Saturday 12th & Sunday 13th September 2026
Address: Belmont, 16 Pound Street, Lyme Regis, Dorset, DT7 3HZ
• WHITE MILL •
Info: An 18th-century corn mill in a peaceful, rural setting. Rebuilt in 1776 on a site marked in the Domesday Book, this substantial mill was extensively repaired in 1994 and still retains its original elm and applewood machinery (now too fragile to be used). Enjoy a stroll over White Mill bridge or sit in the garden and enjoy the tranquillity of the River Stour.
Dates: Saturday 12th & Sunday 13th September 2026
Address: White Mill, Sturminster Marshall, Wimborne Minster, Dorset, BH21 4BX
• WALFORD MILL TALK & TOUR •
Info: Using material from the Mill's own archive, this illustrated talk will cover highlights of the Mill's history over more than 500 years. These include its origins, structural changes, subsequent uses and conversion to an arts and crafts centre. There will be time for a short tour inside the building and outside too, weather permitting.
Dates: Wednesday 16th & Thursday 17th September 2026
Address: Walford Mill, Knobcrook Road, Stone Lane, Wimborne Minster, Dorset, BH21 1NL
• STURMINSTER NEWTON TOWN MILL OPEN DAY •
Info: Recently discovered evidence suggests this Mill largely dates from 1566, on a more ancient milling site which could date back to 1016. Powered by a 100 year old turbine, the machinery should be running for this open day, and volunteers will be available for more information about this historic site.
Date: Friday 18th September 2026
Address: Sturminster Newton Town Mill, Quay Road, Sturminster Newton, Dorset, DT10 2HW
• CLAVELL TOWER OPEN DAYS •
Info: Built in 1830 for unknown purpose by John Richards Clavell, an elderly clergyman who inherited the Smedmore Estate on which it stands, Clavell Tower has captivated many, including writers like Hardy and P. D. James. The tower was in danger of falling off the crumbling cliff until the Landmark Trust carried out a dramatic rescue in 2007, dismantling it piece by piece and re-erecting it further back from the edge.
Dates: Saturday 12th & Sunday 13th September 2026
Address: Clavell Tower, Kimmeridge, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5PE
• MAPPERTON GARDENS •
Info: Tucked into a dramatic Dorset combe, wander at your own pace through Mapperton’s award-winning Italianate Gardens - uncover hidden corners and soak up the warm colours of September in a setting steeped in heritage.
Date: Tuesday 15th September 2026
Address: Mapperton, Beaminster, Dorset, DT8 3NR
CHURCHES & ABBEYS
• ABBOTSBURY ABBEY & ST CATHERINE’S CHAPEL WALKING TOURS •
Info: Set high on a hilltop overlooking Chesil Beach and the Isle of Portland, this barrel-vaulted 14th century chapel was built by the monks of the nearby Abbotsbury Abbey as a place of pilgrimage and retreat. Today the chapel still sits in splendid isolation. Make your way up the hill, take in the fantastic views of the abbey ruins, and explore the nooks and crannies of this curious little chapel, including the 'wishing holes' where local women used to pray to St Catherine and ask her to find them a husband.
Date: Sunday 13th September 2026
Address: Chapel Hill, Abbotsbury, Weymouth, Dorset, DT3 4JH
• BLANDFORD FORUM PARISH CHURCH OPEN DAYS & ROOF TOURS •
Info: You will get a brief history of the church and a chance to admire the newly repainted and regilded apse ceiling and then will be taken up a small, stone, spiral staircase to the ringing chamber, the clock chamber and then to walk above the nave ceiling in the ‘attic’.
Dates: Friday 11th - Sunday 13th September 2026
Address: St Peter & St Paul's Church, Church Lane, Blandford Forum, Dorset, DT11 7AD
• WIMBORNE MINSTER GUIDED TOURS •
Info: For thirteen hundred years the Minster has been very much part of the town. It is a centre for Christian worship, a grade 1 listed building, a museum, and a place for quiet and stillness in our busy world. There will be guides available while the Minster is open to the public. Tours on various dates include The Building Tour, The Characters Tour and The Artefacts Tour.
Dates: Saturday 12th, Tuesday 15th, Thursday 17th & Saturday 19th September 2026
Address: Wimborne Minster, Dorset, BH21 1EB
• ST PETER’S CHURCH BELL TOWER TOURS •
Info: Enjoy unique access to the bell tower of St Peter's Church and a demonstration of bell ringing by the Church's dedicated team of bell ringers. There will also be guided tours of the historic church, the majority of which dates to the 13th century.
Date: Sunday 13th September 2026
Address: St Peters Church, 26 High West Street, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 1EZ
• CHRISTCHURCH PRIORY CHURCH TOURS •
Info: The Priory Church in Christchurch is over 900 years old and is the longest parish church in England, larger than 21 Anglican cathedrals throughout the country. Enjoy a tour around the church which includes the Great Quire with ancient Misericords, and two crypts, four Chantries, the Miraculous Beam and Cloister Way with stained glass story of the church and other parts not normally open to the public.
Date: Monday 14th September 2026
Address: Christchurch Priory, Christchurch, Dorset, BH23 1BU
• SHERBORNE ABBEY TOURS •
Info: Discover 1300 years of history with a guided tour of Sherborne Abbey led by an experienced tour guide. Come and see this magnificent building, one of the jewels of Dorset. Two Saxon kings are buried here; Thomas Wyatt, Tudor courtier and poet, has his grave here; Sir Walter Raleigh worshipped here. You may even hear the heaviest peal of eight bells in the world! The Abbey Shop will be open plus children's trails available and other information leaflets.
Dates: Monday 14th & Tuesday 15th September 2026
Address: Sherborne Abbey, Abbey Close, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 3LQ
• KNOWLTON CHURCH TOUR •
Info: Knowlton presents an extraordinary landscape where deep prehistory meets the Middle Ages: a 12th-century Norman church standing directly at the heart of a prehistoric Neolithic ritual henge earthwork. This rare, striking combination beautifully symbolises the historic transition from pagan ritual to Christian worship. Join the expert for a guided tour of this fascinating site.
Dates: Saturday 19th & Sunday 20th September 2026
Address: Knowlton Church and Earthworks, Knowlton, Buildwas Abbey, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 5AE
MUSEUMS & HERITAGE CENTRE’S
• DORSET MUSEUM & ART GALLERY TOURS •
Info: Join the collections team for an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the state-of-the-art Collections Discovery Centre, where they focus on the social history collections that reveal how people in Dorset have lived, worked, and shaped their communities over time.
Date: Sunday 20th September 2026
Address: Dorset Museum, 66 High West Street, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 1XA
• BEAMINSTER MUSEUM OPEN DAYS •
Info: Since medieval times, Beaminster has been shaped by its agricultural setting – once dominated by sheep farming and now more focused on dairy. Explore the town’s notable flax and sailcloth industry, which flourished in the 18th and 19th centuries and supplied canvas and rigging for the British Navy. A field to fabric exhibit shows how flax was grown, spun, and woven into linen, nets, smocks, and sailcloth. Beaminster’s skilled clockmakers, active locally for generations, added another dimension to the town’s working past.
Dates: Saturday 12th – Sunday 20th September 2026
Address: Beaminster Museum, Whitcombe Road, Beaminster, Dorset, DT8 3NB
• MUSEUM OF EAST DORSET MUSEUM GUIDED TOUR •
Info: Explore the evolution of this historic structure, from its architectural origins to its transformation into the museum you see today. Expert guides will reveal hidden details, design features, and the building’s changing role at the heart of the community. A unique opportunity to discover the heritage not just inside the museum - but within its very walls.
Dates: Wednesday 16th & Friday 18th September 2026
Address: Museum of East Dorset, 23-29 High Street, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 1HR
• BOURNEMOUTH NATURAL SCIENCE SOCIETY GUIDED TOUR •
Info: Guided tour of a Grade II listed Victorian villa (1880). The villa was constructed in the Italianate style for a wealthy merchant John Cassels. This tour looks at the detailed architectural features externally and internally as well as the history of the building. After the tour there is a chance to view the Victorian natural history and antiquarian collections in the building.
Date: Wednesday 16th September 2026
Address: BNSS, 39 Christchurch Road, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH1 3NS
• THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF SCAPLEN’S COURT •
Info: Join the team for a fascinating guided tour of Scaplen’s Court and Garden. Discover the layers of history uncovered as part of the archaeological investigations during the Poole Museum redevelopment.
Date: Friday 18th September 2026
Address: Scaplen’s Court, Sarum Street, Poole, Dorset, BH15 1JW
• BLANDFORD FASHION MUSEUM OPEN DAY •
Info: Blandford Fashion Museum is based in a Georgian house designed and built by the Bastard Brothers after the Great Fire of Blandford in 1731 to house their sisters. Lime Tree House now holds the Fashion Museum’s eclectic collection, ranging from Georgian costumes to the 1970s.
Date: Saturday 19th September 2026
Address: Blandford Fashion Museum, 11 The Plocks, Blandford Forum, Dorset, DT11 7AA
• DORSET HISTORY CENTRE TOURS •
Info: Dorset History Centre is home to over 1000 years of history - come and see areas not usually open to the public and find out how they look after Dorset's priceless archive heritage, with tours including specialist temperature and humidity-controlled repositories, and the conservation laboratory.
Date: Tuesday 15th & Saturday 19th September 2026
Address: Dorset History Centre, Bridport Road, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 1RP
• SHERBORNE STEAM & WATERWHEEL CENTRE •
Info: The Centre brings alive the story of Sherborne’s drinking water supply and other public health measures. The 26ft waterwheel and very large steam engine will be running for you to view.
Date: Sunday 13th September 2026
Address: Sherborne Steam and Waterwheel Centre, Oborne Road, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 3RX
MORE OPEN DAYS, TOURS & EXPERIENCES
• LYME REGIS LIFEBOAT STATION TOURS •
Info: Visit Lyme Regis Lifeboat Station to discover more about the RNLI and the vital work carried out by its volunteer crews. Explore the station and learn about lifeboat operations, meet the teams who help keep people safe on and around the water, and find out more about the RNLI’s water safety initiatives.
Date: Saturday 19th September 2026
Address: RNLI Station, Cobb Road, Lyme Regis, Dorset, DT7 3JJ
• PORTLAND PORT GUIDED TOUR •
Info: A rare opportunity to have a private tour of parts of the Port, focussing on the history of the breakwaters, the harbour, the naval defences and the maritime history of the area. Please note, a government issued photo ID and car registration is required.
Date: Saturday 12th September 2026
Address: Details given when booked
• LIFE IN STUDLAND DURING WWII •
Info: Studland Bay is known to many as a leisure destination boasting four miles of beach, but its historical significance is often overlooked. Hear about childhood memories of those living in Studland during WWII. Come and talk to knowledgeable volunteers, find out about the everyday lives of the village, and the exercises that took place in Studland Bay with an exhibition at Knoll Beach. Take a self-guided walk around some of our remaining WW2 remnants. Family friendly event with kids activities including clay tile making and code cracking.
Date: Sunday 13th September 2026
Address: Knoll Beach visitors Centre, Ferry Road, Studland, Dorset, BH19 3AQ
• THE WRECKS OF STUDLAND BAY •
Info: Find out about the 17th century Swash Channel wreck, the Fame of Hoorn, and the 13th century mortar ship wreck. Learn about the height of Purbeck industry with Purbeck marble and mortars. The family friendly event includes displays and activities.
Date: Sunday 20th September 2026
Address: Knoll Beach visitors Centre, Ferry Road, Studland, Dorset, BH19 3AQ
• WWII BOMBING DECOY BUNKER OPEN DAY •
Info: The decoy bunker at Moors Valley was used during World War II to power and control lights to mimic the nearby RAF airfields at Hurn and Ibsley, including a 1km flare path whose location has been identified. This is an opportunity to take a closer look at the bunker, which is not normally open to the public.
Date: Saturday 12th & Sunday 20th September 2026
Address: Moors Valley Country Park, Ashley Heath, Ringwood, BH24 2ET
GUIDED WALKS & TALKS
There are numerous bookable guided walks happening across Dorset in September. Learn all about the local history which can include Roman archaeology and aqueducts, architecture and more.
For more information on the above events and to see if pre-booking is required, please visit Heritage Open Days.
All information was correct at the time of writing. Please note that dates and details may be subject to change.
