Open House London 2026: 6 Iconic Buildings You Can Visit for Free

From the BT Tower to the Zaha Hadid Foundation archives, these are the coolest venues taking part in this year's architectural festival.

Everyone loves a good snoop. London's annual Open House Festival gives you full permission to explore hundreds of buildings to your heart's content.

This week-long event opens doors to places that are normally firmly shut to the public. Buildings across all 33 of the capital's boroughs take part — creative studios, royal dwellings, secretive municipal offices, historic archives and even private homes. Some are historic landmarks woven into London's DNA; others are simply too cool to ignore.

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The 35th edition of Open House London runs from September 12 to September 20. Everything is completely free, but many venues require advance booking and tickets disappear in the blink of an eye. Mark your calendar: bookings open on August 19.

Lloyd's Building

This year marks four decades since the revolutionary Lloyd's Building joined the London skyline. Designed by Lord Richard Rogers, it features a series of towers arranged around a central atrium, with all its ducts, vents, stairwells and lift shafts displayed on the outside — along with 12 glass lifts that were the first of their kind in the UK. Open House 2026 offers a rare chance to experience this famed "inside-out building" from the inside.

One Lime Street, EC3M 7HA

The Zaha Hadid Foundation Archive

Visionary architect Zaha Hadid designed some of the most mesmerising buildings on the planet — from the wave-like London Aquatics Centre to Glasgow's zigzagged Riverside Museum. Her flowing, abstract style is unmistakable. This year, for the very first time, her archives join Open House London. Guided tours will showcase everything from architectural models and blueprints to paintings and pieces from her personal collection of clothing and jewellery.

Zaha Hadid Foundation, Shad Thames, SE1 2YD

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The BT Tower

Originally built to support radio, TV and telephone aerials via microwave signals, the BT Tower's crowning glory when it opened in the 1960s was its revolving restaurant on the 34th floor, perched 158 metres above the city. While the restaurant closed to the public long ago for security reasons, the revolving floor remains — and during Open House 2026 it will welcome visitors once again. Ride one of the two high-speed lifts and soak in a rare panoramic view over the capital.

45 Maple Street, W1T 4BG

Lincoln's Inn

The oldest of London's four Inns of Court, with records stretching back to 1422, Lincoln's Inn has been home to the city's finest legal minds for more than 600 years. This 11-acre estate is a treasure trove of medieval, Victorian and Georgian architectural gems. Normally off-limits to the public, its Open House drop-in day offers a rare glimpse inside these historic corridors of power.

The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn, WC2A 3QA

National Theatre Studio

Housed in the Old Vic Theatre's Grade II-listed former annex, the National Theatre Studio is where productions are rehearsed, ideas are workshopped, writers draft plays and scripts are archived. Guided tours through this Brutalist space will give the public a behind-the-scenes look at how some of the nation's greatest theatrical works come to life.

83-101 The Cut, SE1 8LL

Senate House

Standing 64 metres tall, the art deco Senate House was once the tallest secular building in the city. Towering over Bloomsbury, it famously inspired the "Ministry of Truth" in George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four. In reality, it belongs to the University of London and houses its main library. This September, the public will be welcomed inside to wander its marble-lined corridors and labyrinth of bookshelves, with self-guided or expert-led tours available.

Malet Street, WC1E 7HU

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