Celebrate Exeter’s history with Heritage Open Days
Published: 25 August 2022
Some of Exeter’s most fascinating buildings are set to open their doors to the public free of charge for Heritage Open Days.
This year’s event takes place from 9 to 18 September across Exeter and the rest of England, showcasing many venues that are not usually open to the public or otherwise charge an entry fee.
Managed nationally by the National Trust with financial support from the People’s Postcode Lottery and Historic England, Heritage Open Days is England’s biggest and most popular voluntary cultural event.
It is a once a year chance to discover hidden treasures and enjoy a wide range of tours, events and activities which bring local history and culture to life.
Many events will adopt this year’s theme - Astounding Inventions – offering a celebration of the cutting-edge creations that make our lives easier as well as the imaginative inventors behind them. Alongside stories of wonders, the festival will highlight some of the blunders, fads and outright failures that pepper England’s rich history of innovation.
There’s loads going on in Exeter and here are some of the highlights:
- Raising the Roof at Exeter Cathedral – an organ and library tour
- Weapons of Choice: Agatha Christie and Poisons, Devon & Exeter Institution
- Exeter Energy Recovery Plant tour
- St Sidwell’s Point Leisure Centre tours
- Astounding Inventions Trail at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery
- Exeter Library Special Collections ‘White Glove Experience – SOLD OUT
- Quayside Shanty Festival
- Guided tour of the Bill Douglas Museum
- Guided walk around the Fortress of the Second Augustan Legion at Exeter – Rougemont Gardens
- Printmaking Heritage Days Double Elephant Print Workshop at Exeter Phoenix
Plus there are free Red Coat Guided Tours taking place through the ten days.
Many of the events are popular and fill up quickly so free booking is recommended.
To find out more about these events and the whole Heritage Open Days schedule, head to the Visit Exeter website at https://www.visitexeter.com/whats-on/heritage-open-days-2022-p265363