Castles, archives, chapels, museums and buildings that are rarely open to the public will welcome visitors for free across Wales this September.
Cadw’s Open Doors festival is returning for 2026 with hundreds of participating historic sites, community buildings and cultural attractions. organisations, community groups, places of worship, museums, archives and volunteers are all involved.
Nineteen Cadw monuments are taking part, including Strata Florida Abbey, Harlech Castle and Caerwent Roman Town. Other events range from guided tours at Neath Abbey and behind-the-scenes access at Glamorgan Archives to free visits at Powis Castle and Gardens and a restored Cold War monitoring post in Brecon.
Many of the events go beyond ordinary opening hours. Some include guided tours, archive access, talks, family activities and entry to areas that are normally closed, giving people a chance to explore both major landmarks and smaller pieces of local history.
Open Doors is Wales’ contribution to the wider European Heritage Days . The practical appeal is wonderfully simple: throughout September, people can discover more of the history around them without an admission charge being the thing that decides whether they walk through the door.