Everything you need to know about Edinburgh Doors Open Days 2025
With the final Doors Open Days of 2025 taking place this weekend, if you’ve ever walked past a building in Edinburgh and wondered what goes on inside now could be the perfect time to find out.
More than 100 buildings around Edinburgh will take part in the final weekend of this year’s Doors Open Days.
Venues around the Scottish Capital will take part in the annual heritage event on Saturday and Sunday, granting visitors the chance to explore many locations often closed to the public.
From private architectural marvels to court buildings and beyond, here is everything you need to know and Edinburgh’s 2025 Doors Open Days.
Doors Open Days Edinburgh 2025 taking place this weekend
Edinburgh Doors Open Days 2025 will take place on Saturday, September 27 and Sunday, September 28 2025.
This weekend will mark the final days of Scotland’s largest free festival, with different regions around the country participating across the month of September.
What is Doors Open Days?
Doors Open Days first begin in 1990 in Glasgow and Ayr, eventually expanding to include each council region in Scotland.
The annual event is co-ordinated nationally by the Scottish Civic Trust and is part of European Heritage Days and Scottish Archaeology Month. Support also comes from Historic Environment Scotland.
In 2024, the festival attracted more than 179,000 visitors across almost 1,000 venues around the country.
What is this year’s theme?
The theme for Doors Open Days 2025 is Architectural Heritage: Windows to the Past, Doors to the Future.
Shared with European Heritage Days, it means that visitors will be able to explore the diverse buildings which surround us daily - particularly notable in a city such as Edinburgh which blends old and new together.
What buildings can I visit during Edinburgh Doors Open Days 2025?
There are more than 100 buildings participating in Edinburgh Doors Open Days 2025, meaning that there is an awful lot to explore in not very much time.
Highlights of this year’s event include the University of Edinburgh’s McEwan Hall, the Abbey Strand Centre at the Palace of Holyroodhouse and Panmure House, the Edinburgh home of Scottish economist and philosopher Adam Smith.
You can also explore Granton Art Centre - where the National Galleries of Scotland store much of their collection when not on public display - and Lothian Buses’ Marine Depot, which will feature a vintage bus display, family activities and also bookable tours of their Seafield Coachworks.
Another stand out location worth visiting is Barnton Bunker, a three-floor bunker utilised during WWII and the Cold War which is tucked above Corstorphine Hill.
You can find out more about what’s on during Edinburgh Doors Open Days 2025 by visiting the festival website.
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