Doors Open Days
Doors Open Days is Scotland’s largest free festival celebrating the built environment. Through providing free unique viewing opportunities to sites of historic, cultural, architectural and community interest, it aims to increase public appreciation and enjoyment of Scotland’s built heritage and promote inclusion in Scotland’s civic spaces and activities.
Whether you are interested in historic buildings, local history, architecture or hidden places not usually open to the public, Doors Open Days offers something for everyone.
Doors Open Days Aberdeenshire 2026
Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th September 2026
Doors Open Days is returning to Aberdeenshire offering the public free access to a wide variety of buildings, heritage sites and behind‑the‑scenes locations across the region. Coordinated nationally by the Scottish Civic Trust and locally by the council's Historic Environment team, the event invites everyone to explore the places and stories that shape our communities.
The European Heritage Days theme for 2026 is Heritage at Risk. This theme shines a spotlight on the buildings, landscapes, traditions and skills that are vulnerable and the efforts being made to protect them for future generations.
Updates, event highlights and additional information is also shared on our Facebook page.
Plan your visit
The national Doors Open Days programme has launched, and visitors can start planning their weekend of exploration: