05-08-2025
Five off-limit attractions in the UK offering free secret tours – including 10 Downing Street
THERE is nothing more exciting than getting to explore a place where visitors are usually not allowed.
Think: Downing Street, the BBC Broadcasting House and the BT Towe
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And as part of London 's Open House Festival, there are over 700 properties, buildings and places where the public will be welcomed to visit between September 13 and 21.
Five of these are offering extremely exclusive limited tours, with a public ballet now open until August 18.
According to the Open House Festival website, many of the destinations will be a "be once in a lifetime visit".
Here are the five places you can enter the ballot for, as well as what dates you will be able to visit.
10 Downing Street
The home of British Prime Ministers since 1735 will open its doors to the public for two sessions on September 13.
Guests will get to see behind the famous black door, where some of the most important decisions in UK politics are made.
Currently, 10 Downing Street is undergoing some upgrades to its facilities to ensure the historic building is preserved.
BBC Broadcasting House
We all know the BBC and see content from it daily, but for the Open House Festival people can go to the first ever purpose-built broadcast centre in the UK.
It was built back in 1932 and features an art-deco design, including a clock tower.
More recently the building was refurbished and extended to create a new broadcasting house.
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The building is now home to the largest live newsroom in Europe, right at the centre of the complex.
Again, to go to this spot you will need to enter the ballot, with 12, one-hour sessions on September 20.
BT Tower
When in the depths of London's streets, you can often catch glimpses of the BT Tower.
The tower's famous revolving floor sits 158 metres above the streets of the capital.
Two high speed lights will transport visitors to the revolving floor in just 30 seconds.
Bizarrely, the Tower was classified as an 'official secret' until 1993 despite it being evident in the city's skyline.
To see this building, you will also need to enter a ballot for one of 16 tours, each lasting 45 minutes across September 20 and 21.
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Canada House
Canada House is to the Canadian Embassy and was originally designed as two buildings.
Just over 10 years ago, the building underwent a large scale revitalisation linking it to the former Sun Life Assurance of Canada building.
Inside today, the building houses around 300 pieces of Canadian Art.
One tour will run on September 13.
London Museum
Currently under construction, the public can enter a ballot to go on a tour of the Poultry Market, at the new London Museum.
The London Museum is set to open in 2026, bringing new life into the historic Smithfield market buildings.
And with this tour, lucky visitors will get a sneak peak ahead of its opening.
Six tours will be open to the public on September 20.
The museum's permanent galleries are set to open in 2026 and the 1960s Poultry Market will open in 2028.
The Poultry Market will eventually house the museum's collection stores and temporary exhibition and learning spaces.
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New locations for 2025
There are also a number of new destinations part of the festival this year including Studio AVC's offices - which are located in a 1929 shop which used to be Liberty's printing workshop and part of William Morris' Arts and Crafts legacy.
Or you could head to The King's Foundation, in Hackney, which is set in a refurbished factory warehouse.
And there is the London Film School as well, in a former banana warehouse.
For architecture buffs, you can head inside the RIBA House of the Year from 2024.
A new £100million indoor resort is also set to open in the UK with a 'next generation waterpark' and thermal spas.
Plus, a much-loved UK theme park reveals new rainy day guarantee – with free return after bad weather.
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