Seven Buildings to Visit During Open House London

Updated April 2020

London isn’t exactly known as the cheapest city in the world but every now and again you come across something that is either surprisingly good value for money or, if you’re lucky, completely free. Lots of the city’s museums and galleries, for example, won’t cost you a dime. Open House London is another such opportunity.

For one weekend in September, buildings across the city – which normally charge entry and/or have restricted access – open their doors to the public for an architecture appreciation weekend. Some buildings – like 10 Downing Street, which is just one of the options on the list – can only be visited if you come out tops in a ballot but for the most part you can be as poorly organised as I tend to be and just turn up at your choices on the day (but you do at least need to have picked out your choices in advance).

In the five years that I’ve lived in London, I’ve been a whole three times (because as much as I like architecture, you know, effort). I’m not going to go into detail about every building on offer (no one wants me to do that) but I will tell you about the places I’ve managed to blag my way into as part of Open House London.

1. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office

As part of the millennial-Instagram generation, I’ll admit I take a lot of my recommendations on face value. If I see a pretty picture, that will be enough to make me want to go somewhere In Real Life. That’s how I ended up at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. I’m sure there are many other, deeper reasons to make the FCO part of your list but I saw a picture of its atrium in Time Out (in fact it was their featured image that year) and that’s it, it was on my list. The article didn’t seem to say where the picture had actually been taken but a reverse Google image search sorted that out.

There was quite the queue to get inside (but it didn’t take too long) and once inside Open House visitors were able to wander around the Foreign and India Office quarters, which date back to the nineteenth century. The building was beautiful and lavishly painted. The pictures I’d seen of the atrium might have been tweaked a little but it did still make for a pretty picture.

2. The Supreme Court

The FCO is also a good option thanks to its proximity to other interesting buildings, including the Supreme Court on Parliament Square in Middlesex Guildhall (and the Banqueting House below). As a former law student (at the time), it seemed like the kind of place I should visit.

The building was constructed in the 1900s and renovated when the Supreme Court was established in 2009, so I knew it wouldn’t look as Hogwarts-esque as the Royal Courts of Justice (also on the OHL List btw) but it still wasn’t what I expected. Some of the rooms felt particularly modern, while others looked modern but with lots of dark wood which gave the impression of being older. There was also an exhibition on the Magna Carta, where a version of the manuscript from 1300 was on display. Personally I prefer the RCJ (Hogwarts all the way) but it was certainly worth a look. I even spotted some of my old law textbooks in the library.

3. The Banqueting House

The Banqueting House in Whitehall is the last remaining piece of the Palace of Whitehall. Although the building dates back to the 1600s and displays an incredible painted ceiling by Peter Paul Rubens and a replica throne, the exhibition there is quite modern, with information projected onto the walls, a video and, to my very great delight, bean bags.

I do have a thing for painted ceilings (if and when I am actually able to buy a house, I will almost certainly be getting some put in) and I do love Peter Paul Rubens, however the highlight was probably (definitely) the bean bags. They were genius; you could just lie back on them and stare up at the ceiling. Having said that, it was all I could do not to fall asleep on them – they were very comfortable. Somebody really should tell the Vatican to get them for people to use in the Sistine Chapel.

4. Billingsgate Roman House and Baths

If, like me, you love a bit of ancient history then the Roman Baths on Lower Thames Street are an excellent option for Open House London. It is a relatively small space and so entry was only allowed in groups. There were guides ready to impart information about the site before we were allowed to wander freely along the walkways constructed over the ruins. We were shown how the Romans of ancient London installed underfloor heating so there would have been a cold room for users of the baths to start in, before moving into a warmer room and finally the hot room. Not bad for a site that dates back to the 2nd and 3rd century AD.

5. Crystal Palace Subway

Crystal Palace Subway was another location I ended up at based purely on a photo I’d seen before. The subway was opened in the nineteenth century and provided a route for visitors to the Crystal Palace (which burnt down in 1936), coming from the High Level railway station, which was opened a few months before (but has since been demolished).

It is a small site and a bit of a trek if you’re not already in that part of London but it is pretty, with its pattern of orange and white bricks, and very close to Crystal Palace Park. You can go to the park without the need for Open House London and since it has statues of sphinxes and dinosaurs, why wouldn’t you want to?

6. Fitzrovia Chapel

Fitzrovia Chapel in… Fitzrovia (curveball) is a beautiful building that was designed and (started to be) built between 1891 and 1929. The chapel was intended be used by staff and patients at Middlesex Hospital, which used to also stand at the site. The hospital might not be there anymore but the chapel has been refurbished and is still going strong. The chapel is open to the public for free year round – but only on Wednesdays. So if you want the chance to gaze at the golden mosaics that cover its ceiling and stained glass windows on a day when you don’t have to be in the office, add it to your Open House London list.

7. Royal College of Physicians

The Royal College of Physicians was a bit of an odd choice for me given my preference for architecture that at least looks old. It ended up on my list due to its proximity to Fitzrovia Chapel but did turn out to be an interesting find. The building was very… blocky, made up of lots of rectangular shapes and very straight lines. On the inside, the straight lines and blockiness continued but with the addition of some more traditional rooms, like the wood panelled Censors’ Room or the Dorchester Library, with its red carpet, bookcases and various paintings. It was probably my least favourite location on this list but, in it’s defence, it’s a pretty good list.