Unlock free and discounted entry to hundreds of venues across the UK as National Lottery Open Week returns in March

From Culloden to Cornwall, Belfast to Bury St Edmunds - The National Trust, National Trust for Scotland, English Heritage and Historic Royal Palaces will be throwing open their doors, the RSPB will be wowing birdwatchers, and players can bask in cinematic Escapes nationwide.

There’s the chance to discover hidden gems at historic houses, castles and museums from Norwich Castle and HMS Belfast to the National Museum of Flight in East Lothian and the Food Museum in Suffolk.

Get closer to nature at the iconic Eden Project, the Giant’s Causeway, Highland Wildlife Park or in the hidden sanctuary of Coventry’s Peace Orchard.

Relive unforgettable moments at legendary sports venues or get active with Halifax Wheelchair Rugby League Club, Track Academy in London or Sport Wales National Centre.

Dive into a world of creativity at the Design Museum, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, with the Royal National Scottish Orchestra or behind-the-scenes at Queen’s Film Theatre in Belfast.

Find new friends and learn new skills with community projects from circus skills with Generation Circus in Hertfordshire to singing with Manchester Wellbeing Choir.

Darren Henley, Chief Executive of Arts Council England and Chair of the National Lottery Forum said: "We’re thrilled to bring back National Lottery Open Week 2026! This year, we’re inviting everyone to see a National Lottery ticket as more than just a chance to win. It’s a passport to discovery, unlocking joy, opportunity and possibility in communities across the UK.

“From the nation’s most-loved museums and heritage sites to grassroots projects and hidden local gems, every ticket helps create something extraordinary. National Lottery Open Week is our way of saying thank you to the players who make this possible. Because of you, an incredible £32 million is raised each week for good causes, which helps fund vital projects in arts, sport, heritage and communities nationwide. Wherever your interests lie, there’s an experience waiting to be unlocked.”

Further highlights are listed below. To view all venues and offers available, visit www.NationalLotteryOpenWeek.com.

The National Lottery Open Week highlights in England include:

• Be one of 14 lucky film fans (plus a guest) to win a rare BFI archives tour in Berkhamsted on 12 March, exploring one of the world’s largest media collections.

• Witness rare birdlife with free entry at RSPB nature reserves across England including Strumpshaw Fen in Norfolk and Saltholme in Cleveland.
  
  
• Journey through lush rainforest and Mediterranean landscapes within stunning biomes at Cornwall’s Eden Project, offering free entry for you and a guest from 7-15 March.

• Hundreds of National Trust properties will once again be throwing open their doors and gates. Discover the hidden history of Chastleton House in Oxfordshire, including its secret room linked to a dramatic Civil War escape, with free entry on 7–8 and 11–14 March. Or get a taste of Greece at Sissinghurst in Kent in the final weeks of the Passion and Politics exhibition, featuring the historic Hogarth printing press, with free entry from 7–14 March.
  
  
• Enjoy free entry and free tours at a range of English Heritage sites across the country. Go behind the scenes at Berwick-upon-Tweed Barracks and Main Guard with a guided tour of the Storehouse project on 11–12 March, to learn about their conservation work. Or marvel at the iconic White Cliffs and Wanstone with free entry on 14-15 March to uncover hidden stories and behind-the-scenes moments.
  
  
• Take in the views and the artwork at Yorkshire Sculpture Park with free entry between 7-8 and 10-15 March.

The National Lottery Open Week highlights in London include:

• Enjoy a rare glimpse of the birthplace of television with free entry for two on guided tours of BBC Studios A & B at Alexandra Palace on 10 March.

• Feel like royalty and discover Historic Royal Palaces’ sites with half price entry including Hampton Court Palace from 7-8 March and Kensington Palace from 7-8 March and 11-15 March.

• Enjoy free entry and free tours at a range of English Heritage sites around Greater London. Explore Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens as never before with three different tours, including a peek behind the scenes at items not usually on display on 7 and 15 March.
  
  
• Calling all explorers aboard HMS Belfast to navigate around the rooms of this floating city, and enjoy stunning views of the Thames with 2 for 1 entry from 7-15 March.

• Rugby fans can take a look up close at the 2003 Webb Ellis Trophy, and the world’s oldest international football jersey with 2 for 1 entry to the World Rugby Museum from 7-8 and 10-15 March.
  
  
• Experience flying with the Red Arrows with 2 for 1 entry to the RAF Museum’s 4D Theatre and Flight Simulator rides from 7-15 March.

The National Lottery Open Week highlights in Wales include:

• BFI Escapes is offering exclusive previews of cinematic gem, Amelie, ahead of its 25th Anniversary re-release at selected independent cinemas across Wales on 9 and 10 March.

• Budding young cricketers can enjoy a free taster session at Newport Cricket Club for 5-11-year-olds on 15 March.

• Step into RSPB Conwy Nature Reserve with free entry from 7-15 March.
  
  
• Discover National Trust treasures with free entry at selected properties from 7-14 March. Walk around 700-year-old Marcher fortress, Chirk Castle, in North Wales or step inside the beautifully preserved Tudor Merchant’s House in Pembrokeshire.

• Try out the gym at Sport Wales National Centre from 7-15 March

• From its medieval roots to its festival vibes, Hay Castle is the beating heart of the world's first Book Town, founded by its very own King Richard. Explore the castle's extraordinary, eccentric and quirky history with free entry from 7-15 March.

The National Lottery Open Week highlights in Scotland include:

• Have an un-fur-gettable day out at Edinburgh Zoo, home to over 2,500 animals from around the world. Hang out with the sloths, make friends with the meerkats and spot giraffes grazing up the hill with 2 for 1 entry from 7-15 March.
  
  
• Football fans can enjoy 50% off stadium tours and museum visits at Scottish Football Museum and Hampden Park Stadium from 9–11 March and 13 March, and marvel at the original Scottish Cup, the world’s oldest national football trophy.

• Get up close to one of the world’s last remaining Concordes and explore the story of aviation at the National Museum of Flight in East Lothian, with free entry on 14-15 March.

• Discover National Trust for Scotland treasures with free entry at selected properties. Potterheads can head to the Glenfinnan Monument and Visitor Centre in hopes of spotting the Hogwarts Express, or bask in the dramatic volcanic landscapes of Glencoe National Nature Reserve.

• Have a wild day out at Highland Wildlife Park with 2 for 1 entry from 7–15 March. It’s the chance to chill out with Scotland’s only polar bears, spot the snow leopards and marvel at the tigers, wolves and rare lynx.

• Look out for grebes getting groovy at the RSPB Lochwinnoch Nature Reserve (free parking 7-15 March) or stroll along the bonnie banks of RSPB Loch Lomond (free parking 7-8 March).

The National Lottery Open Week highlights in Northern Ireland include:

• Wander around the Historic Royal Palaces’ Hillsborough Castle and Gardens in County Down with half price entry from 7-8 and 11-13 March.

• BFI Escapes is offering exclusive previews of cinematic gem, Amelie, ahead of its 25th Anniversary re-release at selected independent cinemas across Northern Ireland on 9 and 10 March.
  
  
• Aspiring stargazers can see Armagh Observatory and Planetarium’s largest telescope up close on 10 March. Experience legendary Telescope Tours on 14 March and enjoy half-price tickets to immersive dome shows from 7-8 and 10-15 March.

• From dramatic coastlines to tranquil gardens, National Trust sites across Northern Ireland are opening their doors with free entry from 7–14 March. Discover the Giant’s Causeway’s famous basalt stones or brave the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge in County Antrim. Stroll the formal gardens of Mount Stewart or unwind among the blooms at Rowallane Garden in County Down, all with free entry from 7-14 March

• Discover the secrets of the silver screen with a behind-the-scenes tour of the projection box at Queen’s Film Theatre on 7 March and hear the story of cinema from celluloid film to the latest in high-tech digital projectors.

• Uncover the rich industrial heritage of Belfast’s Maritime Mile with a special tour from Belfast Maritime Trust on 12 March. Step on board SS Nomadic, head along Titanic Walkway to the Great Light and finish at the Drawing Offices where RMS Titanic was designed.

To view all venues and offers that are available throughout The National Lottery Open Week, visit www.nationallotteryopenweek.com

Terms and conditions and booking instructions across special offers will vary, check the individual offer listing for details.