Local people and visitors are invited to step inside some of Hounslow’s most fascinating buildings and spaces, this September.
Open House Festival returns to London from Saturday 13 to Sunday 21 September, giving the public a sneak peek behind otherwise closed doors.
There are 31 Open House events at 18 venues in Hounslow, as part of the Council’s Summer of Culture
Programme, and all events are free to attend.
The two-week celebration of London’s architecture and neighbourhoods will see a variety of venues across the borough open their doors to the public, some for the first time. They offer a unique opportunity to explore its rich heritage, contemporary design and vibrant communities. The festival also offers guided walking tours through Brentford, Isleworth and Chiswick, with a programme that promises something for everyone.
People are invited to celebrate the borough's 60th birthday, with an exhibition showing 'then and now' photography in Hounslow Library. The library is in the Council’s Hounslow House, with its distinctive silver exterior. The building is also an Open House venue and people can book a guided tour with the architects.
Hounslow played a fascinating role in the history of London’s water, and Kempton Steam Museum is opening its doors to shine a light on this.
In Brentford people are invited to discover St Lawrence, a 15th century tower. They can join local history walks through the Butts Conservation Area, once used by Henry VIII for archery, and celebrate JMW Turner’s 250th birthday with a tour of the sites he painted.
Visitors to New Fauconberg Cottage and its sculptural cladding, can then visit Hogarth’s House and its collection of William Hogarth prints, one of the largest collections on public display in the UK. Beyond this, Chiswick Town Hall, with its stunning Victorian and Edwardian interiors, rich with tiles and stained glass, can be found. Explorers are also invited to Bedford Park with its Victorian heritage, artistic connections, and walking tour, with a hidden-river-walk along the Stamford Brook to complete the day.
In Isleworth, the tranquil Quaker Meeting House (1785) can mark the start of an adventure. Then there’s the choice of a tour of historic alms-houses or the grand villas of Spring Grove. The Thames can then be followed to Richmond via the Egyptian-style, pink and grey Kilmorey Mausoleum and Richmond Lock and Weir.
Councillor Salman Shaheen, Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Public Spaces at Hounslow Council, said:
Hounslow is home to an extraordinary mix of historic landmarks, innovative architecture and community spaces. Our Open House Festival gives residents and visitors the chance to see behind the scenes, meet the people who care for these places, and discover more about the borough we call home.
Organised by Open City, Hounslow’s participation in the Open House Festival invites people in the borough and from across London, to explore and celebrate local buildings, places and stories.
All venues, included those with restricted bookings, can be found on the Open House website programme.openhouse.org.uk
