Heritage Open Days is England’s largest community led festival of history and culture, involving thousands of local volunteers and organisations. Every year in September it brings people together to celebrate their heritage, community, and history.
Chippenham is playing host to a wide range of ‘open days’ including tours, talks, walks, street performances and an art exhibition for everyone to enjoy. This is your chance to see hidden places and try out new experiences – and it’s all FREE.
Saturday 9th September
Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre | Behind the Scenes – Conservation Open Laboratory | Tours 10am and 12pm | Pre-booking required.
A chance to look behind the scenes and explore our conservation laboratories, take a look at the items that our skilled archive and object conservators are currently working on, and chat to them about how they preserve them for the future.
Find out more, including how to book here.
Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre | ‘Creativity in the Wiltshire Archives’ talk – 11am | Pre-booking preferred
Join Ruth Butler, WSHC’s Heritage Education and Digital Engagement Officer, for a journey through the Wiltshire and Swindon Archives to discover the history of creativity in the county. The archives contain over 800 years of history telling the story of the county and its people since the 12th century, so there are many examples of Wiltshire based and inspired creatives to choose from!
Find out more, including how to book here.
Thursday 14th September
Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre | Behind the Scenes Tours 10.30am and 2pm | Pre-booking required
Go behind the scenes at the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre – home to over 800 years of history, holding records that tell the story of the county and its people since the 12th century.
Find out more, including how to book here.
Saturday 16th September
2&3 Victoria Place | Tours from 10am-1.45pm | Pre-booking advised
An opportunity to see inside this modernist house and annex. Built in 2006/7 its sculptural form provides unique living spaces and unusual views. The development has recently benefitted from a novel reconfiguration of the ground floor.
Find out more, including how to book here.
Chippenham Town Hall | Hidden on the High Street – Behind the scenes at the Neeld and Town Hall | Tours 10am and 12pm | Pre-booking encouraged.
Join us on a tour to explore areas of the historical Neeld and Town Hall which are usually off-limits. Learn about our fascinating history and look around our recent foyer and bar refurbishment.
Find out more, including how to book here.
The Cause Venue Music & Art | Drop in 10.30am-3.30pm | No booking required.
Visit this unique music & arts venue in Chippenham’s Heritage Quarter. Dating from the 1700s it has been a Quaker meeting house & Methodist Church. It was acquired and renovated in 2002 and is now run as a not-for-profit community arts & music centre.
Throughout the day visitors will be able to enjoy impromptu music at the venue. From 12:00-12:30 join a fun singalong at the Singing Café or hear more about how a community choir works from 2:00-3:00 with ‘An introduction to Singing in a Choir’.
Find out more here.
Chippenham Museum | Store Tours – 10.30am & 11.30am | Booking advised
Book a guided tour of our stores housing our collection of almost 37,000 objects, including a growing collection of Modern and Contemporary art linked to the local area.
Find out more, including how to book here.
Chippenham & District Artists Exhibition – Drop In 10.30am-3.30pm | No booking required
Enjoy works by this local art group at this special exhibition in the historic setting of Chippenham’s Yelde Hall. Pick up a guide to explore the building, view a Merryweather fire engine and the old council chamber.
Find out more here.
The Arc – Tours from 11am-2pm | No booking required.
Explore Chippenham’s most striking new building, one of the UK’s 1st purpose-built climbing centres. The Arc combines modern materials with lots of wood, natural light and connected spaces in which the community can climb, skate and meet.
Find out more here.
Queen Mary I Pop-Up Pedestal – Market Place, Chippenham |Performances 11pm, 12pm, 1.30pm & 2.30pm | No booking required
Discover Queen Mary I’s connection with Chippenham, her granting of a Royal Charter and its legacy for the people of the town at these special performances in the Market Place.
Find out more here.
Guided Walk of Chippenham’s Heritage Quarter at 1.00pm | Booking advised
Explore Chippenham’s history from King Alfred and the Saxons to the present day, with this 40-minute tour of the historic heart of Chippenham’s Heritage Quarter.
Find out more, including how to book here.
Kings Head House – Tours at 2pm & 4pm | Booking advised
Take a guided tour of the former King’s Head House now home to Bargammon’s Tavern & Platinum House. See how Bargammon’s Tavern has taken the first floor of the building back to its original roots & visit Rae Melody’s art studio in Platinum House.
Find out more, including how to book here.
