Heritage Open Days 2026

The Open University Archive will be taking part in the annual Heritage Open Days. The Heritage Open Days are held every year in September across England and include hundreds of free events across many organisations.

Wednesday 16th September

Exhibitions and displays

On the 16th September, special exhibitions and displays of OU Archive materials will be available to view in the Betty Boothroyd Library Building. The exhibitions and displays will be available from 9am to 4pm on the ground floor of the Library, including the Library Atrium, the Archive Research Room and the Presentation Room.
 

Archive Cinema

In the Library atrium lecture theatre space, three compilations of clips from Open University programmes will be shown:

09:30 - 10:15: OU Historical Events
10:30 - 11:10: Milton Keynes in OU programmes
11:30 - 12:30: OU Teaching

12:45 - 13:30: OU Historical Events (repeat of earlier session)
13:45 - 14:25: Milton Keynes in OU programmes (repeat of earlier session)
14:35 - 15:25: OU Teaching (repeat of earlier session)

Campus tours

Two in-person campus tours will start from the Tree of Learning sculpture in the Library atrium. Identical in content, the tours will focus on the history of the Walton Hall estate and will include St Michael’s Church and the Legacy Garden. Each tour will last between 1 hour and 90 minutes.
Tour 1: 12:00

Tour 2: 13:30
There is no booking required for the campus tours or the displays and exhibitions on the 16th September.
 
 

FAQs 

How do I get to the Open University Heritage events and is parking available?

Visitors for the events on the 16th September can use any of the OU's free car parks on campus. Directions to the campus and a campus map are available on our campus information webpage. The events will take place in the Betty Boothroyd Library Building on the ground floor. Campus tours will start from the Tree of Learning sculpture in the Library atrium.
 

Is there an online version of the tour?

The campus tours are in-person events held for Heritage Open Days on the OU campus, but there is also an online campus exhibition on the Digital Archive where you can take a virtual tour of the campus. There is also a History of Walton Hall online exhibition where you can learn about the pre-OU history of the Walton Hall estate.
 

Does the tour cover the whole campus?

No, the usual tour route includes the Library, St Michael's Drive and Walton Drive to Walton Hall, the Legacy Garden, then across to the Jennie Lee Building, over to the church (and inside the church) where the tour will finish. The tour leaders will then walk back to the Library building. The tour route is subject to change.
 

Will the tours be accessible?

There is partial wheelchair access - the tour does not include steps but will include the churchyard where the ground is uneven in places. There is on-site disabled parking available as well as on-site accessible toilets. Assistance dogs are welcome.
 

Will the tours run in the event of bad weather?

We will aim to run the tours in bad weather - please come prepared with an umbrella and suitable clothing/footwear.