The 2025 National Lottery Open Week offers free and discounted entry to hundreds of UK attractions, with the purchase of a National Lottery Product, which starts at just 25p
The National Lottery Open Week is back for 2025 and is an annual promotion that has been running since 2017 (2024 was the 30th birthday of the scheme), where players of National Lottery games can take advantage of special offers, such as a free visit or a discounted ticket at National Lottery-funded venues and projects across the UK, by showing a valid National Lottery ticket or proof of purchase of National Lottery scratch cards or another instant win game.
The Open Week has been set up as a direct way to say thank you for the £30 million raised, thanks to the support of National Lottery players, for Good Causes every week and National Lottery-funded venues, who have been funded in some way by the NationalLottery Heritage Fund, are offering free entry, discounts and special offers throughout National Lottery Open Week.
The next National Lottery Open Week is from Saturday 15th to Sunday 23rd March 2025; visitors can enjoy discounts or free entry into hundreds of good cause projects venues dotted around the whole of the UK. In 2023, 65,000 people took advantage of one of the 500 National Lottery-supported venue offers, and this year, there are plenty of low-cost days out to enjoy, such as:
🤞 It's a great opportunity to delve into the past at historic houses, castles and museums
🤞 Embrace nature in all its glory at wildlife hotspots
🤞 Relive iconic moments at famous sports venues or,
🤞 Enjoy a culture fix at art galleries across England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and beyond.
To view all venues and offers available, visit www.nationallotteryopenweek.com.
Previous organisations that have taken part in National Lottery Open Week in previous years include The National Trust, National Trust for Scotland, Historic Royal Palaces, English Heritage sites, Cardiff Castle, Imperial War Museums, Murrayfield Stadium, RSPB, Eden Project, Black Country Living Museum and the Royal Shakespeare Company to name but a few.
Offers include free entry into National Lottery-funded projects, with venues such as The Eden Project being a popular choice where ticket holders can get entry for themselves and a guest for free (pre-booking is required, and there are limited numbers of tickets available). Other notable free tickets included as part of the National Lottery open week are, and not limited to:
Charles Dickens Museum, National Museum of Flight, Heath Robinson Museum, Horniman Aquarium, National Trust - Nunnington Hall, Brunel Museum, The Great Fen - Free Signs of Spring Guided Walk, RSPB Belfast Window on Wildlife, Time and Tide Museum, Florence Nightingale Museum, Hatton Gallery, Shipley Art Gallery, Discovery Museum - Tyneside Challenge Gallery Tour, Gainsborough's House, The Tank Museum, behind the scenes tours of world-class sporting venues, and many more.
There are also a large number of other discounts, such as money off the entry, two for one ticket and other discounts, such complimentary gifts such as free guidebooks, venue restaurant discounts so that you can get a cheaper cup of tea and a slice of cake, and tours, or even setting aside tickets to a sold-out theatre performance.
Not every venue will be partaking in the offers for the entire week, instead offering deals and running events on specific days during the week, and some venues will be limiting the number of visitors that can visit at the reduced rate. You may need to book tickets in advance, and not all venues will allow you to just turn up on the day with proof of purchase of a national lottery ticket for free/discounted entry, so it's important to use the National Lottery Open Week website to read the specific terms of each venue and to plan ahead! The website will show you a full list of participating venues and their opening dates, and you can filter the site to show you attractions in your local area by postcode, region or by viewing the interactive map.
Around 70% of visitors who took part in The National Lottery’s Open Week 2021 survey said they'd never visited the venue before or hadn’t in the past two years, so It's a fantastic opportunity for attractions to find new audiences and introduce a lot of new visitors to their fantastic venues and projects and, of course, an excellent way for families and individuals to discover some fantastic projects and areas of heritage with the special offer of free entry or a reduced rate, who during a cost of living crisis, may not normally be in a financial position to afford to visit.
Who can take advantage of the deal?
Anyone with valid proof of purchase of a National Lottery game, such as a hard copy ticket for National Lottery draw-based games (physical or digital tickets), Instant Win games, or who has purchased a scratch card (physical or digital) can take advantage of this special ‘thank you’ offer. The ticket or game doesn't have to be current; old tickets are accepted as your proof of purchase, so if you didn't win the game, you can at least enjoy a fun day out thanks to your previous purchase!
Tickets for the venues can be as much as nearly £40 each, (depending on the venue), so this offer is great value and a great way to explore somewhere new! All you need to do is present a lottery card or scratch card at the entrance to participating venues (one per person). It can be digital or physical, and if you already have an old lottery ticket/scratch card etc, to hand from playing in the past, there’s no need to purchase a new one, but if not, you can take part in an online game, on the National Lottery app, from just 25p, so it doesn't cost much to grab a National Lottery Open Days, compatible product purchase!
Check the National Lottery Open Day website for the latest information on participating venues and special offers Below you'll highlights of National Lottery Open Day offers available for 2025.
The National Lottery Open Week highlights in England include:
· Ahead of the film’s release in April, BFI Escapes are offering a special preview of The Penguin Lessons starring Steve Coogan on Monday 17 March at over 100 independent cinemas across the UK.
· Step back in time at the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley with free entry on 20 March.
· Marvel at stunning biomes at Cornwall’s Eden Project with free entry for you and a guest from 15-23 March.
· Explore National Trust gems across the country with free entry to hundreds of properties. Enjoy over 4,600 acres of unspoilt Norfolk countryside and step inside the Jacobean Mansion at Blickling Estate in Norfolk from 15-23 March. Get a glimpse into life in Roman Britain at Chedworth Roman Villa nestled in the heart of the Cotswolds with free entry from 15-23 March.
· Enjoy free guided tours from 15-23 March at the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon, including a Costume Tour, Theatre Tour, and the thrilling Ghost Tour.
· See a Concorde and Spitfires in all their glory at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford with 2 for 1 entry from 15-23 March.
· Jump onboard and enjoy 2 for 1 tickets to RAF Museum Midlands’s 4D Theatre and Flight Simulator in Shifnal, Shropshire from 15-23 March.
· Hop on board the SS Great Britain in Bristol with 50% off tickets for up to three guests from 15-23 March.
· Enjoy free entry and free tours at a range of English Heritage sites across the country. Explore castle ruins and the revered Quarry Gardens at Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens or for history buffs, head to Berwick-upon-Tweed Barracks and Main Guard - both with free tours in Northumberland on 22-23 March. Marvel at the White Cliffs of Dover and head inside the iconic Dover Castle with free entry. Try its new Under Siege Experience, featuring reopened medieval tunnels and interactive displays on 22-23 March.
· Don’t miss the chance to visit the last surviving seaside Victorian glasshouse before restoration begins at The Winter Gardens in Blackpool. Hard hat tours ƒ available on Saturday 15 March, to hear more about plans for the restoration.
· Be one of 14 lucky film fans to win a rare BFI archives tour in Berkhamsted on 20 March, exploring nearly a million film and TV titles. Information on how to enter will be available from 24 February.
· Explore the newly unveiled and recently renovated first and second floors of St Mary’s Guildhall in Coventry including the medieval kitchen and great hall with free entry on 15-16 March.
· Step back in time and learn about Cambridge’s technological history at Cambridge Museum of Technology with free entry on 15-16 and 21-23 March.
· Walk where medieval queens once stood and discover the life of Lady Baillie with free entry at Leeds Castle in Kent on 15 March.
· Discover the 400-year-old monastery at Downside Abbey in Somerset with free guided tours of Abbey Church and Monastery Gardens on 18 March.
· Explore Britain's largest Napoleonic fort with 50% off tunnel tours from 15-23 March at Fort Amherst in Kent and learn about the role the tunnels played in WWII.
· Hop onboard the UK’s largest working steamship and celebrate her 70th birthday with free entry to Steamship Shieldhall in Southampton on 15 March.
· Stroll through Surrey’s scenic Painshill Park with free entry from 19-23 March.
· Enjoy free entry to a number of RSPB nature reserves including RSPB Bempton Cliffs in East Riding of Yorkshire, RSPB Leighton Moss in Lancashire, RSPB Rye Meads in Hertfordshire and RSPB Titchwell Marsh Nature Reserve in Norfolk - from 15-23 March.
The National Lottery Open Week highlights in London include:
· Feel like royalty and discover Historic Royal Palaces’ sites with half price entry including Hampton Court Palace and Kensington Palace both from 15-16 and 19-23 March, and the Tower of London from 15-23 March.
· Experience flying with the Red Arrows with 2 for 1 tickets to RAF Museum’s 4D Theatre and Flight Simulator in North London from 15-23 March.
· Take a rare glimpse into the birthplace of the BBC, with free guided tours of BBC Studios A and B at Alexandra Palace on 18 March.
·Ahead of the film’s release in April, BFI Escapes are offering a special preview of The Penguin Lessons starring Steve Coogan on Monday 17 March at selected independent cinemas in London.
· Learn about one of the most celebrated figures in engineering history, with free entry to the Brunel Museum from 15-26 and 22-23 March and go 16m underground on a tour of the Thames Tunnel Shaft from 15-17 March.
· Rugby fans looking to get up close and personal with some of the most historic rugby memorabilia can enjoy 2 for 1 entry to World Rugby Museum at Twickenham on 15-16 and 18-23 March.
· Climb onboard the historic WWII warship, HMS Belfast, with 2 for 1 entry from 15-23 March.
· Discover the life of whimsical illustrator and cartoonist, Heath Robinson with free entry to the Heath Robinson Museum on 21 March.
· Transport back to the Victorian Era and experience genuine Victorian classrooms at the Ragged School Museum in Tower Hamlets, housed in the oldest surviving rag school with 2 for 1 entry on 15-16 and 19-23 March
· Step into the ring and lace up your gloves with Fight for Peace in East London who will be offering a free boxing taster session for those aged 7-25 on 19 March.
· Unravel the fascinating histories behind the Royal Geographic Society’s collections in South Kensington, with a free guided tour on Monday 17 March.
· Uncover a forgotten boathouse or wander through the ancient meadow, with free entry to National Trust property, Osterley Park from 15-23 March.
· Enjoy free tours at English Heritage site, Marble Hill in Twickenham on 15-16 and 22-23 March, with over 60 acres of riverside parkland, restored gardens and reinvigorated woods.
· Discover the home where Oliver Twist was written with free entry to the Charles Dickens Museum from 15-23 March.
The National Lottery Open Week highlights in Wales include:
· Discover National Trust treasures with free entry at selected properties. Walk around the 700-year-old Marcher fortress, Chirk Castle, in North Wales or enjoy tranquil woodland in the 18th Century estate, Llanerchaeron, in Ceredigion with free entry from 15-23 March.
· Discover the National Trust’s medieval castle and fortress, Powis Castle and Garden or enjoy views of Snowdonia at Plas Newydd House and Garden – both with free entry from 15-23 March.
· Join a free guided walk at RSPB nature reserves including Ynys Lawd on Holy Island in Anglesey on 20 March and Llyn Efyrnwy in Shropshire on the Welsh border 15+22 March, as well as free entry to Ynys-hir in Powys from 15-16 and 19-23 March and Conwy Nature Reserve from 15-23 March.
· Discover the 1,000 year old Cardiff Castle with 50% off tickets from 17-21 March.
· Enjoy 2 for 1 entry to backstage tours at the iconic Wales Millenium Centre on 21 March.
· Ahead of the film’s release in April, BFI Escapes are offering a special preview of The Penguin Lessons starring Steve Coogan on Monday 17 March at selected independent cinemas across Wales.
The National Lottery Open Week highlights in Scotland include:
· Explore everything from coastlines to castles across selected National Trust for Scotland sites during National Lottery Open Week. Transport yourself to the 17th Century and the setting for hit show, Outlander, at Culross Palace & Garden in Fife. Bask in Scotland’s most famous architect and designer, Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s most iconic works, The Hill House in Helensburgh. Connect with nature and look upon towering mountains, deep glens, and dramatic waterfalls at Glencoe National Nature Reserve or enjoy breathtaking views of Loch Shiel at Glenfinnan Monument in the Highlands – all with free entry from 15-23 March.
· Embrace your wild side at Edinburgh Zoo with buy one get one free tickets from 15-23 March.
· Rugby fans can enjoy 50% off all off-peak tour bookings at the Scottish Gas Murrayfield stadium from 17-20 March, which takes you into the Scotland Team changing room, and down the player’s tunnel into the stadium bowl to relive some of the venue’s most iconic moments.
· Ahead of the film’s release in April, BFI Escapes are offering a special preview of The Penguin Lessons starring Steve Coogan on Monday 17 March at selected independent cinemas across Scotland.
· Enjoy half price entry and tours at the Scottish Football Museum & Hampden Park Stadium from 17-20 March, and marvel at the original Scottish Cup, the world’s oldest national football trophy
· Size up to one of the last remaining Concordes and learn about the history of aviation at the National Museum of Flight in East Lothian with free entry on 22 March.
· Chill out with Scotland's only polar bears and spot the snow leopards at Highland Wildlife Park, against the backdrop of the breathtaking Cairngorms mountains with buy 1 get 1 free tickets from 15-23 March.
· Marvel at the largest equine sculpture in the world, The Kelpies at the Helix and step inside one of the iconic structures with free tours from 15-23 March.
· For a fun filled day out for the whole family, head to Glasgow Science Centre where kids go free on 15-16 and 19-23 March.
· Enjoy 2 for 1 tickets to Clyne & Rachmaninov: Dance! at Royal Scottish National Orchestra on 21 March at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall and on 22 March at Usher Hall, Edinburgh.
The National Lottery Open Week highlights in Northern Ireland include:
· Enjoy some time out and about with free entry at stunning National Trust sites across Northern Ireland. Stroll down the iconic basalt stones at Giant’s Causeway in County Antrim or head to the horticultural gem, Rowallane Garden in County Down – both with free entry from 15-23 March.
· Bring the whole family to the Minors Club at the Strand on 15 and 22 March to enjoy the magic of cinema with free family-friendly films every Saturday afternoon. After each screening, children can take part in an interactive workshop inspired by the film, designed to spark creativity and curiosity.
· Budding astronomers can enjoy half price entry on dome shows at the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium from 15-23 March.
· Wander around the Historic Royal Palaces’ Hillsborough Castle and Gardens in County Down with half price entry from 15 – 23 March on days the site is open. Please check the Historic Royal Palace website for details.
· Take a trip to the Ulster Folk Museum and enjoy free entry from 22-23 March.
· Ahead of the film’s release in April, BFI Escapes are offering a special preview of The Penguin Lessons starring Steve Coogan on Monday 17 March at selected independent cinemas across Northern Ireland.
Images courtesy of Marcus Wallis/Unsplash, The National Lottery & Lansons. Information obtained from The National Lottery.