Oxford Open Doors is our favourite weekend of the year, so here’s the lowdown on what to see and do from the organisers themselves.

30,000 visitors flocked to Oxford this time last year to take part in Oxford Open Doors, to explore and discover our famous city’s hidden spaces and buildings.

An unmitigated success, organisers have made this year’s offering even more ambitious by introducing numerous activities around the city and by reducing the number of bookable events to ensure that we all get a look in.

“We want to share Oxford’s heritage not just look after it”

Debbie Dance, Director of Oxford Preservation trust, which organises the annual event, is delighted with this year’s line-up:

“We have been running for 12 years now and each year is different and has its own character,” she says.

While lots of visitors come to Oxford especially, 70% of its audience is local to Oxford and Oxfordshire.

“While we don’t want to overgrow it, we have kept it to 150 locations but are trying to make Oxford Open Doors more interactive this year, so it’s not just about people turning up to have a look, but actually getting involved,” Debbie says. “It’s more about the experience this year.”

For instance The Bodleian boasts numerous activities and events every day. And at the Iffley Road Sports Centre, which is featuring for the first time, you can try to run a four minute mile on the same track as Sir Roger Bannister. At Warneford Hospital there is a health and community theme with workshops and even yoga available.

The Box Chamber Choir will be performing live in The Hollywell Music Rooms, another highlight this year is BMW coming aboard with free entry to the BMW Visitor Centre on the Cowley plant.

The BMW Visitor Centre is free this weekend

“Well the theme this year is ‘Made In Oxford’ and the Mini plant couldn’t fit the theme more if it tried,” Stephen Dawson, Oxford preservation Trust’s development officer, adds.

Oxford Castle is also free all weekend too, which was a big ask. And County Library has numerous activities planned.

“our heritage is as much about the future as it is about the past”

Cherwell Boathouse is another maverick entry, where you can test your punting skills.

There are tours of the colleges, this year more geared towards the gardens and libraries. “The colleges are encouraged to do something a bit different, so the Chemistry Department has talks and demonstrations, and the new Radcliffe Quarter is open, as well as St Anne’s which has been transformed, so the Woodstock Road area is a massive feature this year, to demonstrate what the university does,” Stephen adds.

The Covered Market has its own restoration project and a family trail. There are vintage cars and the City of Oxford Silver Band will play at Oxford Castle, archaeology. Or venture into and the tunnel between County Hall and the court prison, which you can see on a guided tour.

Shakespeare’s Painted Room is also open again for those who haven’t seen it yet.

“We just want everyone to enjoy it and take ownership of their city, to feel part of it. We want to share Oxford’s heritage not just look after it,” Debbie adds “and if we can educate people about the city’s heritage in the meantime then so much the better.”

The Oxford Preservation Trust relies on around 100 volunteers to help make Open Doors a success, but expects another 100 will be used by the individual venues.

“For us it’s all about inclusivity, because lots of people don’t know their own city and we want to share it so they can be proud of where they live and feel that it belongs to them as much as anyone, and to extend the bond between the city and the universities and colleges,” Debbie adds.

“So, Oxford Open Doors is for everyone, and with so many new buildings emerging in the city, our heritage is as much about the future as it is about the past, especially as we have the highest number of 20th century listed buildings in the country.”

“But one of our trustees put it best: ‘It’s about keeping the best of the old and encouraging the best of the new’.”

Oxford Open Doors runs from September 14-15

Go to oxfordpreservation.org.uk for more details.