Open House London 2024: highlights and best buildings to see

Get to know a piece of London’s rural history right in the heart of south London. This Grade II*-listed beauty was built back in 1816 and got a shiny restoration in 2011. It’s the last surviving windmill in inner London, and it’s got stories to tell. From grinding grains to turning water power, this windmill has seen it all. Take a guided tour and catch a glimpse of those magnificent sails. Oh, and did we mention the killer views?

100 Blenheim Gardens, SW2 5DA. Drop in Sep 9-10 between 1pm and 5pm, or book for BSL guided tours from 2pm to 3.30pm on 9 September.

Dalston’s legendary indie cinema opened as the Kingsland Empire in 1915, but films were shown in a converted shop on this site as early as 1909. It’s gone through more eras than Taylor Swift in the 115 intervening years, including stints as a Classic Cartoon cinema, a 1960s art house kino and even a porno cinema with live burlesque in the 1970s. I’ve lived in or next door to Dalston for the past five years, and this wonderful old building is one of my favourite things on Kingsland High Street, not least because of the incredibly rich history hiding behind its Art Deco facade. Don’t miss a rare chance to have a proper gander round an east London institution, and then grab some popcorn and settle in for a screening.

107 Kingsland High St, E8 2PY. Sep 21, 10-11am. Booking required. 

This little Edwardian shop in South Norwood has been impeccably restored with a sparkling original wooden frontage and fascia. Nowadays it’s also an artisan cheesemonger, so you can have a slice of the good stuff with your slice of London history. 

212A Selhurst Rd, SE25 6XU. Drop in 9-10 and 16-17 September between 10am to 4pm. 

If one of your guilty pleasures is spying into people’s houses, make a beeline for this gorgeous private home which is opening its doors to the public for one day only. A maze of utilitarian russet tin walls and sloping glass roofs, this is all your ‘Grand Designs’ dreams come true and more.

Smugglers Yard, Devenport Rd, W12 8PB. Drop in Sep 9, 10am to 1pm. 

Usually reserved for the eyes of bookish University of London staff and students – it was my favourite library to bunker down in for a long day of essay procrastination when I was an undergrad at the nearby UCL – this bombastic building in the heart of the city is an Art Deco masterpiece. Supposedly George Orwell’s inspiration for The Ministry of Truth in ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’, it’s also said that Hitler planned to make it the Nazi Party headquarters should the Third Reich have successfully invaded Britain. Which is probably a good thing, because it would have been a terrible shame if it had been bombed to smithereens in the Blitz. Get lost in its marble-lined corridors and towering book stack on an in-person or virtual tour.

Malet St, WC1E 7HU. Sep 22, 11am to 5pm, or drop in for a self-guided tour Sun 23, 11am to 5pm.

Hackney Wick’s Fish Island is an area synonymous with renegade artist creativity. Get a behind-the-scenes look at this vibrant art scene by exploring these working art studios usually off-limits to the public. It’s a chance to see work of some of the UK’s top artists, from internationally acclaimed maestros to the freshest emerging talents and get a little glimpse into what goes into to the making of them. 

56 Dacre Rd, E3 2NQ. Drop in 16-17 September, 11am to 6pm. 

This is not your average subway; it's a time machine with cool ceramic ceilings. Nestled beneath the A212 at Crystal Palace Parade originally opened in 1865 to link the now-closed High-Level station to the Crystal Palace itself, which was destroyed by a fire in 1936. It remains a reminder of the great Victorian structure, welcoming visits from the public every once in a while. 

Crystal Palace Parade, SE19 1LG. Drop in Sat Sep 21, 10am to 2pm

Built in 1858 by George Pritchett, the Chapel in Tottenham Cemetery harks back to an era when space in London’s churchyards and burial grounds was running critically low. The space is actually two chapels connected by a charming carriage arch crafted from Kentish Ragstone. Inside you’ll find beautiful light-flooded spaces adorned with stained glass. 

Church Lane, N17 8AS. Drop in 17 September, 11am to 4.20pm, hourly talks and walks at 11am, 12noon, 2pm and 3pm.

Turning Earth’s second and largest studio sits in the Argall Avenue industrial estate bordering the Lee Valley and is a real hive of creativity. Spend an afternoon nosing around the serene space watching budding potters craft their wares and sign up to become a member if you catch the ceramics bug. On your way out, pop into the Lighthaus Café for a slice of ridiculously good banana bread. 

11 Argall Avenue, E10 7QE. Drop in Sep 10, 11am to 5pm 

After closing for three years for a £41 million renovation, the National Portrait Gallery reopened last summer with new entrance featuring doors designed by Tracey Emin, plus a whole new wing funded by Sir Leonard Blavatnik (who paid for the Tate’s new building too) and a swanky basement cocktail bar. And you can learn all about its transformation at the hands of Jamie Fobert Architects during a special Friday night late as part of Open House festival. As well as tours of the building, there’ll be drop in workshops themed around architecture, and an In Conversation with the President of the Royal Institute of British Architects, Muyiwa Oki. 

St Martin’s Place, WC2H 0HE. Sep 20, 6-8pm, a mixture of drop-in activities and bookable sessions.