Heritage Open Days Organiser's Handbook
Heritage open days is about bringing people and places together and opening doors to discovery. Designed as a practical, step-by-step guide for busy organisers, this handbook contains ideas for promoting your events to a wider audience, working with schools and inspiring learning, plus help on finding funding for your work.
Organiser's Handbook
Our practical, Organiser's Handbook is available for free download from this site.
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The handbook is also available in an html version.
FULL HANDBOOK
Download the full handbook (8.7 MB). Caution: this is a very large file. If you do not have a broadband connection, you may wish to download the sections separately.
COVER
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CONTENTS PAGE
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SECTION 1 About Heritage Open Days
Heritage Open Days is now England's largest voluntary cultural event. Find out how you can get involved.
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SECTION 2 The benefits of getting involved
Getting involved in Heritage Open Days will help you raise the profile of your property or organisation. But did you know that you can attract visitors from all over the UK and beyond, make a real difference to your community and provide new and exciting opportunities for children’s learning?
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SECTION 3 Taking part
Opening the doors to a property is only the first step to a successful Heritage Open Days event. Visitors will be able to make the most of their visit if you help them to interpret, explore and be inspired by their surroundings.
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SECTION 4 Inspiring learning on your Open Days
The historic environment has the potential to fascinate people of all ages. This section has lots of ideas to spark interest and learning in visitors from all generations.
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SECTION 5 Working with schools throughout the year
Heritage Open Days takes place in September, but working with schools and young people is rewarding at any time of the year. Find out how you can help schools use the built environment as a learning resource.
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SECTION 6 Promoting your Open Days to all
Heritage Open Days will promote your event to a nationwide audience, but we also have lots of tips to help you attract many more visitors from your local community.
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SECTION 7 Funding your event
Most Heritage Open Days events are run on a shoestring. But did you know that you can apply for money to support many different types of activities? This section contains ideas about where to look and some advice on writing applications.
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SECTION 8 The Heritage Open Days Year
Our simple, step-by-step guide takes you through the organisational process, from registering your property or event right up to the Heritage Open Days weekend itself.
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SECTION 9 Useful organisations
Contact details for a wide range of organisations that can help or inspire you with their ideas.
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Download Section 9 (84 KB)
SECTION 10 Evaluation form
We want to hear from you! Let us know how you found using this pack so we can make it better next time.
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SECTION 11 Appendix: Planning Open Days in Your Local Community
Project ideas from our Teacher's Pack.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
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If you would like us to send you a copy of the handbook, please email us at hodseducation[@]civictrust.org.uk* or fill in a contact form.
*As we receive a huge amount of spam mail, we decided not to have direct email links from our website. Should you wish to send us an email, please replace the brackets with @.
