Ballots: everything you need to know

Aug 1

FAQs and Key Dates

Each year we hold a free public ballot for tours around extremely popular buildings in the Open House Festival. The ballots running in 2025 are:

10 Downing Street - Saturday 13 September - two tours - Link
BT Tower - Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 September - sixteen tours - Link
BBC Broadcasting House - Saturday 20 September - twelve tours - Link
London Museum - Saturday 20 September - six tours - Link
Canada House - Monday 15 September - one tour - Link
Temple to Bank tour with Jack Chesher - Tuesday 2 September - one tour - Link

Buildings by public ballot collection

Key Dates

Ballots Live - 30 July

Ballots Close / Drawn - Monday 18 August at 12pm

Deadline for Winners to confirm - Tuesday 26 August

Re-draw ballots to fill any spaces - 28 August

Deadline for second draw winners to confirm - 3 September

All winners will be notified by 1 September. If you have not been contacted by then please presume you have not been successful in the public ballot.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does duplicate ballots mean? Can I enter more than one ballot tour?

‘Duplicate entries’ refers to the same tour time at the same balloted building. You can enter all the different balloted tours for the same building, i.e. you can enter the BBC Broadcasting House ballots for the 14.00, 14.30, 15.00 tours - you cannot re-enter the 14.00 tour multiple times.

The ‘Enter Ballot’ button is greyed out?

To enter the ballots, you will need to create a visitor account to the Festival Website. You can create this here. Once you have entered a balloted tour time, the button will then grey out to prevent re-entry.

Should I receive a confirmation when I’ve entered a ballot?

No, you will not receive a confirmation email. However, by clicking the ‘enter ballot’ button you are automatically entered. If you reach the ‘give a donation’ page, you are in the ballot - which is stated at the top of that page. If you want to double check, refresh the page and if the relevant button is greyed out, your entry has been logged. If you are successfully drawn in the ballot, you will receive an email with further instructions.

Do I have to give a donation?

The ballots, like all events in the Open House Festival, are completely free to enter. However, if you would like to take a moment to support our work with a donation, we would really appreciate it. As a charity we rely on public donations to keep the Open House Festival running each year.

Will I be able to bring a guest?

Yes, all winners will be offered the opportunity to bring a guest.

How will I know if I’ve won?

You will receive a winners email to the email account you signed up to the festival programme with. To claim your ticket you will need to confirm your attendance and whether you would like to bring a plus one.

When will I know if I’ve won?

All winners will be notified by 1 September. If you have not been contacted by then please presume you have not been successful in the public ballot.

What will I need to bring if I win a place?

To attend a ballot building you will typically be required to bring an ID to confirm your identity. However, if you win a place to the 10 Downing Street or BT Tower tours, you will be required to provide further information as a condition of entry (DOB, Nationality, Address, Place of Birth).