Open House Dublin is a free festival of architecture with 150+ guided tours and events taking place across the city and county each October. Brought to you by the Irish Architecture Foundation, Open House Dublin celebrates great architecture, urban design and the people that contribute to the creation of built Dublin.
Open House Dublin is part of the Open House Worldwide international network of 50 organisations hosting festivals and conversations about architecture, design and cities across the globe from Lagos to Taipei, and New York to Santiago. We are uniquely positioned to take the lead on public engagement, discourse and debate in architecture and city-making in Dublin.
Support us by becoming a Friend of the IAF and learn more about the work we do at http://www.architecturefoundation.ie
All Open House events are Free of charge. Our programme is a mix of guided tours and events that need to be pre-booked on the website and guided tours and events which are open for you to join at dedicated times over the weekend.
Booking for pre-book tours opens 9am 23 September. For tours with very limited places you may be asked to pay a ‘no show’ fee when booking. We introduced this fee as the majority of Open House events are hosted by people and organisations voluntarily and there is high demand for places. We want to ensure that as many people as possible have the opportunity to attend our events. You will not be charged this fee once you cancel your places at least 48hrs in advance of your tour/event. We realise however that providing payment details is not always possible so if you have any issues with this whatsoever please contact bookings@architecturefoundation.ie and we will assist with your booking.
Please be respectful and kind to all Open House Dublin staff and volunteers. Remember this is a free festival which depends on the incredible generosity, passion and experience of all our volunteer stewards, guides, architects, building owners and visitors.
Choose the IAF Friends Plan that suits you and enjoy the benefits of being part of one of Ireland’s most exciting and original cultural organisations. Or spread the love and give the gift of IAF Friendship, and inspire your friends and family with the gift of a whole year of unique IAF experiences.
The Irish Architecture Foundation is funded by the Arts Council of Ireland, Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage and the Office of Public Works.
We are part of an exciting collaboration project co-funded by the European Union. Open House Europe is a cooperation project that connects different Open House festival organisers across Europe and enables their collaboration and knowledge exchange. By encouraging and promoting an interest in architecture among various audiences, Open House Europe helps residents gain new perspectives on their local surroundings and invites them to envision the shared future of European architecture.
Annual Theme
Throughout the year, different local Open House events across Europe respond to a common Annual Theme that highlights the challenges faced by society. For 2025 this theme is Future Heritage
Annual Summit
Once a year, the Open House community, architecture enthusiasts and professionals gather at the Annual Summit to reflect on the Annual Theme and yearly achievements. In 2025 the IAF was proud to host the second Annual Summit at Dublin Castle in January of this year. The next Annual Summit will be hosted in Athens in January 2026.
Volunteer Exchange Programme
Open House Europe enables volunteers to travel between partner organisations and build their experience by helping to implement different local Open House events. Information about future Volunteer Exchange opportunities will be available in October.
Visual Stories Competition
Each year, visitors and participants to Open House Dublin are encourage to capture their experiences of the festival and to enter the Visual Stories competition. Information about the Visual Stories competition and how to apply will be available on the website 16 September.
Learn more about the Open House Dublin architecture festival and our impact in 2024
