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The Sheffield culture guide written by in-the-know locals

Each September, doors to cultural treasures open all over the country for Heritage Open Days. Ten days dedicated to free heritage exploration, led by local experts and volunteers.

Plenty of fascinating buildings tend to open their doors for behind-the-scenes tours and talks across Sheffield – from former cutlery works to longstanding civic structures to listed churches and more.

The city’s Heritage Open Days programme is coordinated by Sheffield Civic Trust.

For 2026, the lineup includes tours of everything from brutalist housing estates to historic gardens, cemeteries and transformed cutlery workshops, plus guided walks on pub heritage, football history and more.

See Sheffield's Heritage Open Days full list of events for 2026.

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Shepherd Wheel Workshop

Shepherd Wheel is one of more than a hundred water-powered grinding wheels that were once in action in Sheffield. It's a great little stop on a Porter Valley walk, a few minutes from Endcliffe Park.

Lick of Paint

A mural and street art festival. Returning for a second edition in 2027. Expect smaller creative events from the team throughout 2026 though – watch this space for details!

Manor Lodge

One of Sheffield’s most incongruous buildings: a Tudor ruin, sitting next to a 20th-century residential estate. The hunting lodge used to be at the heart of a huge deer park and once held Mary Queen of Scots in picturesque captivity.

Portland Works

The birthplace of stainless steel cutlery. The cutlery works first opened in 1877 and was bought out by the community in 2013. Today the building is populated by a mix of artists, craftspeople, musicians and small-scale manufacturers.