Some of Ayr’s most unusual historic spaces will open to the public during Doors Open Days 2026, giving visitors the chance to look inside former police cells, climb the Tower of St John’s and go behind the scenes at Ayr Gaiety.
The 37th annual celebration of Scotland’s built heritage will take place across Ayrshire on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September. A total of 51 venues are participating across North, East and South Ayrshire, with the programme including historic buildings, churches, museums, castles and other unusual locations.
What visitors can see in Ayr
The Tower of St John’s in Ayr will once again offer views across the town and surrounding area. Ayr Gaiety will host behind-the-scenes tours, while visitors can also explore the former police cells beneath Ayr Town Hall.
A self-guided tour of Ayr’s Carnegie Library will provide another opportunity to see a local historic building. The programme offers residents and visitors access to places that are not normally part of an ordinary day in the town.
However, some South Ayrshire experiences are no longer available to book. Tours of Ayrshire Archives headquarters, Rozelle House and the South Ayrshire Museum Store are already fully booked.
Places have also been filled for tours of the historic wine cellars now used by Corney and Barrow. The cellars were built in 1766 and are described as Scotland’s oldest continuously working wine cellars. They are celebrating their 260th anniversary.
More Doors Open Days locations across Ayrshire
The wider programme includes venues across all three Ayrshire council areas. In Troon, St Ninian’s Episcopal Church will open its doors, with visitors invited to look for ten mice hidden inside the building.
Girvan’s programme includes Stumpy Tower and the Victorian garden at Whitewin House. A guided walk will also take place around Dunure Cemetery, where representatives from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission will explain the stories behind some of the cemetery’s notable headstones.
North Ayrshire venues include Ardrossan Castle and Portencross Castle, with guidance from local heritage groups. Kilbirnie Auld Kirk Heritage Centre will return under new ownership, while Largs Community Church—previously known as Clark Memorial Church—will display its stained-glass collection.
Visitors can also book guided tours of Skelmorlie Secret Bunker. Anyone entering the underground operations room must be able to negotiate a 15-foot vertical steel ladder. An accessible replica monitoring post and a small museum will be available above ground.
In Saltcoats, North Ayrshire Heritage Centre will present Bound by the Sea: The Three Towns and the Merchant Navy, featuring exhibits from the Scottish Maritime Museum.
East Ayrshire’s venues include churches, museums, historic buildings and community locations. Highlights include the Glencairn Aisle, which dates from 1600, Kilmaurs Jougs and Kilmaurs Lodge St Maurs No. 1398.
In Kilmarnock, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church will open its painted chancel, while The Club, a private gentlemen’s club founded in 1884, will offer access to its billiard room. Dunlop Kirk will display 26 stained-glass windows, and Hurlford Masonic Lodge No. 505 will take part for the first time.
Other East Ayrshire venues include the National Burns Memorial Homes and Tower in Mauchline, Loudoun Kirk and Barr Castle in Galston, Auchinleck House, Stair Parish Church, Fenwick Parish Church and Lochgoin Covenanters’ Museum. Auchinleck House will require timed tickets booked through the Landmark Trust website.
Free event but check before travelling
Ayrshire Doors Open Days is organised by volunteers from Kyle and Carrick Civic Society, supported by volunteers who steward the participating buildings. Financial backing comes from North Ayrshire Council, East Ayrshire Council, South Ayrshire Council and other benefactors, allowing visitors to attend participating venues free of charge. The event is nationally coordinated by the Scottish Civic Trust.
Brochures are available from libraries and council public counters across Ayrshire. Opening days, times, accessibility arrangements and booking requirements differ between venues, so visitors should check the details before travelling.
Further information is available through the Doors Open Days website and the Doors Open Days Ayrshire Facebook page.
