Open House Dublin is starting this weekend (11–19 October), but there is no need for panic. One of the many joys of Ireland’s largest festival of architecture is that with over 200 events there’s always something spectacular to see and do even if you’re last-minute.
Here is a quick guide to making the most of the festival without advance planning. A good way is to start with the drop-in events as not everything in Open House Dublin needs a ticket. Many talks, exhibitions, and casual events are free to pop into, so this is a great option if you haven’t booked anything yet. Just filter events by the “Drop-in” option.
There are drop-in tours of the Mansion House, the National Gallery of Ireland, and City Assembly House, to name but a few, as well as walking tours such as From Fatima to Grand Canal Harbour, or you could drop in to discover the award-winning East Wall Sean O’Casey Community Centre, a civic and cultural hub that combines theatre, learning, and social services under one roof. There are plenty of indoor and outdoor drop-in options to choose from.
If you’d like to book and don’t know where to start, check out some of the more undiscovered gems, such as a walking tour of the Clontarf to City Centre Active Travel & Bus Priority Project, which is a transformative 2.7km corridor of new cycle lanes, bus priority, wider footpaths, and green public spaces linking Clontarf to Dublin’s city centre.
The Masonry – Iconic Offices in the Liberties is a tour of one of Dublin’s most striking workplace redevelopments, showcasing the adaptive reuse of historic fabric with modern office design. Check out the Architectural Tour of Ballyogan Library to discover how this contemporary library was designed as a welcoming civic space with light-filled interiors and strong community focus. Explore a much-loved coastal library where architecture blends heritage, daylight, and community use at Skerries Library. Go inside a new residential scheme demonstrating innovative, compact design that balances density with quality living at Innovation Square Apartments in Tallaght.
Go behind the scenes at The Lark Concert Hall, a new cultural landmark in Balbriggan, celebrated for its striking architecture and role as a hub for music and community. Or check out Smashing Times ─ Architecture and Activism, a guided tour and talk at the new Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality in Sandycove, exploring how architecture and the arts intersect with activism to inspire social change.
From exploring O’Connell Street’s contradictions to new cycling corridors, these experiences bring the city and county alive.
Even if the event you wanted to book is full, IAF House at Charlemont Square is buzzing all week, so make IAF House your base. Pick up printed programmes, chat to volunteers, get insider tips, and ask what events still have space – the team knows the latest availability.
While at IAF House, discover the three new exhibitions – Mise Le Meas, To Not Design Is To Cost the Earth, and HouseEurope! – which will be on display until the end of November, or stay for a lunchtime conversation at the Open Table talks on 13-17 October and join in an informal discussion on Diaspora, Diversity, Design/Dearadh (as Gaeilge), Demolition, or Democracy.
Open House Dublin is about discovery. Sometimes the best festival moments happen when you wander into something unexpected, an unplanned talk, a walk you hadn’t considered, a building you didn’t know existed. So don’t stress if you’re late to the bookings. There’s still a city full of Future Heritage waiting to be explored.
The full 2025 Open House Dublin programme is available at OpenHouseDublin.com. Follow @IrishArchitectureFoundation on social media for live updates and Open House Dublin news. All Open House Dublin events are free.
