How to get free entry to some of the UK’s best attractions as part of the National Lottery Open Week

Hundreds of National Lottery-funded venues are offering free entry and discounted tickets this spring.

From 7 to 15 March, anyone with a National Lottery ticket, scratch card or Instant Win Game will be able to “unlock a special day out” at some of the UK’s best attractions as part of the National Lottery Open Week.

According to the organisation, £32 million is raised for good causes each week by players.

Now in its ninth year, the open week includes discounted tickets, tours and talks at national institutions, from Edinburgh Zoo to Cornwall’s Eden Project.

Properties managed by the National Trust, National Trust for Scotland, English Heritage and Historic Royal Palaces will all be throwing open their doors as part of the week.

Other highlights include access to the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland and tours of the BBC Studios at Alexandra Palace, London.

Elsewhere, active experiences are available at the Halifax Wheelchair Rugby League Club and the Sport Wales National Centre.

For more creative types, there are several community projects to get involved in, from circus skills with Generation Circus in Hertfordshire to singing with Manchester Wellbeing Choir.

Darren Henley, chief executive of Arts Council England and Chair of the National Lottery Forum said: “This year, we’re inviting everyone to see a National Lottery ticket as more than just a chance to win. It’s a passport to discovery, unlocking joy, opportunity and possibility in communities across the UK.

“From the nation’s most-loved museums and heritage sites to grassroots projects and hidden local gems, every ticket helps create something extraordinary. National Lottery Open Week is our way of saying thank you to the players who make this possible.”

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