Heritage Open Days
News
Bath Spa University to once again open its doors for Heritage Open Day
Tuesday, 2 September, 2025For the second year running, Bath Spa University is set to open its doors – this time to its award‑winning Locksbrook Campus – for a special Heritage Open Day on Sunday 21 September, celebrating this year’s theme of Architecture. The event – free and open to all – will offer public tours and insights into the building’s extraordinary evolution.
BSU cultural partner Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution (BRLSI) will also be taking part in Heritage Open Days, with a talk on Monday 15 September.
Heritage Open Days is England's largest festival of history and culture, involving thousands of local volunteers and organisations. Every year for 10 days in September it brings people together to celebrate their heritage, community and history and offers the public a chance to see hidden places and try out new experiences.
Suzanne Harris, Audience Experience and Development Leader at BSU, said:
“This Heritage Open Day is a chance to witness firsthand how a once‑industrial landmark has been redeemed, repurposed, and re‑imagined. With architecture at its heart, the Locksbrook Campus offers a compelling example of adaptive reuse, preserving the past while inspiring creativity for the future. If you're passionate about architecture, design, or the art of building reuse, this is an event not to be missed.”
On the day, visitors at Locksbrook Campus can enjoy guided tours highlighting the building’s architectural features and enhancements to promote sustainability. There will also be workshops, pop‑up exhibitions and films showcasing creative work by students and alumni, and drop-in workshops led by BSU’s Emerge Studio, where guests can explore, discover and enhance their own creative skills.
Activities include:
- Painting and drawing with Natalie Bedford - Explore simple techniques with paint and water to create postcard-sized artworks you can take home. A gentle, hands-on introduction to expressive mark-making.
- Clay and Architecture with Grace Duncan - Try your hand at pressing shapes into clay, with both quick and longer workshop versions available.
- Community Embroidery Project with Chloe Savage - Work on a large-scale embroidery of Locksbrook Campus. Everyone will be invited to add a few stitches, contributing to a collaborative artwork that will later have a permanent home at Bath Spa University.
A story of transformation and design excellence
Originally constructed in 1976 as the Herman Miller furniture factory, BSU’s Locksbrook Campus was conceived by the renowned architect Sir Nicholas Grimshaw. BSU acquired the Grade II listed site in 2016 and, working once again with Grimshaw Architects, embarked on an ambitious refurbishment.
Locksbrook Campus officially opened in October 2019, and is the home of BSU’s School of Design and the School of Art, Film and Media.
Since its rebirth, Locksbrook has garnered numerous accolades, including Higher or Further Education Project of the Year at the Education Property Awards 2025; three Schüco Excellence Awards in 2023; a RIBA National Award in 2021; and a Michelmores Heritage Project of the Year in 2020.
Heritage Open Day at Locksbrook Campus takes place from 11:00am to 4:00pm on Sunday 21 September. Further information is available on the Heritage Open Days website.