European Heritage Days - Strasbourg
Open doors to Strasbourg's exceptional heritage
About Heritage Days
Heritage Days in Strasbourg: A City with Open Doors
Since their creation in 1984, the European Heritage Days have become a must-attend event on the French cultural calendar. In Strasbourg, a city with exceptionally rich heritage, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site for its historic center, this event takes on a special dimension due to the presence of European institutions and millennia-old architectural heritage.
Exceptional Sites Open Their Doors
The strength of the Heritage Days in Strasbourg lies in access to places usually closed to the public or rarely accessible:
- The European Parliament, with guided tours of the Louise Weiss building designed by Architecture Studio
- The European Court of Human Rights, which exceptionally opens its doors
- The Council of Europe, the cradle of European construction
- The Archives of the City and Eurometropolis, with opening of storage areas and restoration workshops
- The University Botanical Garden, with guided tours and workshops
- The Zoological Museum and university institutions
An Annual Theme Guiding the Program
Each edition is placed under a national theme that inspires the program. In 2025, the theme of architectural heritage highlighted the extraordinary architectural diversity of Strasbourg, from the Gothic cathedral to the buildings of the German Neustadt, from the half-timbered houses of Petite France to the contemporary achievements of European institutions.
Activities for All Audiences
Beyond the visits, the Heritage Days offer conferences, creative workshops (linocut, pinhole photography), theatrical readings, concerts, and fun activities for families. Cultural mediators and volunteers from heritage associations ensure a quality welcome at each site, passionately conveying Strasbourg's history and memory.
Heritage Days — edition 2026
The 43rd edition of the European Heritage Days will take place on Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2026 in Strasbourg, as part of the national and European event coordinated by the Ministry of Culture. Two days to discover the exceptional heritage of the Alsatian capital for free, with the opening of monuments and places usually closed to the public.
43rd Edition — September 19 and 20, 2026
The European Heritage Days return to Strasbourg on Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2026 for their 43rd edition (Friday, September 18 being, as every year, reserved for schoolchildren). Access to all participating sites is free.
2026 Themes
The 2026 edition is marked by two national themes: "Photography Heritage", echoing the bicentenary of the invention of photography, and the European theme "Heritage in Peril: Revive, Resist, Reimagine", dedicated to the preservation and transmission of heritage.
In Strasbourg
As every year, many emblematic monuments of the city open their doors: Notre-Dame Cathedral and its panoramic platform, the Palais Rohan and its museums, the Palais du Rhin, the Musée alsacien, as well as institutional places rarely accessible such as the European Parliament, the Préfecture du Bas-Rhin, the Hôtel du Département and the Archives départementales. Guided tours of the Grande-Île, stone carving demonstrations at the foot of the cathedral and workshops complete the experience.
The complete detailed program will be published in autumn 2026 on strasbourg.eu/jep.
Programme Heritage Days 2026
The detailed site-by-site program will be published in autumn 2026 on strasbourg.eu/jep. Among the places open for free in Strasbourg for this 43rd edition:
- Notre-Dame Cathedral — free visit, access to the panoramic platform by reservation (limited capacity)
- Palais Rohan — exceptional opening of its three museums (Fine Arts, Decorative Arts, Archaeological), thematic guided tours
- Palais du Rhin — guided tours of the state apartments (by reservation)
- European Parliament — public opening of the hemicycle
- Préfecture du Bas-Rhin — discovery of the prefectural salons
- Hôtel du Département — official salons usually inaccessible
- Archives départementales — presentation of rarely exhibited collections
- Musée alsacien — reconstructed Alsatian interiors
- Grande-Île — guided tours, workshops and stone carving demonstrations at the foot of the cathedral
Highlights Heritage Days 2026
To remember for 2026
- September 19 and 20, 2026
- Free access to heritage sites
- Program to be announced
Prices Heritage Days 2026
Practical information — Heritage Days
Practical Information
Dates
The European Heritage Days take place every year on the third weekend of September (Saturday and Sunday). In 2026, they will be held on September 19 and 20, 2026.
Main Sites in Strasbourg
- Cathédrale Notre-Dame — Place de la Cathédrale
- Rohan Palace — 2 Place du Château
- European Parliament — Allée du Printemps (by reservation)
- Council of Europe — Avenue de l'Europe
- ECHR — Allée des Droits de l'Homme
- Archives — 32 Avenue du Rhin
- Botanical Garden — 28 Rue Goethe
Prices
Access is free to almost all sites. Reservation required for certain institutional locations (European Parliament, ECHR).
Transport
The tram network serves all heritage sites. Main stops depending on the location: Langstross Grand'Rue, Broglie, Parlement Européen, Droits de l'Homme.
Contact
Full program at strasbourg.eu/jep and culture.strasbourg.eu. Archives: [email protected] — Tel.: 03 68 98 51 10.
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Where does it take place — Heritage Days
Sites patrimoniaux de Strasbourg
Centre-ville de Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg