Calgary is letting people wander into buildings they'd normally walk straight past. Doors Open YYC runs Saturday, Sept. 26 and Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, with 11 sites across the city offering free tours, demos and behind-the-scenes access. Some spots are open both days; a handful are one-day-only, so it's worth checking the schedule before you set out.

The line-up mixes heritage, faith, arts and everyday civic life. Historic City Hall — the 1911 sandstone landmark most Calgarians only see from the sidewalk — opens its interior for an hour each day, 1 to 2 p.m., with registration required. Lougheed House, the mansion in Beltline, throws open its rooms and grounds from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for a glimpse of domestic life a century ago. The Sam Centre offers guided walking tours through its Calgary Stampede exhibits on the Sunday only.

Two places of worship are taking part. Avatamsaka Monastery, a Buddhist temple downtown on 4th Ave SW, welcomes visitors from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days to learn about its traditions, while Baitun Nur Mosque in the northeast runs guided tours of its striking architecture with registration required.

There's plenty for the curious beyond heritage buildings. CJSW, the University of Calgary's campus radio station, opens its Macewan Hall studio on the Saturday for a look at the equipment and spaces behind the broadcasts. Fuse33 Makerspace shows off its 8,500-square-foot workshop on Sunday, with 3D printers, laser cutters and textile gear running demos — registration needed. cSPACE Marda Loop, a creative hub built inside the old King Edward School, opens studios and displays on Saturday. The Werklund Centre runs free guided tours of its performance and rehearsal spaces on Sunday at 11 a.m. in groups of 20, no sign-up needed.

You can also go behind the scenes at Calgary Meals on Wheels to see how meals get from kitchen to doorstep, or dig into your own roots at the Alberta Family Histories Society, where volunteers will help you work through the genealogy research centre from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days.

Everything is free, but a few experiences have capacity limits or require registration in advance — check the individual listings. Organizers say every participating location is transit-friendly, so you can build a self-guided route across the city without a car. With times varying by site and some one-day-only options, a little planning goes a long way if you want to squeeze in three or four stops over the weekend.

If you're visiting Calgary in late September, this is a rare chance to see the city's institutions from the inside, at no cost, alongside locals who rarely get in themselves.