Top 5 Things To Do in May
This May, we’ve got plenty of ideas to help inspire your visits.
Enjoy exclusive events for Members' Week, check out our relaunched podcast and plan exciting days out for May half-term.
Read on to discover fascinating people, must-see places and captivating videos!
1. Enjoy exclusive events during Members' Week
As a special thank-you to our members for your ongoing support, we're delighted to bring you our fifth Members' Week. Between 3 and 11 May 2025, English Heritage members have exclusive access to free events across the country, virtual events to enjoy from home and fantastic prizes to win.
And don't forget, during Members' Week all members enjoy a 20% discount in shops and cafés. You'll also be able to visit sites and bring along a non-member for free.
Members' Week is supported by Riviera Travel and during the week you can be in with a chance to win one of three free cruises courtesy of Riviera Travel.
Find out more2. Listen to our relaunched podcast
We're delighted to relaunch our podcast! Series two will see English Heritage experts and special guests join new host and acclaimed comedian and writer Amy Matthews to discuss objects, people and places.
Each week, we begin with a mystery item and explore what our past can tell us about our present and perhaps our future.
The first episode covers fish, feminism and working women in the 20th century, with Amy and guests discussing the resilient seasonal workers in the Great Yarmouth fishing industry.
Listen to the podcast3. Mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day
80 years ago, 8 May 1945 was VE (Victory in Europe) Day, a day when people celebrated the end of the Second World War.
The threat of invasion had lifted and for the lucky ones, the next few weeks would see their loved ones returning home. In these euphoric moments, England's towns and cities hosted the party of the century.
This year, the town of Bolsover will come alive with nostalgia and excitement as we commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day. The event, part of which will take place outside Bolsover Castle, will be a vibrant celebration of the 1940s era.
Find out more4. Visit a new exhibition at Kenwood
John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) was the most admired and sought-after portraitist of the late 19th century in both Britain and the United States.
A new exhibition at Kenwood, Heiress: Sargent’s American Portraits, will reveal the real stories behind the fascinating American women who crossed the Atlantic to marry British aristocrats in an exchange of money for titles. These women include a war-time nurse, a helicopter pilot and the first sitting female MP.
The exhibiton will run from Friday 16 May to Sunday 5 October.
Book tickets5. Plan a fun day out for May half-term
Join us during May half-term for hands-on activities and family fun in the fresh air.
Kids can enjoy a range of activities such as knight school, junior jousting, historical games or storytelling.
Find out what activities are available at your local castle, house, palace or abbey - which ones will you and your kids enjoy?
Plan your May half-termThe month in history
- Poet Alexander Pope was born on 21 May 1688. He's famous for his classic poetry and literature, but less well-known is his impact on historical garden design; he proposed plans for gardens at Chiswick House and Marble Hill in southwest London. A blue plaque marks his time living at Mawson’s buildings in Chiswick Lane South.
- The landscape and portrait painter Thomas Gainsborough was born on 14 May 1727. His portrait of Mary, Countess Howe can be seen at Kenwood, alongside famous works by Vermeer, Rembrandt and Reynolds.
- The British evacuation of soldiers from Dunkirk, also known as Operation Dynamo, began on 26 May 1940. The rescue was co-ordinated by Vice Admiral Bertram Ramsay from the tunnels beneath Dover Castle. A total of 338,226 troops were evacuated by almost 1,000 ships, many of them civilian boats.
- The monk and scholar, The Venerable Bede, died on 26 May 735. Bede wrote about St Hild of Whitby, who, according to legend, banished a plague of snakes from the headland there with divine help. Learn more about the legend of Saint Hild in this short film.
More to explore
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Inspire Me
Our historic sites offer something for everyone. We've gathered together some of our favourite features, events and things to do to inspire your next visit.
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THE ENGLISH HERITAGE PODCAST
Every object has a story to tell - but how can one mystery item lead us on a journey through history, people and places? Amy Matthews explores tales from unexpected places.
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Become a member today
Enjoy unlimited access to hundreds of historical places with an annual membership. Plus there's free entry for up to six children. Memberships start from £42 a year.