Everyone welcome at Hampshire Scout Heritage Centre this Heritage Open Days
6 September 2026
The Hampshire Scout Heritage Centre at Ferny Crofts Scout Activity Centre in the New Forest will be open to the public as part of the Heritage Open Days event between 11th to 20th September 2026.
The normally private site will again welcome pre-booked visitors to this free event on three days of the festival. This allows non-members of the Scout Association to view displays and artefacts telling how Scouting has developed in Hampshire and beyond – from the experimental camp on Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour in 1907 up to the present day.
Telling Scouting’s story
During the hour long sessions, visitors will have the chance to discover how Scouting has evolved over the years with expansion to include a wider age range and a more inclusive and diverse membership.
There will be the chance to learn about the Scouts who summited Mount Everest (and see one of their suits) and see the necker worn by a Hampshire Scout at the South Pole. There is also a display commemorating a Rover Scout Crew formed in a German Prison Camp during World War Two.
Younger visitors can try their hand at activities their grandparents would have enjoyed if they were Cubs and Scouts.
Ferny Crofts has been the “home” of Hampshire Scouting since 1976 but can trace its history back to 1317 when it was part of the Beaulieu Abbey estate. Over the years the facilities have grown from simple camping grounds to include indoor accomodation and a range of adventurous activities from high ropes and a clmbing tower to tunnelling (in an old bus!), water activities and target sports, not forgetting traditional Scouting skills like bushcraft and shelter building.
When can you visit?
Visitors will be welcome on Saturday 12th, Wednesday 16th and Friday 18th September between 10 am and 4pm. Tours starting on the hour and lasting one hour, maximum 10 people per tour, must be pre-booked online via Ticket Source.
You can find directions to Ferny Crofts on their website.
About Heritage Open Days
Heritage Open Days is England’s largest festival of history and culture. Running for ten days every September, the festival offers free access to heritage events and activities across England.
Heritage Open Days is brought to you by the National Trust with support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery, and delivered locally by a large range of organisations (including civic societies, heritage organisations and local councils, community champions and thousands of enthusiastic volunteers).
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