Buildings, homes and venues can now register to open their doors to the public during this year's Dorset Architectural Heritage Week.

DAHW is an annual event, in place since the 1990s, which aims to reveal Dorset’s rich architectural and cultural heritage by allowing free access to many properties that are normally closed to the public or charge for entry.

The week-long open day programme features the stellar names and hidden gems of Dorset's architecture, from country houses to streetscapes, and from renovated mills to village property archives.

This year's iteration will fall at the beginning of September, and registration is now open. The organisers have sent invitations to all previous participants, as well as any new potential participants who have already expressed interest in this year's programme; organiser Ian Utley said DAHW was 'always on the look-out for interesting new venues, speakers or tour guides' .

"If you have a building with a story to tell, or you wish to share you knowledge of a particular area or building with architectural appeal, and you have never taken part in Heritage Week before then now is your chance," Mr Utley said.

One definite returning participant is the Weymouth Civic Society, which has for more than a decade organised popular guided walks around the town during DAHW.

Civic society secretary Gerald Mabb said the walk would start and end at Weymouth Pavilion, taking in Devonshire Buildings, the harbour, town bridge and Holy Trinity and St. Mary's churches; the guide will also point out some of the finest examples of the town's Georgian architectural heritage.

"We usually get around 20 people," Mr Mabb said. "It's a good chance to take a look at Weymouth's history through its buildings."

Also set to feature for another year is Sturminster Newton Mill, a working mill dating back a millennium. Pete Loosmore, secretary of the mill society, said the venue would be opening its doors during DAHW, and was hoping to match last year's record 70 visitors. "It would be great to see that number again," said Mr Loosmore. "We're very much looking forward to it."

Previous participants from the west of the county include the Quaker Meeting House, St Mary's Church and the Chantry in Bridport, as well as the Guildhall in Lyme Regis and the chapel in Chideock.

Registration will remain open until the end of April; anyone interested can contact the DAHW booking office on 01202 888992 or dahwoffice@gmail.com.