The Red House, Aldeburgh is seasonally open from April to November for all visitors to enjoy this unique heritage location on the Suffolk Coast. Here our team reveal what happens during the closed winter months, as they prepare to re-open in the spring:

As The Red House opens seasonally, we are often asked what we do in the winter. “Does the whole site close down?” or “Do you go on holiday?” tend to be the most frequent questions. In short, the answer is “not really” as it is actually the busiest time at The Red House.

Our goal is always to make the house and site look the best that it can, and we love sharing Britten and Pears’ home with all our visitors. While regular conservation, housekeeping and maintenance takes place all year round, the closed period gives us the opportunity to focus on projects that are a bit more disruptive.

We’re never really closed

It is worth noting that the site still gets used in the winter. We continue to host schools and families with our Friday morning Mini Music Makers sessions: offer rehearsal space for chamber music in residence ensembles; give tours for musicians on artistic development courses at Snape Maltings; and hold events such as recitals and Christmas-themed events.

Looking back and reflecting on the year

We like to start the closed season by reviewing the year and gathering feedback from visitors – whether they write on our comments card, leave reviews online or surveys – and seeing what areas can be improved. We take the time to reflect with colleagues and volunteers too as we want to offer the best experience to everyone we work and interact with. This usually informs our plans for the winter, making sure everything is addressed in time for opening in spring.

Garden

The garden has its own rhythm of work: cutting back, taking out and preparing for the growing season ahead. The garden team are always thinking of improvements and schemes that best showcase what Britten and Pears grew and enjoyed while living here.

Watch out for more scented roses and a productive kitchen garden, which we are often informed is for the garden team and volunteers only – as it should be!

House, Library and Composition Studio

There is an annual cycle of building maintenance which supports the conservation of the house and ancillary buildings. This includes painting window frames and sills and clearing the guttering and drains on all buildings. It may sound a rather boring subject to some, but it ensures the collection is contained in warm and dry conditions.

We will use the downtime to thoroughly clean the house, library and composition studio of cobwebs, pests and dust off every object, book and surface. All the team, together with our conservation volunteers, will go through every space meticulously.

Exhibitions and planned changes

Exhibition planning usually takes place much earlier in the year and helps us identify what work needs to be done. We all really enjoyed this year’s exhibitions, Spiritual Britten and Darkness.

Next year will see us showcase those who shaped Britten’s final years and legacy, in a new exhibition called Lasting Britten, and also see the re-opening of Ella-Mae Statham's Dreamworld.

The Archive

Winter in the Archive is spent largely on behind-the-scenes work, preparing for the next season’s exhibitions. Though public events cease in November, the Archive is a year-round service that welcomes researchers, answers enquiries, and adds new material – such as a 1967 recording of Imogen Holst’s The Sun’s Journey, and two paintings of Britten by baritone and conductor Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau.

At its heart every archive is a box of human stories; at The Red House we continue to look for new stories and new audiences for them.

The Red House is now closed for the winter and will re-open on 2 April 2026. Book advance tickets now.