Doors Open is a unique opportunity for the citizens and visitors of Newfoundland and Labrador to celebrate our architecture and heritage through the exploration of some of our hidden historical, architectural and cultural gems. Buildings that are normally closed to the public or charge an entrance fee welcome visitors to look around for free. Doors Open began in Glasgow, Scotland in 1990 under the cooperation of the Scottish Civic Trust. A year later it was launched as a Council of Europe initiative. In 1998, 19 million people had visited 28,000 sites throughout Europe making it the world's biggest festival of the built environment. Recognising our rich culture and heritage, the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Newfoundland Historic Trust are excited to be organizing Doors Open events across Newfoundland and Labrador. Doors Open St. John's continues to grow since its first year in 2003 when sixteen sites received over 27,500 visits. Our goal is to spread the Doors Open Newfoundland and Labrador program further across the province, including additional communities and cultural sites. The Historic Places Initiative is a multifaceted program aimed at conserving and celebrating Canada's historic places. The program is an initiative of the Government of Canada and is being implemented in Newfoundland and Labrador by the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador. The program is responsible for the development of two pan-Canadian conservation tools: the Canadian Register of Historic Places and the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada. Parks Canada is also responsible for managing the Certification Program and the Commercial Heritage Properties Incentive Fund. For more information, visit www.historicplaces.ca or www.heritagefoundation.ca.