Looking for museums in Birmingham? Here's our list of its finest. From stepping back in time at the Birmingham Back to Backs to discovering science and innovation at ThinkTank. There are many great museums that explore our industrial past and the development of this super-diverse city.
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (BMAG)
Now back open after a lengthy refurbishment, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery is a great place to spend an afternoon discovering the city's history. The Industrial Gallery shares Birmingham's story as the City of a Thousand Trades and what it means to be a Brummie. There's also a beautiful Edwardian Tearoom to refresh yourself in after wandering around. Most importantly for students, the Museum is free to enter!
Birmingham Back to Backs
Nestled amongst Birmingham Hippodrome, the Gay Village and Chinatown, you’ll find the Back to Backs where you can explore the lives of the ordinary people who helped make Birmingham what it is today. While you’re there, you can check out a collection of clothes made by a 1970s Caribbean tailor and even pop into a second-hand bookshop. In 2023, Fashion and Textiles students worked on a project with the Back to Backs inspired by the story and work of George Saunders.
Museum Collections Centre
Open to the public once every two weeks, the Museum Collections Centre is the main storage facility used by Birmingham Museums Trust. It’s an absolute treasure trove packed with almost a million items including aircraft engines, sculptures, cars, a giant spider crab and a retro chip fryer.
Coffin Works
Another workshop-turned-museum, the Coffin Works invites you inside the factory of the Newman Brothers to immerse yourself in factory life. Alongside tours of the workshops, they regularly host performances, craft markets and, as expected, they go pretty big on Halloween!
Pen Museum
Did you know that Birmingham was at the centre of the world's pen industry during the 19th century, creating the majority of steel pens? Now the Pen Museum honours that industrial history, as well as offering calligraphy workshops and other ways to get involved. This is one of Birmingham's most unique museums, maybe you'll be inspired to set pen to paper?
West Midlands Police Museum
Head down to Steelhouse Lane lock-up to discover what life was like on both sides of the bars! Take a guided tour to hear stories of two centuries of policing, or peek into the cells to find out about some of the prison’s most notorious inmates including the real Peaky Blinders.
Thinktank
Right in the heart of our City Centre campus in Millennium Point, you’ll find Thinktank. It’s a brilliant hands-on science museum and perfect for a family day out. Journey to the stars in the Planetarium, take a deep dive in marine life, or play in the Science Garden.
