Birmingham, in the West Midlands, is Britain's second-largest city. Known in the Victorian era as the "City of a Thousand Trades" and the "Workshop of the World", Brum, as locals call the city, is enjoying a 21st-century resurgence as a great shopping and cultural destination.
Birmingham was historically a market town in Warwickshire in the medieval period, and grew in the 18th century during the Midlands Enlightenment and during the Industrial Revolution, which saw advances in science, technology and economic development, producing a series of innovations that laid many of the foundations of modern industrial society. The city has vibrant and influential grassroots art, music, literary and culinary scenes. Birmingham also has beautiful countryside and many green parks.
Birmingham ["ber-ming-'"m] was at the heart of Britain's Industrial Revolution, and its wealth was built upon the multitude of trades that were spawned. This led to a massive canal network, with more miles of canals than Venice or Amsterdam (though they're very different types of canal). Grand warehouses, offices, railway stations, and civic structures were built as a result of this great progress.
Much of the city centre was destroyed during the Blitz, and the post war rebuilding effort resulted in many brutalist concrete structures, made to be built as cheaply and quickly as possible. However, since the 1990s, Birmingham has been undergoing a radical change and many of the post war buildings have been replaced. The majority of the city centre is now pedestrianised, and the canals cleaned up to make for attractive walkways. Increased investment in public spaces, re-development of run down areas, and especially long-term transport projects, have improved the city's image, giving it some shine.
Birmingham is known for its canals
The city's notable associations are as diverse as HP Sauce, Tony Hancock, Cadbury's, the Lunar Society (whose members included James Watt and Matthew Boulton), Jasper Carrott, the Spitfire, and the Mini (car, not skirt). Birmingham also has an active music scene, with bands and artists like Black Sabbath, UB40, Napalm Death, Duran Duran, and The Beat hailing from the area. The city is also known for being the backdrop of the BBC period TV drama Peaky Blinders, which has helped to increase interest in the city.
Birmingham has many literary associations - not only JRR Tolkien, but also Washington Irving, who wrote Rip Van Winkle while lodging here with his sister's family, and Conan Doyle, who bought a violin in Sherlock Street while a medical student in Birmingham. The authors Jim Crace, Judith Cutler and David Lodge are also residents.
The nearby locations of Shropshire, Warwick, and Stratford-upon-Avon provide more of the stereotypical images of "olde" England. However, Birmingham has many of its own tourist attractions, has an extremely lively nightlife, and the shopping is one of the best outside of London.
The City of Birmingham as it stands today encompasses a very large array of former towns and villages surrounding the original town of Birmingham, that have been incorporated into it over the years. Therefore, even if a point of interest is officially in Birmingham, it can be located quite far away from the actual city centre, in what can appear as a separate small town or even countryside. Addresses are often given including the name of the suburb, to help locate them. Do not assume that any place with a Birmingham address is easily accessible once you are in the city.
Some of the more known districts and wards of Birmingham include:
Aston - home to Aston Hall and Aston Villa football team
Edgbaston - where the eponymous cricket stadium and main campus of the University of Birmingham are located
Selly Oak - secondary campus and student town
Kings Heath - up-and-coming village with a thriving weekend scene, and local markets
Victorian architecture in Newhall Street
Other areas in the city include Perry Barr, Sutton Coldfield and Moseley.
The former Inner Ring Road, or A4400, was viewed as an urban planning failure and parts of it were dismantled and redeveloped. The A38/Aston Expressway runs across the city centre, partially underground. The very central point of Birmingham is Victoria Square.
The main railway hub is Birmingham New Street. It is full to capacity with both local and direct national rail services to every major city in the UK. It is attached to Grand Central and Bullring, a world-class shopping and activities destination, with walking links directly to Birmingham Moor Street station, a smaller rail station with more local routes, as well as frequent trains to London and Oxford. To the north of the city centre is Birmingham Snow Hill, the centre's third station, providing frequent local trains.
Birmingham city centre can be divided into several areas of different characteristics:
Core City Centre – extends northwestwards from New Street station, inside the confines of the A38 and includes many surviving pre-war historic buildings, a number of important institutions and the historically prime addresses such as New Street or Colmore Row
Westside – extends southwest of New Street and beyond the former Inner Ringroad, and includes much of the remaining canals in central Birmingham. Alongside them, much new development took place, including civic buildings such as the International Convention Centre and Library of Birmingham, and multi-functional commercial projects such as Brindleyplace and The Mailbox
Eastside – the area southeast of New Street station, or more precisely behind Moor Street station. This formerly industrial area which included the long-disused Curzon Station as well now contains large swathes of unused, cleared land being redeveloped as parts of large urban planning projects, giving this part of town a modern yet unfinished appearance
Southside – the part southeast of New Street station retains a more traditional ambience with small buildings along narrow streets. The area includes Birmingham's Gay Village and the Chinese Quarter.
Deritend and Digbeth – the area directly eastwards of the Bullring centre contains much industrial and pre-industrial architectural heritage, and it has become a hub for everything creative and a rather pleasant area, which also includes Birmingham's Irish Quarter. As of 2026, large-scale redevelopment is underway.
Jewellery Quarter – true to its name, workshops in the quarter still produce 40% of the UK's jewellery. The area includes the country's largest Assay Office, and several museums. It retains the 19th-century appearance lost by other industrial parts of Birmingham and is a tourist attraction itself.
Gun Quarter – north of Jewellery Quarter and for decades known for firearms manufacturing, but now not seeing much commercial or municipal interest and of little interest to tourists.
See the 5 day forecast for Birmingham at the Met Office
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Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
Precipitation+Snow totals in inches
Birmingham has a temperate maritime climate. Winters do not see significant snowfall, although it does get more snow than other large British cities. In the summer months, temperatures range between 21°C (70°F) for daytime average highs and 12°C (54°F) for nighttime average lows. On particularly hot days, the temperature can climb up to or surpass 26°C (79°F) and not go below 15°C (59°F) at night, though there are only an average of 11.2 days per year where daytime highs exceed 25.1°C (77.2°F). Daylight hours range between 4:45AM - 9:30PM in the summer months to 8:15AM - 4PM in the winter months.
52.4532-1.73341Birmingham Airport(BHX IATA)(just outside the city, in Solihull, about 8mi (13km) east of central Birmingham).A major airport serving the city and the rest of the West Midlands region with frequent international flights. There are several direct arrivals a day from all major UK and European destinations, and a few from more far-flung places such as Delhi, Doha, Dubai (twice daily), Orlando Sanford, Amritsar, Islamabad, and Ashgabat.(updated Oct 2026)
A free people mover, Air-Rail Link, connects the airport passenger terminal with Birmingham International rail station between 5:15AM and 2AM; it runs every two minutes and the journey time is less than two minutes. From Birmingham International rail station trains run to New Street Station every 5–15 minutes from around 6:05AM (Su 8:45AM) to 11:15PM. The journey takes 10–20 minutes depending on whether you get an express or local (stopping) service and costs £2.50 one-way (express service - Avanti trains only) or £3.60 one-way for a ticket valid on any service.
Bus service 900 runs every 20–30 minutes between Birmingham and Coventry via the airport from around 4:50AM (Su 7AM) to midnight, takes around 25 minutes (can be much longer in peak periods) and costs £2.20 one way; the ticket is not valid for transfers. Bus service 97A provides an hourly service through the night. A day ticket (Daysaver) for all NXWM buses is available for £4 (£4.60 before 9AM), but it can also be purchased for €5 on any airport service. Exact change is required. If a group is travelling together, a Group Daysaver for £8 will cover up to 5 people for unlimited journeys for a day.
Map of Birmingham and vicinity
National Express coaches serve the airport every half hour during the early hours of the morning which is very handy for morning flights, as the trains don't usually start until later in the morning. The fare varies depending on whether it is booked in advance, although tickets can be purchased on the coach subject to seats being available. A taxi from the airport to central Birmingham will take around 20–30 minutes and will cost around £22; however, a trip by rail will be far more direct, and undoubtedly quicker during peak times.
The National Exhibition Centre (NEC) is adjacent to the airport and can be accessed by the free Air-Rail Link via Birmingham International station. Cars dropping off passengers at the airport must pay a minimum fee of £3. This includes taxis and private hire cars, which pass the charge on to passengers. The charge can be avoided by being dropped off at Birmingham International Railway Station, where there is no charge, and then using the free Air-Rail Link.
Allow plenty of time to find your train at New Street station as it is huge and very confusing. Most platforms (tracks) are divided into sections (e.g. Platform 4A, 4B and 4C) and it's not uncommon for two trains bound for different destinations to depart from the same platform. So make sure you wait in the right area which is labelled on screens above the platform, and board the right train! New Street Station is notorious for last-minute platform changes so it's advisable to wait close to the stairs and keep close attention to the information screens and PA announcements as you may need to make a quick dash to the opposite side of the station with only a few minutes until departure! It is easier and quicker to cross from one platform (whatever the letter) to another at the "B" end, directly, rather than the "A" end, which can involve passing through two sets of ticket barriers.
Rail connections are widespread throughout the city.
Raging Bull, the symbol of the city during the 2022 Commonwealth Games, is on permanent display at New Street Station. Now named "Ozzy", he is a static display and no longer snorts and stomps as before, lest any staff mistakenly couple him to rolling stock, however on the hour, every hour, his eyes light up and his head shakes.
The exception is Chiltern Railways' service to both stations from London Marylebone, which rivals London Northwestern Railway (slow, cheap) and Avanti West Coast (fast, more expensive) services from London Euston to Birmingham New Street. The Chiltern route has become increasingly popular since infrastructure improvements mean the fastest trains are not much slower than West Coast services into New Street, it's generally cheaper and more scenic, and Marylebone and Moor Street are relatively small stations that still have a lot of the Victorian charm that Euston and New Street decidedly lack.
However, investment in transport in the region will see a series of projects be undertaken, to move trains from New Street into Moor Street, and create an entire new plaza area at Moor Street, with the construction of the new HS2 (High Speed Rail) Curzon Street Station, so keep your eyes peeled in the news for any developments. (Search "hs2", "midlands rail hub", "Bordesley chords", as these projects are constantly changing.)
New Street and Moor Street are a 2 to 3 minute walk apart, and Snow Hill is about a 10 minute walk from each. Midland Metro trams can be used between stations, but still involve some walking, and take longer.
52.451-1.7255Birmingham International Station(BHI).This is 15 miles east of city centre: get off here for the airport, NEC or The Arena. Trains for New Street leave every few minutes and take 10 min. Frequent trains from London Euston are heading for the Midlands, Manchester and Glasgow. The Caledonian Highland Sleeper calls Su-F around 10:30 PM on its way to Dundee, Aberdeen, Inverness and Fort William - it doesn't call at New Street. International Station is modern, with a staffed ticket office and machines, waiting rooms, toilets and refreshments. There's step-free access to all platforms.(updated Jan 2026)
Intercity buses, unless clearly stated otherwise, will terminate at 52.47535-1.88856Birmingham Coach Station. The City Centre is around a 10-minute uphill walk from the station along the slightly tatty Digbeth High Street, but people need not be alarmed as the Selfridges Building and skyline are clearly visible to guide you in the correct direction. some tickets include a free bus journey transfer to the city centre, on local public transport services. If you arrive at night (or have large amounts of luggage), consider getting a bus or taxi as the Digbeth area is not a very pleasant part of the city and is home to many pubs and other nightlife, which may intimidate strangers.
Birmingham Coach station has a booking office, two cafés, shop and other basic facilities. There are toilets (30 pence), vending machines (available 24 hours), and an information desk.
If you are taking the coach to an airport (such as for your journey home), leave at least two, preferably three hours early, as coach trips have been known to face significant delays if mechanical or personnel problems are encountered. National Express promises only to get you to the destination within the same day and will take no responsibility if the service runs late (the optional National Express insurance covers only your personal safety and your possessions).
Megabus, 0900 160 0900 (premium rate - calls incur a 65p per minute service charge plus your phone provider's per-minute access charge). Serves London and Scotland.
National Express, customer service line: +44 371 781 8181, booking line (premium rate): +44 871 781 8181.
The Gravelly Hill Interchange in Birmingham - the original Spaghetti Junction
Birmingham is well sign-posted and surrounded by motorways; the M42, the M5, and the M6 which includes the infamous Spaghetti Junction (Gravelly Hill Interchange). Once in the West Midlands:
From the north, Birmingham is served by A-roads.
From the north-east, use the M1, M42 and M6.
From the east, use the M6.
From the south-east, use the M40 and M42.
From the south, Birmingham is served by A-roads.
From the south-west, use the M5 and M42.
From the west, Birmingham is served by A-roads.
From the north-west, use the M6.
The start of the Birmingham Canal at Gas Street Basin, central Birmingham
Birmingham City Council operated car parks are available throughout the city, a list is accessible online.
The M5 will take you to the south-west, either the M42 then M40 or the M6 then M1 will take you to London and the south-east. In the other direction the M1 will take you to Leeds and the north-east. The M6 will also take you towards the north-west, Manchester and Scotland, or, via the M54, to north Wales.
Due to its industrial heritage, Birmingham has an extensive canal network and is on both the "Worcester & Birmingham" and "Grand Union" canals. Visitors travelling by narrowboat can choose from several tourist moorings, managed privately or by Canal & River Trust. Although the moorings are very busy in spring and summer, call ahead for availability.
Birmingham's City Centre is mostly pedestrianised, and most things to see and do can be reached on foot.
Visitors may enjoy the walk from the International Convention Centre (ICC) and the Symphony Hall on the top of Broad Street to the Bull Ring shopping complex, which takes around twenty minutes and may involve only one easy surface road-crossing. From the ICC, you walk east by the Repertory Theatre and Library of Birmingham in Centenary Square; then through the site of the former Paradise Forum to Chamberlain Square; with the Museum and Art Gallery to your left and the Grade I-listed Town Hall on your right, you make your way to the spacious Victoria Square. At Victoria Square, you will find the Town Hall to the west, the Council Offices to the north, and the old Head Post Office to the South; the path you want to the Bull Ring is south-east, down New Street, which is a pedestrianised street lined with shops, stores, and kiosks. About five blocks down New Street, you will come to Corporation Street, the only road crossing you need to make on this walk. A few blocks later, New Street will turn into Rotunda Square. Bearing south towards St. Martin's Church, you will find the 21st-century Bull Ring Shopping Complex to your left and right.
Birmingham has a large canal network. In the city centre, extensive development has enhanced the environment and level of amenities around these canals, making them excellent pedestrian routes in their own right. Visitors would enjoy the peaceful ten-minute car-free canal stroll from Brindleyplace, National Sea Life Centre, and Sherborne Wharf, all next to the ICC, eastward under Broad Street, through Gas Street Basin, to The Mailbox (Birmingham's former Head Post Office, turned into shops and restaurants).
Other walks in the City Centre include the wheelchair accessible summer Floral trail from The Mailbox to St Paul's Square, which in turn is the beginning point of another walk, the historic Jewellery Quarter in Bloom trail, where one can visit the Chamberlain Clock or St Paul's Church.
Canal trail passing by New Smethwick Pumping Station
Birmingham City Council produces an excellent cycling and walking map of the area. You can pick one up from any local library, tourist information office, leisure centre or bike shop. Birmingham is a somewhat cycle-friendly city, and is possible to get around without too much trouble. There are plenty of places to lock a bike up in the city centre, but few cycle lanes and lots of pedestrians. Unless you are touring the UK, the best use for a bike in Birmingham is to explore the extensive local canal network, such as the canal trail leading to the historic New Smethwick Pumping Station.
Road and cycle path maintenance in the area is far from perfect, and it is not uncommon for trees and parked cars to obstruct the right-of-way. The standard of driving is as bad as in other cities, so exercise extreme caution on main roads and at night. The canal network can be accessed in the city centre from the Broad Street/Gas Street area, or at most road crossings elsewhere. The towpath is generally well-maintained to within a few miles of the city, and after that tends to be packed earth with plenty of mud and embedded bricks.
The Sustrans National Cycle Network Route 5 (Oxford to Derby) passes through Birmingham from the south to the north-west. The local stretch is known as the Rea Valley Route, there is also the Cole Valley Route to the east.
Bus, train and Metro all come under the authority of Transport for West Midlands their website is the best source for all information required on public transport in the region .
All areas of Birmingham are well-served by bus routes, operated almost exclusively by National Express West Midlands (NXWM) with some competition from smaller providers, notably Diamond Buses. There is no central bus station for local services. Buses depart instead from one or more of five interchanges in the city centre (principally Bull Street/Priory Queensway, Snow Hill, Moor Street, Paradise Circus and New Street). Bus stop maps are available from libraries, tourist information offices and the Network West Midlands (NWM) office at New Street Station.
Route maps and timetables are available from the outlets mentioned above, and there are extensive online versions on the National Express West Midlands and Transport for West Midlands websites. If you do not have a lot of time to spare tracking down which buses serve which areas, you can use the Traveline Journey Planner (+44 871 200 2233 - premium rate).
Map of major bus routes
Ticket prices are now standard across all operators within the nBus region (the West Midlands0. Single fares are £3, on any bus. There are no return tickets, but day tickets are the equivalent, and are better value for two trips or more, at £5.20 per person. Alternatively, a Group Daysaver will cover up to 5 people (or 2 adults and 4 children) all day for £9.20. All these tickets can be purchased on the bus. For single trips, just tap your contactless card on the reader, and as you take more trips, your fare will be capped to the cheapest ticket you can get (i.e.: you take three trips, at the end of the day, you'll be charged £5.20). You can pay with cash, however most buses do not give change, so either get exact change ready (try to avoid notes) or be prepared to pay a little more.
Birmingham's bus system is roughly radial, with frequent services in and out of the city centre from most locations especially along the main radial routes. Additionally there are two useful circular routes, the Inner Circle, service 8A/8C, and the better known service 11A/11C, the Outer Circle (the A and C refer to anticlockwise and clockwise directions) which can be useful while travelling between different areas while avoiding the City Centre. There are also numerous services linking many suburbs, hospitals and shopping centres, which are generally less frequent and in some cases have no or poor evening or Sunday services. Compared to London, Birmingham has fewer bus lanes, which can result in much slower journeys at peak periods.
Charming Moor Street station retains many heritage features
There is an extensive overland rail network serving parts of Birmingham and the West Midlands area, operated mainly by West Midlands Trains. Route maps and timetables are available from libraries, tourist information offices, railway stations and the Traveline Journey Planner (+44 871 200 2233 - premium rate). You can take bicycles, pushchairs and wheelchairs on board without prior reservation, and there is usually a designated carriage.
Fares vary with distance, but you can expect to pay between £3 and £8 for a day return to a local destination. Fare-dodging is rife, and there has been a crackdown with ticket barriers at some stations (New Street, Snow Hill, Moor Street, Five Ways and University) and on-board checking. The penalty for not having a valid ticket is a £100 on-the-spot fine (which can be contested in court, but is rarely worth the hassle). They advertise you could be charged with a penalty of up to £1000, but that rarely happens, and they'll likely just sell you a valid ticket on the train. If you aren't sure the checker is legitimate, staff will be wearing West Midlands Railway, or Revenue Protection uniform, and should show you ID if you ask. They'll also have proper equipment to scan your ticket.
From New Street station, the cross-city line runs between Lichfield Trent Valley in the north and Redditch or Bromsgrove in the south, stopping notably at Sutton Coldfield (for Sutton Park), Aston (for Aston Hall), University (for the University of Birmingham and QE Hospital), Bournville (for Cadbury World) and Barnt Green (for Lickey Hills). Local services also run to Hereford (via Worcester and Malvern), Leamington Spa, Northampton (via Birmingham International Airport, Coventry and Rugby), Nuneaton, Shrewsbury (via Wolverhampton), Stafford (via Walsall), Stratford-upon-Avon, Tamworth and Warwick. Additional services to these areas run from Snow Hill and Moor Street stations (they are on the same line), and you may not be able to catch a specific train from New Street.
The Camp Hill line reopened in April 2026, with trains every half an hour, between Birmingham New Street, and Kings Norton, via Pineapple Road (residential area), Kings Heath, and Moseley Village.
Birmingham has a single 22km tram line with 35 stops, rather grandly called the West Midlands Metro. It runs between Edgbaston and Wolverhampton, via Brindleyplace, New Street and Snow Hill stations, the Jewellery Quarter, West Bromwich, Wednesbury and Bilston. Alternate trams towards Edgbaston take the two-stop spur to Millennium Point before reversing and continuing. An extension to Digbeth Coach Station from this spur is in hand, as is a second line from Wednesbury to Merry Hill, with more planned. The eventual hope is to run trams to the airport, but that's many decades down the line.
The Metro runs from roughly 6:30AM–11:30PM Monday-Saturday, and 8AM-11PM Sundays and bank holidays. Fares vary with distance, but expect to pay around £2 for a single, £3.50 for a return and £4.50 for a day pass (combined bus/train/Metro passes are also available). Full route, timetable and fare information is listed on the Metro website, and there is additional information on the TfWM website.
Water buses and taxis operate out of the canal offices in Gas Street Basin (underneath Broad Street). They also provide tours of the area. Obviously, they are limited to the local canals and are significantly slower than other forms of transport.
Birmingham's city centre is slowly but surely making travel by car less efficient. One-way systems and bollards are being installed to restrict car access, and make the city centre a nicer, brighter place for pedestrians. This means travel by car is possible to the major railway stations, and the outskirts and car parks, but the most direct way in and out is by train and bus, as buses can drop you right in the centre. During rush-hour, travel by car can become incredibly slow.
Birmingham City Council produces a map of city centre car parks (available from tourist information offices). Expect to pay £1-1.50 per hour in Pay & Display areas and more on street meters. Parking attendants patrol popular areas regularly, so expect a penalty fee if you return late.
You can pay for most parking using the RingGo or JustPark apps. These apps allow you to pay for parking, and add on more time remotely, with your phone. Signs at the car park will tell you what you need to use, and a code for the car park to ensure it's the right one. The cheapest parking is in Digbeth, with fees usually from around £1 per hour upto £4 per day. however these spaces aren't the safest, and street and off-street alike, they have a bad reputation for cars being stripped of body panels. See these car parks' Google reviews for some photos. If you want to use these, use them at peak times when people are likely to be around to see.
Car hire is possible in the city centre and at the airport.
A congestion charge of £8 per day applies to vehicles using roads inside the A4540 Middleway ring road. The charge does not apply to low emission vehicles. Put your registration into the online checker to find out if you have to pay, as not everyone does, and not every city has the same rules.
Motorcycles and mopeds are becoming increasingly popular in Birmingham as a way of avoiding rush hour traffic jams, and usually enjoy free parking in city centre car parks. Although not a lot of car parks have bike areas, there are a number of bays around the centre but none of them have any rails to lock your bike to.
Birmingham has an abundance of taxi ranks all over the city, the best-served being New Street Station. Both hackney carriages and private hire vehicles are easy to find, but you should exercise caution and not get into an unmarked car or one you haven't booked.
Friday and Saturday nights are the busiest times due to clubbers going home in masses, and there can be waits of over an hour if you're somewhere busy like Broad Street.
Popular providers include:
AFJ Minibuses, Birmingham Minibus hire available 24 hours a day.
Birmingham doesn't have a reputation for being especially picturesque, but there is a lot of interesting architecture in the city centre that the shops and crowds sometimes obscure. For such a (relatively) large population centre, the countryside (in the form of country parks such as the Lickey Hills, Waseley Hills, etc.) is surprisingly close.
For a place with a strong industrial heritage, Birmingham does not have the large range of historical attractions you may expect; however, this is offset by the arts being extremely well-represented.
52.5063-1.884361Aston Hall,Trinity Rd, Aston(Train to Aston or Witton or #7 bus),☏ +44 121 327-0062,bmag_enquiries@birmingham.gov.uk.Restored Jacobean mansion built between 1618 and 1635, containing period rooms and artwork. Cannon damage from the English Civil War is still visible. The Hall was visited by Arthur Conan Doyle and Washington Irving, inspiring the latter's 'Bracebridge Hall'. Aston Hall by Candlelight is a popular Christmas event that takes place every two years (even numbers) where the whole grounds are lit by candles for 17th-century festivities (fee charged). Closed when Aston Villa are playing at home. Admission to grounds is free.£8 (adults).(updated May 2019)
52.450419-1.9277282Barber Institute of Fine Arts,University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, B15 2TS(on the University of Birmingham campus, off Edgbaston Park Rd, train to University or #61, #62 or #63 bus),☏ +44 121 414-7333,fax: +44 121 414-3370,info@barber.org.uk.Mon-Sat 10AM-5PM, Sun noon-5PM.Small gallery with an excellent eclectic permanent collection, including many pre-Raphaelites. Good Britain Guide gallery of the year 2004. As of April 2026, the Barber galleries are closed for a major building improvement project.Free (donations welcome).(updated Feb 2018)
52.4803-1.9037863Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery,Chamberlain Square, B3 3DH(Central),☏ +44 121 303-2834.Wed-Sun 10AM-5PM.Large museum with some local history, several temporary exhibitions and large permanent collection, including an extensive collection of Pre-Raphaelite paintings. Home to part of the stunning Anglo-Saxon hoard, the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold metal work discovered just north of Birmingham in 2009. Includes the Gas Hall and Waterhall Gallery of Modern Art. As of August 2025, only some galleries are open, due to refurbishment.Free (donations welcome).(updated Aug 2025)
IKON Gallery in Brindleyplace
52.4776-1.91254IKON Gallery,1 Oozells Square, Brindleyplace, B1 2HS(off Broad St),☏ +44 121 248-0708,fax: +44 121 248-0709.Tue-Sun 11AM-5PM.Small gallery with two or three temporary modern and conceptual art installations. Excellent cafe (see below).Free (donations welcome).(updated Sep 2026)
52.4491-1.932175Lapworth Museum of Geology,University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, B15 2TS(on the University of Birmingham campus, off Edgbaston Park Rd, train to University or #61, #62 or #63 bus).Rocks and fossils, aimed at a broad range of audiences. One of five UK museums shortlisted for the Art Fund Museum of the Year Award in 2017, following major redevelopment of its displays.free.(updated Apr 2026)
52.4341-1.855816Sarehole Mill,Cole Bank Rd, Hall Green B13 OBD(#4, #5, #6 #11 buses),☏ +44 121 777-6612,fax: +44 121 236-1766,sarehole.mill@birminghammuseums.org.uk.Apr-Oct: Tue-Sun 11:30AM-4PM (closed Mondays except Bank Holidays).Built in 1765, Sarehole Mill is a fine example of one of more than fifty water mills that existed in Birmingham at one time. Matthew Boulton used the Mill for making buttons and for metal rolling until he moved his operations to Soho in 1761. In the late 1890s Sarehole was the childhood haunt of Hobbit author J.R.R. Tolkien, and famously influenced 'The Shire' in The Lord of the Rings. See website for special events. Nearby is Moseley Bog (see 'Parks and nature', below) a woodland said to have inspired Fangorn Forest. Admission to the grounds is free.Adults £6.(updated Feb 2018)
52.4849-1.90757Royal Birmingham Society of Artists(RBSA),4, Brook Street(Off St. Paul's Square. Metro: St. Paul's Square).Independent art gallery; frequent temporary exhibitions and works for sale.Free entrance.(updated Feb 2018)Steam engine at the Birmingham Science Museum
52.4996-1.92298Soho House,Soho Ave, Handsworth, B18 5LB(Located off Soho Rd, Buses: 74, 78 and 79, Metro: Benson Road (there is a steep uphill walk to the house)),☏ +44 121 554-9122,contact@birmingham.gov.uk.Wed Thu first Sun 11:30AM-4PM (plus some Bank Holidays & special occasions).The elegant home of industrial pioneer Matthew Boulton, who lived at the house from 1766 to 1809. Here, he met with some of the most important scientists, engineers and thinkers of his time - the Lunar Society. Entry by guided tour only: 11.30am, 1pm and 2.30pm.Adult £7; concession £5; child £3.(updated Feb 2018)
52.48263-1.886719Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum,Millennium Point, Curzon St(directions),☏ +44 121 202-2222,ffindout@thinktank.ac.Daily during school holidays 10AM-5PM (last admission 4PM).Science museum with lots of hands-on activities, vehicles and industrial machines, however the activities all smell of their popularity. IMAX cinema (see Cinema section) in the same building.(updated Feb 2018)
Back to Back houses
52.47431-1.8972310Birmingham Back to Backs,55-63 Hurst Street/50-54 Inge Street, B5 4TE,backtobacks@nationaltrust.org.uk.Tours must be booked a few days in advance, usually open Tue-Thu 1-5PM, Fri-Sun 10AM-5PM.Last surviving set of these 19th-century cramped, working-class houses in Birmingham, restored and preserved by the National Trust.£8.55.
Stamp room of the Newman Brothers' Coffin Works
52.481959-1.90737711The Coffin Works(Newman Brothers Coffin Furniture Factory),13-15 Fleet St,☏ +44 121 233-4785,newmanbrothers@coffinworks.org.Wed-Sun 10:45AM-3PM, last tour starts at 3PM.An industrial heritage museum in the Jewellery Quarter, dedicated to educating visitors about the social and industrial history and importance of the site which was in operation as a coffin furniture factory from 1894 to its closure in 1998. Ornaments made by the Newman Brothers decorated the coffins of Sir Winston Churchill, Joseph Chamberlain, and many others. Many of the historic rooms, among which the "stamp" room, can be viewed and visited. Guided tours are highly recommended and start at 1PM, 2PM and 3PM.£6.60 for adults, £4.40 for children, free under age of 5.(updated May 2018)
52.4727-1.8100512Blakesley Hall,Blakesley Rd(take bus 97 and get off at Station Road bus stop),☏ +44 121 348-8120.Wed-Sun 11AM-4PM.One of the oldest buildings in Birmingham and a typical example of "black & white" Tudor architecture, constructed in 1590 by Richard Smalbroke as a timber-framed farmhouse. Many historic artefacts are on display in the museum, including authentic candlesticks and pewter goblets. The Gilbertstone, moved in local folklore by the Giant named Gilbert, is displayed in the grounds of the museum.Adults £8, students and elderly £6, children younger than 15 £5.(updated Jul 2026)
The West Midlands region has been the hub for automotive production and development ever since the invention of the motor car, and even today two car factories remain operational within the city limits of Birmingham, both offering factory tours. There is also a chocolate factory for some sweeter treats.
Jaguar Castle Bromwich Assembly52.5155-1.799513Jaguar Castle Bromwich Assembly,Chester Road, Castle Vale,☏ +44 24 7620-5716,jbartho1@jaguarlandrover.com.The north of Birmingham hosts Jaguar's Castle Bromwich Assembly plant, which makes most Jaguar's models, and especially the high-end ones. Factory visits are available, and have to be pre-booked by contacting the Visitors Centre by phone or email.
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