Birmingham

Aston Hall

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)

BT Tower

Completed in 1966, it is the second tallest structure in Birmingham at 152 m, and serves solely as the support for transmission antennas mounted atop it. It has no viewing platform or other accessible floors at all, but it can serve as a landmark and orientation point as it is clearly visible from many parts of the city. Its square profile sets it apart from many other similar structures in the world.

Barber Institute of Fine Arts

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.

Mon-Sat 10AM-5PM, Sun noon-5PM·Free (donations welcome)

Bell Edison Telephone Building

The Exchange

A signature, Grade-I-listed, building for the red-brick-and-terracota Victorian style prevalent in the late 19th century in Birmingham, which lacked natural stone and battled sooting problems due to air pollution. It is also a symbol of modernisation of Birmingham, as it was built to house the Central Telephone Exchange for the city; the logos of the Bell-Edison company are still visible within the building. As the telephone exchange relocated many decades ago, the building now houses offices and a bar.

Birmingham Back to Backs

Last surviving set of these 19th-century cramped, working-class houses in Birmingham, restored and preserved by the National Trust.

Tours must be booked a few days in advance, usually open Tue-Thu 1-5PM, Fri-Sun 10AM-5PM·£8.55

Birmingham Botanical Gardens & Glasshouses

Large botanical gardens with a huge range of plants and workshops throughout the year.

Mon-Sat 9AM-7PM, Sun 10AM-7PM (closes at 5PM or dusk Oct-Mar)·£6.10 (concessions £3.60, family tickets available)

Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery

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.

Wed-Sun 10AM-5PM·Free (donations welcome)

Birmingham Nature Centre

Six-acre centre with lots of animals and birds, including deer, otters, owls and two rare Red Pandas.

Apr-Oct: daily 10AM-5PM; Nov-Mar: Sat Sun 10AM-4PM·£9.50 (concessions £7.00, children under 3 free)

Birmingham Peace Pagoda

Situated in an inner-city area of Birmingham close to Edgbaston Reservoir, the gold-roofed pagoda is a sight to behold. The pagoda is designed as symbol of peace, compassion and the noble exemplary qualities of the Buddha.

Birmingham School of Art

Birmingham Institute of Art and Design

Built in 1885 in High Victorian red brick style as a new seat for the Birmingham School of Art, the building retains its original function as its original occupier survived several educational institution mergers and is now the Birmingham Institute of Art and Design within Birmingham City University. The building itself is Grade I listed.

Blakesley Hall

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.

Wed-Sun 11AM-4PM·Adults £8, students and elderly £6, children younger than 15 £5

Cadbury World

Huge chocolate factory south of the city centre. Tour includes the history of chocolate and the Cadbury company, plus a brief look at some of the factory floor. Some free chocolate, plus relatively cheap mis-shapes in the shop.

Opening times vary enormously but tend to be daily 10AM-5PM in the spring, summer and autumn·Entry from £24 (online price; costs more in person)

Cannon Hill Park

Take a walk around on the Moseley/Edgbaston border. The park has a boating lake and is home to the Midlands Arts Centre. This has a theatre, an 'art-house' cinema and year-round exhibitions.

Council House

The seat of local government. Not open to the public, except for special events and council meetings. Several WWI & II memorial plaques have been relocated here from other municipal buildings and may be seen by appointment.

Curzon Street station

The original central railway station of Birmingham, offering connections to London, Liverpool and Manchester since 1838. It was quickly overshadowed by the first Birmingham New Street station, built in 1854, and saw less and less traffic, becoming a goods station only in the 20th century, before being put completely out of use in 1996 with its tracks later dismantled. The only surviving remainder is the original station entrance building, which is Grade I listed and quite elegant in form, and part of a side wall. As of 2025, it stands next to land which is being redeveloped as the terminus for the HS2 railway, into which it is to be incorporated. The building is not open for visiting.

Hall of Memory

A war memorial built in 1925 for the 12,320 Birmingham citizens killed in the First World War.

Mon-Sat 10AM-4PM·free

Hudson's Coffee House

The former coffee house is a rare, Grade I listed, example of a wall-to-wall townhouse in the Arts & Crafts style. It was built to house offices of the Eagle Insurance Company in 1900.

IKON Gallery

Small gallery with two or three temporary modern and conceptual art installations. Excellent cafe (see below).

Tue-Sun 11AM-5PM·Free (donations welcome)

Jaguar Castle Bromwich Assembly

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.

Lapworth Museum of Geology

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

Library of Birmingham

The new library building at Centenary Square was opened in September 2013 to replace the 1970 Birmingham Central Library nearby (demolished 2016). It is the single largest public library in the UK and one of the largest in Europe. The building was designed by the Dutch firm Mecanoo architecten, and took four years to build. It includes an intricate facade decoration, despite the very simple form of the building, as well as a number of innovative sustainable features. To explore the building take the lift to the top (9th) floor to see the Shakespeare Memorial Room, a fine wooden panelled library, which used to be in the city's library built in 1882. There is also a viewing window to look over the city. There are outside garden spaces on the 7th and 3rd floors which give different city views. The four lower floors house the public library, laid out in impressive style.

Mon-Fri 8AM-8PM, Sat 9AM-5PM·Free

Methodist Central Hall

The hall was built in 1904 in a similar red-brick-and-terracota style to the Victoria Law Courts it faces. It is distinguished by its tall tower. It also retail premises at street level, some with original shop fronts. The building ceased to perform its original function and has been used as a very large night club. It is Grade II listed, and on "at risk" registers.

Moseley Bog & Joy's Wood Nature Reserve

The Dell

A small woodland area that is said to be the Inspiration for Fangorn Forest in the Lord of The Rings. The area is well looked after with a series of wooden platforms and walkways creating pathways to follow. A visit can also be linked in with Sarehole Mill (see above), another haunt of young Tolkien.

Free

Museum of the Jewellery Quarter

Jewellery workshop abandoned in working condition, later reopened as a museum. Visits are by tour, lasting approximately one hour. Worth seeing, especially in the context of the wider, still working commercial Jewellery Quarter.

Tu-Sa 10:30AM-4PM (last admission one hour before), closed Sunday and Monday except Bank Holiday Mondays·Adults: £7

National Sea Life Centre

Large sea life centre with a multitude of aquatic animals, including piranhas, turtles, sea horses, rays and otters. Feeding demonstrations throughout the day.

10AM-6PM (last admission Mon-Fri 4PM, Sat Sun 5PM)·£9.95 (concessions £6.95, family tickets available)

RSPB Sandwell Valley

A bird reserve on the border with Sandwell which organises regular guided walks, talks and family activities.

Tue-Fri 9AM-5PM, Sat Sun 10AM-5PM (closes at dusk in winter)·free entrance

Red Palace

A thin corner building in the red-brick-and-terracota style was devised to house industrial workshops, with incorporated machinery and infrastructure. The building, distinguished by its ornamental tower at the very corner, ended up housing consecutive ethnic restaurants, most recently Syrian.

Rotunda

The Rotunda was devised as a 25-storey office building in a round shape, from which it derives its name. In many ways, it was a groundbreaking and daring engineering and architectural feat when it was constructed, and because of this is Grade II listed. In the 2000s it was thoroughly refurbished as a residential tower with 232 luxury apartments. Those on floors 19 and 20 are available for short term stays via Staying Cool, who operates them. The building is not accessible to the public.

Royal Birmingham Society of Artists

RBSA

Independent art gallery; frequent temporary exhibitions and works for sale.

Free entrance

Sarehole Mill

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.

Apr-Oct: Tue-Sun 11:30AM-4PM (closed Mondays except Bank Holidays)·Adults £6