Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery

Jake Davies

Pre-Raphaelites at the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. — The biggest collection of works by the Pre-Raphaelites in the world can be seen at the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery

History

Little known outside of Birmingham itself, the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery is a world-class museum with exhibits to suit many tastes.

A museum is often a good way to pass a rainy day, but this one is worth visiting in any weather and is well worth a detour if you in the area.

Opened in 1885 the museum has been extended and modernized several times and the interior spaces are spacious, light and airy. There are 40 separate galleries in the complex so you could easily spend half a day here, if not longer.

The Birmingham Museum features classic Victorian architecture. — The Birmingham Museum features elegant interiors and classic Victorian architecture

Exhibits

One of the galleries is devoted to the Staffordshire Hoard, the single largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold and silver jewelry ever discovered which consists of more than 3,000 pieces.

The hoard was discovered and excavations began in 2009 near Hammerwich in Staffordshire which was part of the ancient kingdom of Mercia.

It is believed the hoard was deposited in the 7th century. Obviously there are various theories as to the origin and reason for the burial of the hoard, but it is unusual in that almost every piece has a martial character. There are no domestic objects nor anything associated with females.

Display of products from Birmingham's industrial past. — Display of wrought iron products from Birmingham's industrial past

Goods From Japan delivered to your home or business. — Goods From Japan delivered to your home or business

The Edwardian Tea Room, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. — The Edwardian Tea Room where you can take a break and enjoy food and drinks while exploring Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery

Pre-Raphaelites

The museum is also justly famous for its collection of paintings and artworks from the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.

This was the group of artists and poets founded in 1848 and included John Everett Millais and Dante Gabriel Rossetti.

The museum has the biggest public collection of their work in the world, and also of the artist and designer Edward Burne-Jones, associated with the group and also a partner of William Morris.

The Staffordhire Hoard, a collection of Anglo-Saxon gold and silver jewelry. — The Staffordhire Hoard, a magnificent collection of 7th Century Anglo-Saxon gold and silver jewelry and ornamentation

The museum's collection of art covers the 14th through the 21st centuries, and includes works by such British artists as Constable, Hogarth, and Turner.

In addition there are many European works including pieces by Rubens, Degas, Renoir, and Botticelli.

The collection also includes some contemporary works. Furthermore, the art gallery holds temporary and changing exhibitions throughout the year.

A large part of the museum focuses on history and life in Birmingham. At the height of the Industrial revolution the city was known as the "workshop of the world" and there are many displays of the crafts and products created during this time. There are also galleries for Natural History and Social History.

From around the world there are galleries of antiquities from the Roman Empire, Classical Greece, Egypt, Central Asia, South America, and India, including a 7th century Buddhist statue that was the first object donated to the museum. As with the Art Gallery, the museum also hosts changing exhibitions on a variety of themes.

The museum has a large shop and the Bridge Cafe where snacks can be enjoyed. The Edwardian Tea Room is an elegant space to enjoy not just tea but a full range of meals.

40 different galleries, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. — 40 different galleries await the visitor to the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery

Accommodation

There are places to stay to suit all budgets in the city.

At the top end try the Clayton Hotel Birmingham or the Jurys Inn on Broad Street.

See a list of hotels in Birmingham.

Contemporary art is also on display among the Old Masters at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. — Contemporary art is also on display among the Old Masters at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery

Information & Hours

Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
Chamberlain Square
Birmingham B3 3DH.
Tel: 0121 348 8000
www: birminghammuseums.org.uk/bmag

Open from 10 am to 5 pm every day. Entry is free although some special exhibitions may have a charge.

Located in the city centre near the Town Hall and Birmingham Library. There are tram stops nearby and the museum is a 10 minute walk from New Street Station or Snow Hill Station.

Access - Getting to Birmingham

Birmingham New Street Station, right in the city centre, is Birmingham's main station with trains to Manchester Piccadilly, Liverpool Lime Street and London Euston.

There are local train services from Snow Hill and Moor Street stations to Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwick, Worcester and Malvern.

Long distance National Express buses run nationwide from the bus station in Digbeth.

City transport in Birmingham is good and getting better with the Midland Metro a light rail system connecting Birmingham and Wolverhampton via West Bromwich, Bilston and Wednesbury.

Centro organizes and co-ordinates the transport network in the West Midlands which includes the Midland Metro, buses and trains. Eventually the SWIFT smart card will be valid over the whole network.

Birmingham Airport, formerly Birmingham International Airport, is just over 5 miles south east of the city centre and offers both domestic and international flights.

Birmingham International Station serves the airport and is just 10-15 minutes from New Street. There are buses to the airport from Birmingham city centre, Coventry, Erdington and Solihull.