Things to do in Birmingham
Knowledge Train Birmingham,
Izabella House,
24 Regent Place,
Birmingham B1 3NJ,
England,
United Kingdom.
Music
Notable professional orchestras based in the city include the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, the Royal Ballet Sinfonia and Ex Cathedra. The Orchestra of the Swan is the resident chamber orchestra at Birmingham Town Hall – Victoria Square, Birmingham B3 3DQ.
Birmingham’s other music venues include Arena Birmingham, O2 Academy on Bristol Street, the CBSO Centre, HMV Institute in Digbeth and the Bradshaw Hall at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire – 200 Jennens Road, Birmingham B4 7XR.
Since 2012 the Digbeth-based indie music scene has attracted widespread attention. Many consider Birmingham the best place in the United Kingdom to look to for exciting new music.
More music venues in Birmingham
The Crossing1 Milk Street, Deritend, Birmingham B5 5SU, England, United Kingdom. Phone: 0121 694 6238 |
The Jam House3-5 Street Paul’s Squareuare, Birmingham B3 1QU, England, United Kingdom. Phone: 0121 200 3030 |
The Mill29 Lower Trinity Street, Deritend, Birmingham B9 4AG, England, United Kingdom. Phone: 0117 925 9273 |
The Sunflower Lounge76 Smallbrook Queensway, Birmingham B5 4EG, England, United Kingdom. Phone: 0121 632 6756 |
The FlapperKingston Row, Cambrian Wharf, Birmingham B1 2NU, England, United Kingdom. Phone: 0121 236 2421 |
Pizza Express Live BirminghamThe Water’s Edge, Broad Street, Birmingham B1 2HL, England, United Kingdom. Phone: 020 7439 4962 |
Map showing music venues in Birmingham
Theatre
Birmingham Repertory Theatre is Britain’s longest-established producing theatre, touring nationally and internationally. Other producing theatres in the city include the Blue Orange Theatre in the Jewellery Quarter, the Banner Theatre, the Maverick Theatre Company and Kindle Theatre.
The Alexandra Theatre and the Birmingham Hippodrome host large-scale productions. Other stages across the city include the Crescent Theatre, the Custard Factory, the Old Joint Stock Theatre and the Drum in Aston.
The Birmingham Royal Ballet is one of the United Kingdom’s 5 major ballet companies and resides at the Birmingham Hippodrome
The company’s associated ballet school – Elmhurst School for Dance in Edgbaston – is the oldest vocational dance school in the country
More theatres in Birmingham
Crescent Theatre20 Sheepcote Street, Birmingham B16 8AE, England, United Kingdom. Phone: 0121 643 5858 |
Birmingham Repertory TheatreBroad Street, Birmingham B1 2EP, England, United Kingdom. Phone: 0121 236 4455 |
The Old Rep Theatre45 Station Street, Birmingham B5 4DY, England, United Kingdom. Phone: 0121 359 9444 |
Blue Orange Theatre118 Great Hampton Street, Birmingham B18 6AD, England, United Kingdom. Phone: 0121 212 2643 |
The AlexandraSuffolk Street Queensway, Birmingham B5 4DS, England, United Kingdom. Phone: 0333 009 6690 |
CBSO CentreCBSO Centre, Berkley Street, Birmingham B1 2LF, England, United Kingdom. Phone: 0121 616 6500 |
Map showing theatres in Birmingham
Museums
Birmingham has two major public art collections. Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery is best known for design holdings including Europe’s pre-eminent collections of ceramics and fine metalwork.
The Barber Institute of Fine Arts in Edgbaston is one of the finest small art galleries in the world, with a collection of exceptional quality representing Western art from the 13th century to the present day.
Birmingham Birmingham Museums Trust runs other museums in the city including Aston Hall, Blakesley Hall, the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter, Soho House and Sarehole Mill
Cadbury World is a museum showing the history of chocolate and the company. The Ikon Gallery hosts displays of contemporary art, as does Eastside Projects.
Thinktank is Birmingham’s main science museum. Other science-based museums include the National Sea Life Centre in Brindleyplace, the Lapworth Museum of Geology at the University of Birmingham and the Centre of the Earth environmental education centre in Winson Green.
More museums in Birmingham
Birmingham Museum & Art GalleryChamberlain Square, Birmingham B3 3DH, England, United Kingdom. Phone: 0121 348 8032 |
Museum of the Jewellery Quarter75-80 Vyse Street, Birmingham B18 6HA, England, United Kingdom. Phone: 0121 348 8140 |
The Coffin Works13-15 Fleet Street, Birmingham B3 1JP, England, United Kingdom. Phone: 0121 233 4790 |
Thinktank Birmingham Science MuseumAddress: Millennium Point, Curzon Street, Birmingham B4 7XG, England, United Kingdom. Phone: 0121 348 8000 |
Pen MuseumThe Argent Centre, 60 Frederick Street, Birmingham B1 3HS, England, United Kingdom. Phone: 0121 236 9834 |
The Lock-up6NW, Steelhouse Lane, Birmingham B4 6RL, England, United Kingdom. Phone: 0345 113 5000 |
Soho HouseSoho Avenue, Birmingham B18 5LB, England, United Kingdom. Phone: 0121 348 8150 |
Ikon Gallery1 Oozells Street, Birmingham B1 2HS, England, United Kingdom. Main Phone: 0121 248 0708 |
Map showing museums in Birmingham
Festivals
Birmingham is home to many national festivals. The city’s largest single-day event is its Street. Patrick’s Day parade.
Multicultural events include the Bangla Mela and the Vaisakhi Mela. The Birmingham Heritage Festival is a Mardi Gras style event in August. The Caribbean Birmingham International Carnival takes place every other year.
The United Kingdom’s largest two-day Gay Pride is Birmingham Pride which is typically held over a weekend in May. Birmingham Pride takes place in the gay village.
The Birmingham Tattoo is a long-standing military show held annually at the National Indoor Arena.
Since 2001, Birmingham has been host to the Frankfurt Christmas Market, the United Kingdom’s largest outdoor Christmas market.
Other festivals in the city include the Birmingham International Jazz Festival and Party in the Park, which allows new artists to showcase themselves and their music in a one-day music festival
Architecture
Birmingham’s’ growth began during the Industrial Revolution. As such, few buildings survive from earlier history and those that do are protected.
Traces of medieval Birmingham can be seen in the oldest churches, notably the original parish church, Street Martin in the Bull Ring. A few other buildings from the medieval and Tudor periods survive, among them the Lad in the Lane, The Old Crown, the Saracen’s Head and Blakesley Hall.
A number of Georgian buildings survive, including St Philip’s Cathedral, Soho House, Perrott’s Folly, the Town Hall and much of St Paul’s Square.
Street Chad’s Cathedral was the first Roman Catholic cathedral to be built in the United Kingdom since the Reformation.
Postwar redevelopment and anti-Victorianism resulted in the loss of many Victorian buildings like New Street station and the old Central Library.
There has been sweeping redevelopment in the city centre in recent years, including the award-winning Future Systems building in the Bullring Shopping Centre, the Brindley place project, and the refurbishment of the Rotunda building.
