By james art - The ‘Made in Birmingham’ display explores some of the people, places and things that make the city what it is.
- New and familiar artworks exhibited with a focus that better reflects the city’s personality and future.
- The teahouse and museum shop are reopening to visitors.
- The museum reopens Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- The Victorian Radicals exhibition has been extended until 5 January 2025.
An exciting new exhibition exploring the characteristics of Birmingham and what it means to be shaped by it is at the heart of the latest phase of the much-anticipated re-opening of Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery in Colmore business district on Thursday 24 October.
‘Made in Birmingham’ is a new exhibition in the Industrial Gallery – one of several spaces to be re-opened to the public after essential heating, electrical, lift and roof maintenance works were completed on schedule across the Council building complex .
Whether you’re a lifelong resident or a passing visitor, everyone has an opinion about the city, and Made in Birmingham looks beyond the stereotypes to explore the real Birmingham – sometimes wonderful, sometimes frustrating and with a tendency to knock it all down and start over.
Made in Birmingham starts with items such as the giant logo from the now-demolished HP Sauce Factory, a sign from the Eagle & Tun pub (made famous in UB40’s Red Red Wine video), vintage advertising signs from Bird’s Custard and a large model showing an abandoned vision of what Centenary Square could have been, among dozens of other strange objects that tell the story of a city that “will be beautiful when it’s finished.”
Representing Birmingham’s art collection for almost 150 years, the impressive Round Room Gallery has reopened with ‘One Fresh Take’, a new exhibition about how art can be a way of seeing the world differently. Visitors can discover how artists from David Cox to Lubaina Himid, Bridget Riley to Cold War Steve, have brought a new perspective to places that are meaningful to them.
Familiar Round Room favorites – Jacob Epstein’s bronze Lucifer and the much-loved penguin painting Dominicans in Feathers by Henry Stacey Marks – are also on display again. A new exhibition called “Wild City” features two new galleries dedicated to children and families telling stories about nature in the city. Wild City looks at wildlife and the natural environment past, present and future and Birmingham’s historic links with animals.
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery reopens with the welcome addition of The Pixel Studio – a new digital gallery and activity space. Pixel Studio will host screenings of digital work and immersive experiences created by artists and producers from across the region, as well as showcasing collaborations using the collections as inspiration.
Directed by Pogus Caesar, The Tiny Spark reimagines the Handsworth riots of 1985 and takes the viewer on a journey of witnessing those fateful days on the streets of Birmingham city centre. The film features the poetry of Benjamin Sofania.
The popular tea room has also reopened for refreshments in a beautiful setting, while unique gift collections and collaborations with local artists and creatives can be found in the revamped Museum Shop.
The world-renowned Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition, on loan from the Natural History Museum, London, runs at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery’s Waterhall (until 20 April 2025), featuring exceptional images that capture fascinating animal behavior , spectacular species and breathtaking diversity of the natural world.
Sarah Wajid and Zac Mensah, co-chief executives at Birmingham Museums Trust, said: “This re-opening is a great first step in the development of a new museum for the people of Birmingham. The new displays are a celebration of our vibrant city and its rich history.
“It brings us great joy to be able to welcome visitors back into these spaces and we hope people share that joy and see themselves reflected in the displays.”
Major capital works for Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery have been made possible thanks to funding from the Government’s Museums Estates and Development Fund (MEND) through Arts Council England. We are extremely grateful to our sponsors FCC Communities Foundation, DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund and Friends of Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery for their generous support in reopening the galleries during this phase of the redevelopment.
Birmingham Museums Trust is able to share the city’s diverse collections, histories and spaces with the people of Birmingham and beyond thanks to regular funding from Birmingham City Council and Arts Council England, as well as the kind support of many individuals, companies and charities trusts.
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery is open Wednesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm. Visitors will not need to book a ticket and more information can be found at birminghammuseums.org.uk