Birmingham Attractions
Birmingham has a lot to offer to anyone wishing to take the time to visit the city. If you're staying an extra day or two, or your partner is one of the ConferenceWidows, or you just want to sneak away from the conference for an afternoon, below are some of the highlights Birmingham has to offer.
See also The Open Guide To Birmingham for further ideas of places to visit.
City Centre
- Shops - Birmingham City Centre has one of the largest shopping centres in Europe, with it's centre pieces being The Bullring, Selfridges and The Mailbox. You'll find high-end boutiques right through to several discount outlets as well as indoor markets (next to The Bullring) and outdoor market (near Saint Martineau Square) all within a short walk of the conference venue.
- Live Music, Theatres, and Cinemas - The Symphony Hall, CBSO Centre, NIA, The Rep, Alexandra Theatre and The Odeon are just a few of the venues you might want to investigate. While most feature evening events, some also have Lunchtime Recitals or afternoon matinee performances.
- Museums and Art Galleries - Birmingham has many, just mentioning a few:
- Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery - Massive collection of art and historical artefacts, including one of the best collections of Pre-Raphaelite art in the world. Free entry to the permanent collection and it has a trendy cafe. (Free entry)
- Paula Rego Printmaker - a special exhibition of modern Fine Art will be on in one of the galleries
- In Touch - a special exhibition of art and actefacts you can actually touch, smell, listen to etc, will be on in one of the galleries
- Museum of the Jewellery Quarter - if you like jewellery then this is your heaven on a stick, need we say more? (Free entry)
- Blakesley Hall - 16th-century timber-framed house at Blakesley, again with beautiful gardens. (Free entry)
- Ikon Gallery - media art gallery, including sound, film, mixed media, photography, painting, sculpture and installation.
- Thinktank - Birmingham's science museum. Really good fun, has lots of interesting industrial revolution machines as well as modern technology.
- Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery - Massive collection of art and historical artefacts, including one of the best collections of Pre-Raphaelite art in the world. Free entry to the permanent collection and it has a trendy cafe. (Free entry)
- Tourist Attractions - again just a few:
- The National Sealife Centre
- The Custard Factory - massive riverside factory turned into bohemian community of artists and small creative enterprises. Little shops and workshops, galleries, cafe, bars and clubs. On Saturday they have extra flea market of vintage fashion, art and designer couture.
- Canal cruise - A scenic and heritage-based waterborne tour of Birmingham, about 2 hours and you get a cup of tea, not bad for a few quid, it even has a bar on board.
- Religious buildings - prior to 1715, Birmingham only had one church, St Martin's, then they built St Philip's Church (now St Philip's Cathedral aka Birmingham Cathedral). St Philip's Cathedral has famous windows, while St. Martin's has Europe's largest shopping mall built around it. Both are worth a quick visit. In the 19th Century, churches were built at an amazing rate in Birmingham, including the Catholic Cathedral of Saint Chad. By the end of the 19th Century, there were so many seats in Birmingham churches that even if every resident went to a morning or evening service, there would still be spare seats. The 20th Century, has brought even more diverse religious buildings including Birmingham Central Mosque, one of the most prominent and important mosques in the UK.
Around Birmingham
Live Music, Theatres, and Cinemas - The Midlands Arts Centre (The MAC) regularly features non-mainstream performances, exhibitions & films and even some mainstream ones too.
- Tourist Attractions - too many to mention them all, but...
- Sarehole Mill - 200 year old mill with Lord of the Rings connections and a massive country park. (Free entry)
- Soho House - the home of Matthew Boulton, father of the industrial revolution. (Free entry)
- Weoley Castle - walk around the really nice grounds then stand on a viewing platform to see the ruins of an ancient castle that was blown to bits (Free entry)
- Cadbury World - A theme park devoted to Britain's biggest chocolate maker.
- Country Parks
- Cannon Hill Park (next to The MAC)
- Sutton Park
- Lickey Hills
- Waseley Hills
- Clent Hills
In The Midlands
Aside from Birmingham there are plenty of nearby cities, towns and villages that might be of interest. Most if not all have rail links from Birmingham, are under an hour away by train or car.
- Historic Stratford up Avon (home of Shakespeare and John Harvard).
- Warwick and Warwick Castle (nice big castle that survived the wars).
- Nottingham (Robin Hood) for Nottingham Castle and the Robin Hood Centre.
- Coventry for it's Motor Heritage Museum.
Dudley for The Black Country Museum, Dudbly Castle & Zoo and the nearby Merry Hill Shopping Centre
.