We can travel for miles to uncover the history of an area, not realizing how much is on our doorstep. This is why we have started our recent blog series, Days Out, sharing with you some of the local places the Nurture Community have experienced, and recommend! Co-Director Clara, and her 9-year daughter, visited the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery in May, not long after it reopened at the end of April 2022.
“This month we have travelled directly into Birmingham City Centre, via the Lichfield Trent Valley line, to visit the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. This FREE museum is situated in the heart of the Second City’s Centre; close to the Town Hall and the local landmark, “The Goddess in the River.” This cultural centre is undergoing an upgrade post-lockdown; the fountain has finally been reinstated and the museum has had much-needed maintenance.
At the time, not all the exhibitions were “live;” after visiting their website we can see new and upcoming exhibitions that will certainly encourage us to come back. Over the year there is also a range of bookable, and some paid for, events and workshops, to really enhance your experience.
Open seven days a week, 10 am till 5pm, currently, five out of the 40 galleries have reopened, plus the stunning Edwardian Tearooms and museum gift shop. This museum has been a central part of Birmingham’s culture since it flung its doors open to the public in 1885!
The museum is truly eclectic, with a variety of thought-provoking exhibitions; this museum, I feel, can be better suited to older children as it currently isn’t as consistently interactive as you would like for younger children. However, it does cater for all styles, backgrounds, and needs.
We spent just over 90 minutes exploring several exhibitions, including:
Unprecedented Times
This invites visitors to take reflect on their experience of the pandemic, by bringing together pieces inspired by the pandemic or reflects the pandemic.
We are Birmingham
A radical transformation of the “round room” brings together a range of art that celebrates the people and places of Birmingham in the 21st Century.
Collection Stories
A thought-provoking collection of a million objects that ALL belong to the people in the city.
However, our favourite was the very interactive Wonderland: Birmingham’s Cinema’s Stories. This is really showing the power of community, curated by Flatpack Projects, with a team of volunteer researchers and Birmingham Museums Trust, to map 150 + cinemas across the city. We had NO IDEA of the history of cinema, and how influential the area is to this industry!
The museum is expecting to be fully open by 2024, with partial shutdowns to accommodate the essential electrical work, so make sure you check their website and social media before you plan your trip to Brum!
We certainly can’t wait to go back; maybe we will see you there?