Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery opens its doors to the public today (23 October) in the first phase of its reopening as part of a major redevelopment.
The city-centre site closed in late 2019 to undergo a £5m revamp that included improvements to the Grade II*-listed building’s heating, electrics, lifts and roofing.
From today, visitors will be able to see the new Made in Birmingham display in the Industrial Gallery.
Featuring the giant logo from the now-demolished HP Sauce factory, a sign from the Eagle & Tun pub (which featured in UB40’s Red Red Wine music video), and vintage advertising signage from Bird’s Custard, the displays explore “the people, places and things which make the city what it is”.
The museum’s Round Room gallery is also reopening with a new display about how art can be a way to see the world differently. The much-loved bronze statue Lucifer, by Jacob Epstein, and a painting of penguins by Henry Stacy Marks are also back on display.
Elsewhere, two new galleries are dedicated to children and families, telling stories about nature in the city. Key objects include the famous portrait of the Official Rat Catcher to the City of Birmingham by Arthur Charles Shorthouse and a small soft play and coffee area.
“This reopening is a big first step in the development of a new museum for the people of Birmingham,” said Sara Wajid and Zak Mensah, co-CEOs at Birmingham Museums Trust.
“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 will share in that joy and see themselves reflected in the displays.”
Elsewhere, an exhibition of photographic portraits by Arpita Shah celebrating the identities and experiences of young South Asian women from Birmingham and the West Midlands has opened in the Bridge Gallery.
The gallery is also showing an exhibition of Curtis Holder’s portraits of Carlos Acosta, who is director of Birmingham Royal Ballet, while the Victorian Radicals exhibition of Pre-Raphaelite art will continue in the Gas Hall until 5 January 2025.
A new digital gallery and activity space – the 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 an inspiration.
The capital project has been funded through the UK Government’s Museum Estate and Development Fund (Mend) scheme, as well as through grants from FCC Communities Foundation, DCMS/Wolfson Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund and Friends of Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery.
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery’s new opening times are Wednesday to Sunday from 10am until 5pm. Entry is free.
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