City Guides
Birmingham
Art Galleries
Birmingham offers a range of art venues and exhibitions; including a large central gallery, six community museums, a respected multimedia gallery and one of the oldest art societies in the country.
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, in Chamberlain Square, was opened in 1885 and houses a vast collection of art and exhibits documenting 400,000 years of history. Amongst the breathtaking array of exhibits is the largest collection of Pre-Raphaelite works in the world. There are also displays of works by the Old Masters and Impressionists. Included in the gallery’s exhibits are fine and applied arts exploring archaeology and ethnography, natural and social history.
The gallery is housed in an old Victorian school, with a small café, gift shop and other facilities. A regular bus service links the gallery to the city centre, and there is also a free ‘History Bus’, ferrying passengers between the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and the six community museums around the city.
Admission is free and the gallery is open seven days a week, closing at 5pm. Call 0121 303 2834 for more information.
The Ikon Gallery has developed a reputation over the last forty years for excellence and innovation. The gallery is a contemporary arts venue, and home to an impressive collection of multimedia art works, including sound, film, photography and art installations. Built over two floors, and housed in a neo-gothic building in Oozells Square, the gallery frequently changes its displays, offering a wider selection of art to the public.
Ikon is a registered charity with a commitment to education, and participates in a variety of talks, tours, workshops and seminars around the UK. The gallery also works to encourage new artists and provides opportunities for the showcasing of their works.
Ikon Shop is a specialist art shop, offering a range of art publications, and a 10% discount for students. Café Ikon is a tapas bar with a license to serve alcohol; open until 11pm, Monday to Saturday, and closing at 6pm on Sundays. The venue is available to hire for private functions and parties.
Admission to the gallery is free, and it is open seven days a week and closed on Mondays (except Bank Holidays). Call on 0121 248 0708.
The Custard Factory – named for the custard-making factories that once stood on the site – is Birmingham’s arts and media quarter. Opened in 1990, the five-acre site is now home to five hundred artists and small creative enterprises; and as well as these studios and workshops, the Quarter also comprises a theatre café, antiques shops, several small art galleries, a bar and a nightclub. The ‘Green Man’ sculpture, created from earth, fire and water, forms an impressive centre to this expanding, bohemian area. Call 0121 224 7777 for more information.
The Royal Birmingham Society of Artists (RBSA) is one of the oldest art societies in the UK. Set up in 1821, the organisation owns and runs two galleries in the city, exhibiting works by Midlands’ Artists and Craftsmen. The central building, Dakota House, also comprises a craft gallery, café and workshop space. Call 0121 236 4353 for more information.
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, in Chamberlain Square, was opened in 1885 and houses a vast collection of art and exhibits documenting 400,000 years of history. Amongst the breathtaking array of exhibits is the largest collection of Pre-Raphaelite works in the world. There are also displays of works by the Old Masters and Impressionists. Included in the gallery’s exhibits are fine and applied arts exploring archaeology and ethnography, natural and social history.
The gallery is housed in an old Victorian school, with a small café, gift shop and other facilities. A regular bus service links the gallery to the city centre, and there is also a free ‘History Bus’, ferrying passengers between the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and the six community museums around the city.
Admission is free and the gallery is open seven days a week, closing at 5pm. Call 0121 303 2834 for more information.
The Ikon Gallery has developed a reputation over the last forty years for excellence and innovation. The gallery is a contemporary arts venue, and home to an impressive collection of multimedia art works, including sound, film, photography and art installations. Built over two floors, and housed in a neo-gothic building in Oozells Square, the gallery frequently changes its displays, offering a wider selection of art to the public.
Ikon is a registered charity with a commitment to education, and participates in a variety of talks, tours, workshops and seminars around the UK. The gallery also works to encourage new artists and provides opportunities for the showcasing of their works.
Ikon Shop is a specialist art shop, offering a range of art publications, and a 10% discount for students. Café Ikon is a tapas bar with a license to serve alcohol; open until 11pm, Monday to Saturday, and closing at 6pm on Sundays. The venue is available to hire for private functions and parties.
Admission to the gallery is free, and it is open seven days a week and closed on Mondays (except Bank Holidays). Call on 0121 248 0708.
The Custard Factory – named for the custard-making factories that once stood on the site – is Birmingham’s arts and media quarter. Opened in 1990, the five-acre site is now home to five hundred artists and small creative enterprises; and as well as these studios and workshops, the Quarter also comprises a theatre café, antiques shops, several small art galleries, a bar and a nightclub. The ‘Green Man’ sculpture, created from earth, fire and water, forms an impressive centre to this expanding, bohemian area. Call 0121 224 7777 for more information.
The Royal Birmingham Society of Artists (RBSA) is one of the oldest art societies in the UK. Set up in 1821, the organisation owns and runs two galleries in the city, exhibiting works by Midlands’ Artists and Craftsmen. The central building, Dakota House, also comprises a craft gallery, café and workshop space. Call 0121 236 4353 for more information.
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