10 Best Museums and Galleries in Birmingham

Aston Hall is a red-brick mansion that dates to the 17th century and rests at the heart of a public park, offering vast green space, deep history and splendour. The building is located on Birmingham's north side and is among the last Jacobean houses built. It dates to 1635 and was besieged during the English Civil War. The Grade I-listed building has been completely restored, and tours are available where you'll see authentic period furnishings, decor, artistry and artefacts. Knowledgeable guides will tell you all about the history of the building and its contents. An on-site cafe and shop lets you grab lite fare or find the perfect souvenir.

The Museum of the Jewellery Quarter is in the heart of its namesake district and offers a look at the jewellery trade in Birmingham from the 19th century to today. The city, and in particular this district, has been at the centre of the UK's jewellery trade for almost 200 years and remains so today. The museum is in a restored manufacturing facility once known as Smith and Pepper. When the facility closed, the owners packed up and left with all of their tools, equipment and gear still there. Visitors today can see these original artefacts exactly as they were through guided tours.

The National Motorcycle Museum is internationally recognized as among the finest motorcycle museums in the world with an unparalleled collection of over 800 machines. The facility is situated over 5 exhibition halls and covers 6 decades of motorcycle manufacturing in Great Britain. It's just a mile from Birmingham International Airport in the heart of Birmingham. The museum bills itself as the place where legends live on. It features rare examples of Triumph, Indian and other famous motorcycles from the UK and all over the world, as well as information on the history of motorcycles and motorcycle manufacturing from World War II through to the modern day.

The Sarehole Mill Museum offers a tour of a 250-year-old watermill with a community shop, bakery and powerful association with famed 'Lord of the Rings' author J.R.R. Tolkien. Not only can you see the workings of this historic mill, but you can also head for the bakery and grab a loaf of freshly baked bread or pastries to take home. Don't forget to visit the community shop for fantastic souvenirs and gifts as well as basic essentials. The building dates to the 1850s and is right across the street from where Tolkien once lived. The author stated that the mill and its surroundings were an inspiration for Middle Earth in his novels.

Thinktank Science Museum is a family-friendly place that's designed to inspire kids to become the next generation of science, technology, engineering and math geniuses. The museum, located in Millennium Point, offers a wealth of hands-on workshops and exhibits that seek to make science every bit as much fun as it is educational. Adults and kids alike can spend a whole day having fun with the interactive exhibits and learning something as they go. The exhibits here include a planetarium, a marine world exhibit and gallery, a science garden, a Spitfire military air exhibit and an exhibit dedicated to dinosaurs and archaeology. You can even get involved in modern forensics and help solve crimes using the latest technology.

The Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery is a must-visit museum in a historic building that offers at least 40 different permanent galleries covering all aspects of art and natural history. The exhibits here highlight elements of social history, ethnography, sociology, archaeology, natural history, applied arts and sciences. In addition, the museum offers exhibition space that's devoted to rotating exhibits, workshops and visiting speakers all year long. Besides the exhibits, the exhibition and cultural space also hosts free musical performances throughout the year in a variety of styles and genres. The museum gift shop is an ideal place to grab a history- or culture-themed souvenir of your travels. It's all in a Victorian building in the heart of Birmingham.

The Coffin Works is a macabre and unusual but respectful tribute to our final resting places and the science and sociology of death and how we deal with it. The museum is located in a former coffin-making workshop once owned by the Newman Brothers, the last to build coffins in Birmingham. It showcases the kinds of tools, processes and procedures they used to create these final resting places, from simple boxes to elegant caskets. The building dates to the late 19th century. The Newman Brothers Coffin Works was among the most renowned businesses in the region for over a century. It even provided fittings for such luminary figures as Winston Churchill and Queen Victoria at their funerals.

The Lapworth Museum of Geology allows visitors to explore life on earth over 3.5 billion years, from the earliest single-celled organisms through dinosaurs and up through humanity. The museum showcases objects from one of the most extensive and stunning geological collections in the United Kingdom and includes state-of-the-art galleries with innovative and interactive displays. The museum is curated and controlled by the University of Birmingham and is located on the Edgbaston campus. It offers over 250,000 specimens plus a collection of rocks, maps, minerals, fossils and artefacts. Best of all, admission is completely free.

The Pen Museum is located in a former pen factory that's dedicated entirely to the evolution of pens throughout the 19th century and is a must-see attraction for writers. It's situated in the heart of the Jewellery Quarter and offers more than 5,000 artefacts and objects. You can even visit a genuine Victorian school room and get dressed up in period costume if you like. Many exhibits are interactive, allowing you to try your hand at writing with reed pens, steel pens, feather quills and others. Naturally, the gift shop offers a charming and extensive selection of writing materials, including specialized calligraphy gear.

The Blakesley Hall Museum is situated in a tranquil Tudor home in Yardley and offers a walk into the distant past of Birmingham dating to 1590. Here you can wander through fragrant and colourful herb gardens that are immaculately tended, tour authentically decorated medieval rooms and learn about the history of Richard Smalbroke, the merchant who built the timber-frame home. After you're done exploring the grounds and enjoying some relaxing time away from the hustle and bustle of the city, you can head to the cafe and enjoy a beverage and a big piece of cake. All of this is just 6 miles from the Birmingham city centre.