Birmingham Heritage Week 2023: everything to know about schedule, events, dates & more

Organised by Birmingham Museums Trust, Birmingham Heritage Week is set to return in 2023. Taking place from September 8-17, 2023, residents and visitors will be able to explore places and spaces in the city they normally won’t head to with more than 200 events taking place.

The buildings of note in Birmingham are welcoming the public and it will surprise you with the city’s rich history and heritage. Several events are taking place all over Birmingham and this week is a great chance to explore the city’s buildings and outdoor spaces. Not only will you be able to learn about the city’s cultural and industrial heritage, but also pick up new skills in workshops or join a heritage running, cycling or walking tour.

From canals, historic buildings, factories, museums, religious buildings including mosques, churches and cathedrals to outdoor heritage tours in local parks, neighbourhoods and conservation areas, there’s a lot to do and most of them are free.

What about a walk to discover the Irish history of Handsworth or explore Birmingham’s links with the slave trade in the Gun Quarter? Birmingham is a city of migration and a Migration Stories walk along the Stratford Road looks at post war changes in this vibrant area. Many more city centre walks still have places available and are themed around canals, art, industry and Peaky Blinders. For a slightly different guided tour experience, there is the evening bingo walking tour.

What about a whodunnit for you to solve at historic Aston Hall? Or a scaffolding tour to see the Burne-Jones windows in Birmingham Cathedral up close? Or a guided tour of the murals under the Hockley Flyover, difficult to appreciate from the car? You can also be amazed at the hundreds-of-thousands of objects at the Museum Collection Centre.

Workshops at the National Trust Back to Backs offer writing, painting and drawing skills, or short story writing and poetry at the Pen Museum.

Many churches, as well Buddhist and Hindu temples, open their doors and many can be visited on the day without pre-booking.

If you would like to relax in the cinema, what about a documentary at the Mockingbird about Birmingham’s place in the world of cinema?

After a packed day programme of heritage visits, why not finish off with going to the Old Crown, to see the exhibition about the city’s oldest pub and enjoy a well-deserved pint. A limited number of spaces are still available for Birmingham historian Carl Chinn’s talk about the rich history of the beautiful building.

Here’s the full list of events taking place from September 8-17 by type:

Active

1. Led ride to Sarehole Mill on Sat 9 Sept | 10am–1pm.
2. Sutton Tales and Trails: a 6km off-road run between Sutton Parks Historic Pools on Sat 16 Sept | 10.30am–12pm (Running Tour) and Thurs 21 Sept | 6.30pm–8.30pm (Walking Tour, Dogs invited!). This costs £18.
3. Woodcock Street Baths: Guided Tour & Swim - Fri 8 Sept | 10.15am–11.30am, Mon 11 Sept | 10.15am–11.30am, Frid 15 Sept | 10.15am–11.30am.

Drop-In

1. Aston Parish Church Heritage Day on Sun 10 Sept | 12.30pm–5pm.
2. Birmingham Buddhist Vihara. The Dhamma Talaka Peace Pagoda on Sat 9 Sept – Sun 17 Sept | Daily 12pm-5pm.
4. Visit the oldest sporting club in Bournville and come have a go at Crown Green Bowls on Sat 9 Sept | 10am–4pm
5. Bournville Model Boat Club on Sat 9 Sept | 10am–4pm
6. Bournville Quaker Meeting House on Sat 9 Sept | 10am–4pm
7. Bournville Rest House on Sat 9 Sept | 10am–4pm
8. Bournville Village Primary School on Sat 9 Sept | 10am–3pm
9. Burial Information & Sales stall for Key Hill and Warstone Lane Cemeteries on Sat 16 Sept | 10.30am–2.30pm
10. Church of the Ascension Hall Green Sat 16 Sept | 11am–3pm
11. Concert Hall Mondelez International on Sat 9 Sept | 10am–4pm
12. Discover Stirchley Library on Sat 16 Sept | 10.30am – 4pm (closed 1pm-2pm)

Find the full list of Drop-In events on the Birmingham Heritage Week website. Unless specified all events are free.

Exhibition

1. A Guided View – perspective/s in and of the Gardens - Organised by Castle Bromwich Historic Gardens on Sat 9 Sept |10.30am–4.30pm, Sun 10 Sept | 10.30am–4.30pm, Wed 13 Sep | 10.30am–4.30pm, Thurs 14 Sept | 10.30am–4.30pm, Fri 15 Sept | 10.30am–4.30pm, Sat 16 Sept | 10.30am–4.30pm and Sun 17 Sept | 10.30am–4.30pm. Priced at £5 / £4.50.
2. An Exhibition of Balsall Heath’s History at St Paul’s Venture, Malvern St, off Clifton Rd, Balsall Heath on Sun 17 Sept | 11am–4pm.
3. Birmingham Assay Office 250th Anniversary Heritage Exhibition - Wed 13 Sept | 1pm–4pm
4. Birmingham People’s History Archive -Birmingham People’s History Archive 2nd Floor, Birmingham & Midland Institute on Sat 9 Sept from 10.30am-11.30am & 12pm-1pm & 2pm-3pm.
5. Exploring the History of Birmingham’s Oldest Pub with Prof. Carl Chinn MBE on Fri 8 Sept | 7pm–10pm. Priced at £15.

Find the full list of exhibition events on theBirmingham Heritage Week website. Unless specified all events are free.

Family-friendly

1. Birmingham Honey Show at 58 Edgbaston Park Roadon Sat 9 Sept and Sun 10 Sept | 10.30am–5pm (last entry 4.30pm)
2. Divine Beauty Stained-glass Saturday on Sat 9 Sept | 10am–3pm at Birmingham Cathedral.
3. History Unboxed at the MCC Open Day on Sat 16 Sept | 10am–4pm. Last entry at 3pm. - Museum Collection Centre, Nechelles Business Centre, 31 Dollman Street, Nechells.
4. Holy Trinity Parish Church Sutton Coldfield Heritage Open Day - Sat 9 Sept | 11am–3pm (Last admission at 2.30pm) - Tower entry for £3.

Find the full list of Family-friendly events on the Birmingham Heritage Week website. Unless specified all events are free.

Performance

1. Experience Choral Evensong in the beautiful surroundings of Birmingham Cathedral. - Sun 10 Sept | 3.30pm-4.30pm
2. City of Birmingham Brass Band – free concert in Cannon Hill Park Bandstand - Sat 16 Sept | 2pm–4pm
3. City on Screen is a documentary exploring the part that the people of Birmingham have played in shaping the cinematic and television landscape. - Screening on Sat 16 Sept | 6pm–8pm at The Mockingbird Cinema.
4. Using Women & Theatre’s award-winning combination of research, humour and empathy ‘Not the Last’ will shine a light on female land ownership, philanthropy and the vital and varied role of parks and green spaces in our city. Location - Midlands Arts Centre. Dates - Thurs 14 Sept | 7.30pm-8.45pm, Fri 15 Sept | 7.30pm-8.45pm, Sat 16 Sept | 7.30pm-8.45pm, Sun 17 Sept | 2.30pm-3.45pm. Cost £14.50.
5. Magic Lantern Show – Sutton Coldfield’s grand finale of Birmingham Heritage Week - Sun 17 Sept | 6pm–7pm & 8pm–9pm - Assembly Rooms, The Town House, High St, Sutton Coldfield. Cost - £5 Adults, £2 for under 16s.

Find the full list of performance events on the Birmingham Heritage Week website. Unless specified all events are free.

Talks

1. A ‘des res’ in Sutton Coldfield: Bishop Vesey’s stone houses on Thurs 14 Sept | 7.45pm-9pm at rinity Centre (adjacent to Holy Trinity church) Church Hill, Mill St, Sutton Coldfield. Cost - Free for members of Sutton Coldfield Civic Society.£4 in cash on the door for non-members.
2. A Guide to the Guidebooks of Birmingham - Sun 17 Sept | 2.30pm–3.30pm at The Moseley Hive
3. A history of Sutton Coldfield’s Crystal Palace - Trinity Centre (adjacent to Holy Trinity church) Church Hill, Mill St on Mon 11 Sept | 7.30pm–9pm.
4. Birmingham and the Birth of the World Snooker Championship - Fri 15 Sept | 12pm–1pm - Online via Teams.
5. Join Ian Binnie, Education Officer for the Gallipoli Association, on Zoom, to learn more about the role of the military and why Brandwood End became the resting place of 8 of those who lost their lives. Fri 8 Sept | 7.30pm–8.30pm.

Find the full list of talks on the Birmingham Heritage Week website. Unless specified all events are free.

Workshops

1. Back-to-Back Drawing & Painting on Mon 11 Sept | 2pm–5pm. Cost - £37.50
2. Family Archives Workshop @ Cadbury Research Library on Wed 13 Sept | 2pm–4pm
3. Newspapers in History – Research Workshop - Mon 11 Sept | 11.30am–12.30pm & 2.30pm–3.30pm at Wolfson Centre for Archival Research, Level 4, Library of Birmingham, Centenary Square.
4. Short Story Writing Workshop at the Pen Museum - Fri 8 Sept | 1pm–2pm. Cost - £20.

Find the full list of workshops on the Birmingham Heritage Week website. Unless specified all events are free.