24 iconic hidden gems to visit for free during Birmingham Heritage Week
Here are 24 incredible buildings in Birmingham that are open to the public for free during Heritage Week
The beautiful heritage buildings in Birmingham showcase a depth of art, architecture and, in some cases, devotion. During Birmingham Heritage Week, several heritage sites, which are centuries old, and others from more modern times, have opened their doors to the public.
Heritage Week celebrates the physical and intangible legacies left behind by our ancestors and it is a great time to explore what remains. Several of these locations are opening to the public free of charge, so that they are accessible to everyone.
Birmingham Heritage Week 2023 continues until September 17, but not all of these incredible architectural marvels will be open throughout. So, if you are looking to visit one of them check if you need to book first and book ahead to make sure you make the open days.
More than 200 events are taking place across the length and breadth of Birmingham to celebrate the city’s heritage and you can find more information on it on the Birmingham Heritage Week website. Here are 24 incredible buildings in Birmingham that are open to the public for free during Heritage Week:
1. Birmingham Assay Office, Jewellery Quarter
Wed 13 Sept | 1pm–4pm - the assay office in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, which makes 40% of the country’s jewellery, will celebrate the 250th anniversary with an exhibition. (Photo - Google Maps)
2. Birmingham Buddhist Vihara, Edgbaston
From Fri 8 Sept–Sun 17 Sept | Daily 12pm–5pm, the Peace Pagoda is open to the public. It is a replica of Shwedagon Pagoda in Yagon (Rangoon) in Myanmar (Burma) where Theravada Buddhism (Old School, Southern Buddhism) is practised. (Photo - dzphotogallery - stock.adobe.com)
3. Attend an exhibition at Cadbury Research Library
On Wed 13 Sept from 2pm–4pm, you can learn how to turn into a family archivist at the Cadbury Research Library, in the Muirhead Tower. It is the home for Special Collections and Archives of the University of Birmingham. (Photo - Google Maps)
4. Hall of Memory, Birmingham city centre
The Hall of Memory opened in 1925 and stands as a memorial to the men and women of Birmingham who gave their lives in the First World War, the Second World War and in active service since 1945. You can visit it Thurs 14 Sept | 10am-4pm Fri 15 Sept | 10am-4pm Sat 16 Sept | 10am-4pm (Photo - Adobe stock)