Eager heritage fans can now begin planning as the tremendous list of over 100 Birmingham Heritage Week events has launched and can be found at birminghamheritageweek.co.uk.
The festival is back for 2019 and consists of 11 days of varied and fascinating events, from 12 – 22 September. From exhibitions and tours to open days and concerts, Birmingham Heritage Week is the perfect time for local residents and tourists alike to discover parts of the city they have never seen before, or rediscover popular places from a new perspective.
Full listings can be found online but some highlights from the Birmingham Heritage Week line-up include:
- The Baskerville Keyhill Cemetery Tour during the dusky hours of twilight. You will discover the surprising story of John Baskerville, the famous Birmingham printer and typewriter, whilst seeing the cemeteries and catacombs at their most atmospheric, as your torch guides you through the darkness.
- Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery’s stunning Waterhall Gallery will open for an opportunity to admire this amazing Victorian architectural space, along with artworks from the city’s collection.
- Bournville is home to some of the city’s most historical and beautiful buildings. Numerous buildings will be open to the public for free on Saturday 14 September.
- The Lost Children showcases a hugely important, yet little known, aspect of Birmingham’s history. The Birmingham & Midland Institute’s exhibition showcases the emotional and fascinating life stories of just a few of the 6000 destitute children sent from Emigration Homes in Highgate to Canada.
- Discover the hidden green spaces of the Secret Gardens in Handsworth on a specially-extended tour. You will gain access to the magical walled gardens behind nine striking Georgian houses, which are usually closed to the public.
- Truly see what life was like for those ‘downstairs’ with a special guided tour at the beautiful Jacobean mansion, Aston Hall, which focuses on the lives of servants in the 17th century.
- View the Ikon Gallery’s display by Stuart Whipps, a multifaceted reflection on the closure of the Longbridge motor works in Birmingham which is part of his long-term art project The Kipper and The Corpse. The factory was the last British owned volume car manufacturer and through making the work Whipps seeks to understand its inevitable closure.
And, there’s so much more, so to delve deeper into what Birmingham Heritage Week has to offer, be sure to visit the Birmingham Heritage Week website and social media pages for more details.
Irene De Boo, Co-ordinator for Birmingham Heritage Week 2019, said: “We’re back with a brilliant array of events for Birmingham Heritage Week 2019 and the listings are even easier to navigate on our website, so it’s the perfect time for visitors to start planning and filling up their diaries with exciting events!”
Birmingham Heritage Week 2019 is supported by Jewellery Quarter BID, Birmingham City Council, Birmingham Museums Trust and ScanTech Digital.
