Birmingham is a city in the West Midlands in England. It is sometimes called the “second city of the United Kingdom”. Some of the top things to do in Birmingham include exploring museums, old mansions, factories, art galleries and house museums. The city used to be a market town in Warwickshire during the medieval times. Some of the best places to visit in Birmingham, England hail from this period. You get to visit ruined castles and houses of noble families from the period during Birmingham travel.
The town saw great progress during the industrial revolution. It is regarded as the first manufacturing town in the world. Many of the old factories from this period have been converted into museums and are now among Birmingham tourist attractions. You will find factory museums concerning jewelry, coffin works, pens and so on. One of the most interesting places to go in Birmingham is the Back to Backs. This place is a large museum which recreates the life and living spaces of the working class people of the 19th century.
If you are looking for outdoor things to do in Birmingham, you can head for one of many country parks that surround the city. There are also lakes and wetlands which are located just a short drive away. There are also adventure parks within the city for fun activities in Birmingham.
The city is also well known for its culture. Art galleries, art museums, opera houses, orchestra halls, performance centers are all part of Birmingham sightseeing. One of the biggest cultural tours you can enjoy here would be that of Shakespeare’s early and late life. A little outside the city lies the house where renowned English author William Shakespeare was born. The tour also includes his retirement house and the house of his wife. These have become some of the most popular things to see in Birmingham.
The Top 9 Tourist Places to Visit in Birmingham in 2 Days (Trip Itinerary)
Day 1
1. Winterbourne Botanic Garden
These botanical gardens exhibit plants gathered from around the world. It is also recognized among Birmingham tourist attractions for historic glasshouses and restored pergola. These gardens are also a great example of Edwardian suburban villa gardens which were inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement in the country. You would need about an hour or so for these gardens when you visit Birmingham.
2. Barber Institute of Fine Arts
This museum houses creations of fine art by some of the most renowned names in history. You will discover some of the top things to see in Birmingham in this museum including works of Van Gogh, Rodin, Rubens, Monet, Botticelli, Gauguin, Bellini, van Dyck and many more. Exploring this art museum will require at 2 to 3 hours of time from Birmingham travel.
3. Back to Backs
This museum recreates life of working class people as it was during the 19th century. It is one of the best places to visit in Birmingham to learn about history of the city. A tour of this museum requires at least 2 hours.
4. The Bullring
This huge shopping center is the venue for many fun things to do in Birmingham city center. The complex offers everything from shopping to entertainment and food. The structure itself is a fine work of architecture among modern Birmingham attractions. You can easily spend a couple of hours at the Bullring.
Day 2
1. St. Philip Cathedral
This cathedral was built in 1715 and is one of the smallest cathedrals in the country. It is one the most historically significant attractions you will come across during Birmingham sightseeing. The cathedral has a storied history of reconstruction, world war bombing, restoration and continues the oldest building in the city still in use for its original purpose. It will take you an hour to tour this cathedral.
2. Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
This museum dives into history of several fields like archeology, metalwork, art, politics, culture, jewellery, industry, natural history, ceramics, ethnography and more. It is among the most informative places to go in Birmingham. It will take you about 2 to 3 hours to tour it.
3. Coffin Works
This museum is dedicated to coffin furniture factory of Newman Brothers. This factory has a history spanning over a century and has an integral association with the city’s history as well. Despite seeming a little unusual, it is still among top things to do in Birmingham. You will need an hour to tour this factory museum.
4. Pen Museum
This museum is also built inside a former factory. As the name suggests, it used to be where pens were made. The museum outlines the history of pens and the role of the industry in the city. You will find some unique pens while touring this museum. It is one of the most interesting places to see in Birmingham associated with an everyday object. You will need an hour for this museum as well.
5. Museum of the Jewellery Quarter
The jewellery industry once thrived in this city and this area known as the jewellery quarter was the happening heart of that industry. This museum is housed in a former factory owned by Smith & Pepper. It dives into the history of the jewellery quarter and its role in the history of the city. It is among Birmingham must see places and will require an hour of your time.
If you are looking for fun activities to do in Birmingham, check out the section below. We have compiled an exhaustive list of attractions to explore in and around the city.
Things to do in Birmingham
Monuments, Museums & Historical Places to Visit in Birmingham
- Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
- Black Country Living Museum
- Library of Birmingham
- Think Tank Birmingham Science Museum
- Ikon Gallery
- Dudley Castle
- Aston Hall
- The Barber Institute of Fine Arts
- Birmingham Back to Backs
- National Motorcycle Museum
- St. Philip’s Cathedral
- Museum of the Jewellery Quarter
- Haden Hill House
- New Art Gallery Walsall
- Oak House Museum
- Clent Hills
- Sarehole Mill Museum
- Midlands Art Center
- Royal Birmingham Society of Artists
- Lapworth Museum of Geology
- Pen Museum
- Bromwich Manor House
- Blakesley Hall Museum
- Soho House
- Selly Manor Museum
- Transport Museum
- The Coffin Works Museum
- Hagley Hall
- St. Martin’s Church
- Highbury Hall
- Castle Bromwich
- St. Chad’s Cathedral
- Forge Mill Needle Museum
- Walsall Leather Museum
- Shri Venkateswara Temple
- Roundhouse Birmingham
- Birmingham Central Library
- Wednesbury Museum and Art Gallery
- Aldridge Transport Museum
- Shakespeare’s Birthplace
- Anna Hathaway’s Cottage
- Shakespeare’s Retirement Home
- Stratford Ghost Walk
Nature & Wildlife Tourist Spots in Birmingham
- Sutton Park
- Lickey Hills Country Park
- Kingsbury Water Park
- Sandwell Valley Country Park
- Waseley Hills Country Park
- Leasowes Park
- Elmdon Park
- Edgbaston Reservoir
- Brueton Park Lake
- Moseley Bog
- Woodgate Valley Country Park
- Earlswood Lake
- RSPB Sandwell Valley
- RSPB Middleton Lakes
Entertainment & Leisure Tourist Spots in Birmingham
- Cadbury World
- National Sea Life Center
- Birmingham Botanical Gardens
- The Bullring
- Dudley Zoo
- Cannon Hill Park
- National Exhibition Center
- Winterbourne House and Gardens
- Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park
- Bear Grylls Adventures
- Edgbaston Stadium
- LEGOLAND Discovery Center
- Eastside Projects
- Ackers Adventure
- Walsall Arboretum
- Ash End House Children’s Farm
- Sheldon Country Park
- Star City
- Forge Mill Farm
- Broomey Croft Children Farm
- Ghetto Golf
- Attwell Farm Park
- Middleton Hall & Garden
- West Bromwich Albion Football Club
- Sandwell Park Farm
- Adventure Island Mini Golf
- Mr Mulligans Birmingham
- Echills Wood Railway
- Kings Heath Park
- Woodgate Valley Country Park
- Akamba Heritage Center
Shopping in Birmingham
- The Bullring
- Grand Central
- Great Western Arcade
- Birmingham Rag Market
- Jewellery Quarter
- City Arcade
- Custard Factory
- New Street
- The Mailbox
- Piccadilly Arcade
- Resorts World Birmingham
- Martineau Place
- The Square Shopping Center
- Burlington Arcade
- Selfridges
- The Cube
Offbeat Places, & Adventure Activities in Birmingham
- Boating
- Adventure Park
- Hiking
- Swimming
Sightseeing in Birmingham
- Gas Street Basin
- Victoria Square
- Stratford upon Avon Canal
- Dudley Canal
- Worcester and Birmingham Canal
- Brindley Place
- Warley Woods
- Handsworth Park
- Eastside City Park
Food, Dining, Restaurants, & Street Food in Birmingham
- The Ivy
- Lulu Wild
- Mythos Taverna
- Feast and Forest
- Adam’s
- Cafe Dupont
- La Galleria
- Iron City
- Tattu
- Oven Bird
- Land
- Magic City Grille
- Hot Box
- The Collins Bar
- Craft
- Blue Pacific
- Bar Estilo
- Original Patty Men
- Slice
- The Pig & Tail
- Sabai Sabai
- Baked in Brick
- Bonehead
- Medicine Bakery
- Tropea
- Indian Brewery
- The Meat Shack
- Isaac’s
- Tamu Cafe
- Siamais
How to Reach Birmingham?
By Air
The fastest option for Birmingham travel is via the city’s eponymous airport. You can get direct flights from several cities in Europe, Asia and North America. These include Delhi, Dubai, Toronto, Islamabad, Luxor, New York, Paris, Amritsar, Bucharest, Jersey, Belfast, Brussels, Edinburgh, Geneva, Glasgow, Stockholm, London, Prague, Dusseldorf, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Budapest, Krakow, Rome, Venice, Athens, Malta, Naples, Salzburg, Split, Turin, Verona, Vienna, Frankfurt, Munich, Sofia, Zurich and many more.
You can get trains, buses and cabs to get to the city from the airport. If you are on a tight schedule, you can begin with best things to do in Birmingham closer to the airport as well. You will get buses for day tours as well.
By Road
If you want to visit Birmingham by train, you should refer to rail network in the United Kingdom. You will get direct or connecting train from almost any major city on the island. The bus network includes smaller cities and towns as well. But you can’t expect direct buses to Birmingham from every place either. The easiest way would be to get to the nearest major city and find train travel from there.
If you are planning to travel by road, you should head for routes M1, M42, M6, M40 or M5.
By Water
You can book a boating trip through Canal River Trust. It includes intercity travel as well along the canal route.
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