List of museums in the West Midlands facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Welcome to a list of awesome museums in the West Midlands, England! Museums are super cool places where you can explore amazing collections of art, science, history, and culture. They keep special objects safe and share them with everyone. This list also includes art galleries, which are like museums for paintings and sculptures. Get ready to discover some fantastic places to visit!

Name	Town/City	Region	Type	Summary
Aston Hall	Aston	Birmingham	Historic house	17th century Jacobean-style mansion with period rooms featuring furniture, paintings, textiles and metalwork from the collections of the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
Aston Manor Road Transport Museum	Aston	Birmingham	Transport	Closed, pending relocation
Avery Historical Museum	Smethwick	Sandwell	Industry	collection of weighing machines and artefacts, located at the Avery Weigh-Tronix headquarters
Bantock House Museum and Park	Finchfield	Wolverhampton	Historic house	18th-century house, ground floor furnished to reflect the Edwardian era, upper floor displays of important local people, industries, decorative arts, two Victorian period rooms, gardens
Barber Institute of Fine Arts	Birmingham	Birmingham	Art	Art gallery and concert hall, collection includes British art, French impressionism and post-impressionism, sculpture, portrait miniatures, decorative arts, coins, part of the University of Birmingham
Berkswell Museum	Berkswell	Solihull	Local	local history
Bilston Craft Gallery	Bilston	Wolverhampton	Art	Contemporary crafts and decorative arts
Birmingham Back to Backs	Birmingham	Birmingham	Historic house	Operated by the National Trust, city's last surviving court of back-to-back houses, reflects life from the 1840s to 1970s
Birmingham Gun Barrel Proof House	Birmingham	Birmingham	Military	Site for testing small arms and ammunition, features a museum with small arms and ammunition and the history of their development, open by appointment
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery	Birmingham	Birmingham	Multiple	Art, local history, decorative arts, archaeology, coins, costumes, ceramics
Bishop Asbury Cottage	Great Barr	Sandwell	Historic house	18th century period cottage, boyhood home of Francis Asbury, the first American Methodist Bishop
Black Country Living Museum	Dudley	Dudley	Living	Recreated 19th and early 20th century industrial village with historic buildings moved from other sites, includes trams and other transport vehicles, fun fair, historic shops and industry displays
Blakesley Hall	Yardley	Birmingham	Historic house	Late 16th century Tudor timber-framed farmhouse, branch museum of the Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery
Cadbury World	Bournville	Birmingham	Food	History of chocolate and the Cadbury confectionery company
Centre of the Earth	Birmingham	Birmingham	Natural history	Nature centre used for environmental education
Coventry Watch Museum	Coventry	Coventry	Horology	planned museum about watches and watch-making, currently provide exhibitions
Coventry Music Museum	Coventry	Coventry	Music	museum highlighting the musical heritage of Coventry
Coventry Transport Museum	Coventry	Coventry	Transportation	British-made road transport including cars, commercial vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles
The Drum	Birmingham	Birmingham	Art	Arts centre for Black British and British Asian arts
Earlswood Village Museum	Earlswood	Solihull	Local	local history
Haden Hill House	Cradley Heath	Sandwell	Historic house	Victorian gentleman's house furnished in period style
Herbert Art Gallery and Museum	Coventry	Coventry	Multiple	Art, local history, culture, natural history, city's medieval, Victorian and modern history
Ikon Gallery	Birmingham	Birmingham	Art	Contemporary art
International Project Space	Bournville	Birmingham	Art	Contemporary art gallery, part of the Bournville Centre for Visual Arts
Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust Museum	Coventry	Coventry	Automotive	historic Jaguar cars and racing cars
The Lace Guild	Stourbridge	Dudley	Textiles	Historic and contemporary lace and lace-related artefacts
Stourbridge Glass Museum	Stourbridge	Dudley	glass
Lapworth Museum of Geology	Edgbaston	Birmingham	Natural history	Fossils, minerals, rocks, operated by the University of Birmingham
Locksmith's House	Willenhall	Walsall	Locks	Dedicated to a lock-making family and locally made locks
mac	Edgbaston	Birmingham	Art	Theatre, Cinema, Cafe and Public Space with Exhibit Gallery
Midland Air Museum	Baginton	Coventry	Transportation	Aircraft Museum including Frank Whittle Jet Heritage Centre
Museum of the Jewellery Quarter	Birmingham	Birmingham	Historic site	Historic jewellery-making factory, branch museum of the Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery
National Motorcycle Museum	Bickenhill	Solihull	Transportation	British motorcycles
New Art Gallery Walsall	Walsall	Walsall	Art	Collections include sculptures and paintings by modern masters including a large selection of work by Jacob Epstein
New Hall Mill	Walmley	Birmingham	Mill	18th century watermill, located in New Hall Valley Country Park
Oak House	West Bromwich	Sandwell	Historic house	Late 16th century half-timbered Yeoman's farmhouse with Tudor and Jacobean furniture
The Pen Museum	Birmingham	Birmingham	Industry	History of the pen making industry in Birmingham including the companies, different kinds of pens, early typewriters and Braille machines, writing in general
Periscope	Edgbaston	Birmingham	Art	Artist-run contemporary art gallery and event space
Priory Visitor Centre	Coventry	Coventry	Archaeology	artifacts and history of St Mary's Priory
Red House Cone	Wordsley	Dudley	Art	Former glassworks, exhibits of historic and contemporary glass, glass-making workshops
Royal Birmingham Society of Artists	Birmingham	Birmingham	Art	Gallery exhibits of members' works
Sarehole Mill	Hall Green	Birmingham	Mill	18th century water mill used for grinding corn and later producing metal, includes 19th century bakehouse, exhibits on local resident J. R. R. Tolkien, branch museum of the Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery
Selly Manor	Bournville	Birmingham	Historic	Two Tudor period timber-framed houses
Soho House	Handsworth	Birmingham	Historic house	Late 18th century period Georgian home of industrialist Matthew Boulton, branch museum of the Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery
Solihull Gallery	Solihull	Solihull	Art
Thinktank	Birmingham	Birmingham	Science	Themes include future technology, innovation, space travel, current technology and scientific understanding on everyday life, natural history, biology, city's industrial and transportation history
Tipton Community Heritage Centre	Tipton	Sandwell	Local	located in the town library, local history, industry, canals, social history
Tyseley Locomotive Works	Birmingham	Birmingham	Railway	Railway depot, workshops, engines and artefacts, viewing on open days
VIVID	Birmingham	Birmingham	Art	Gallery for media arts
Walsall Leather Museum	Walsall	Walsall	Industry	Former Victorian leather factory, history of the local leather and saddle-making trades
Warwick Arts Centre	Coventry	Coventry	Art	Multi-venue arts complex at the University of Warwick, events in contemporary and classical music, drama, dance, comedy, films and visual art
Wednesbury Museum and Art Gallery	Wednesbury	Sandwell	Multiple	Fine art, decorative arts including Ruskin Pottery, toys and games, local history
West Midlands Fire Service Heritage Museum	Aston	Birmingham	Fire fighting
West Midlands Police Museum	Sparkhill	Birmingham	Law enforcement	Uniforms, vehicles, photographs, badges, whistles, memorabilia, history of police work in the region
Wightwick Manor	Wightwick	Wolverhampton	Historic house	Operated by the National Trust, Victorian period manor with Arts & Crafts interiors and Pre-Raphaelite art
Wolverhampton Art Gallery	Wolverhampton	Wolverhampton	Art	Collection includes fine art and decorative arts from the Georgian and Victorian eras, Pop Art, works from Northern Ireland, Asian decorative arts

Exploring West Midlands Museums
Defunct Museums
See also

Exploring West Midlands Museums

The West Midlands region is packed with cool museums and art galleries. You can find everything from ancient houses to modern art. Let's explore some of the best places to visit!

Step Back in Time: Historic Houses

Many museums in the West Midlands let you explore old homes and see how people lived long ago.

Aston Hall in Aston, Birmingham, is a grand 17th-century mansion. It's filled with furniture, paintings, and textiles from hundreds of years ago.

Aston Hall is a beautiful 17th-century mansion.

Bantock House Museum and Park in Finchfield, Wolverhampton, is an 18th-century house. You can see rooms set up like they were in the Edwardian era.
Birmingham Back to Backs in Birmingham shows you the city's last surviving court of back-to-back houses. It's run by the National Trust and shows life from the 1840s to the 1970s.

These back-to-back houses show how people lived in the past.

Bishop Asbury Cottage in Great Barr, Sandwell, is an 18th-century cottage. It was the childhood home of Francis Asbury, an important religious leader.

This cottage was the childhood home of Bishop Francis Asbury.

Blakesley Hall in Yardley, Birmingham, is a Tudor timber-framed farmhouse from the late 16th century. It's part of the Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery.

Blakesley Hall is a historic Tudor farmhouse.

Haden Hill House in Cradley Heath, Sandwell, is a Victorian gentleman's house. It's furnished just like it would have been in that period.
Oak House in West Bromwich, Sandwell, is another late 16th-century farmhouse. It has Tudor and Jacobean furniture.

Oak House features furniture from the Tudor and Jacobean periods.

Selly Manor in Bournville, Birmingham, has two Tudor-period timber-framed houses. It's a great example of old English architecture.

Selly Manor consists of two historic Tudor houses.

Soho House in Handsworth, Birmingham, was the Georgian home of famous industrialist Matthew Boulton. It's from the late 18th century.

Soho House was the home of industrialist Matthew Boulton.

Wightwick Manor in Wightwick, Wolverhampton, is a Victorian manor house. It's run by the National Trust and has beautiful Arts & Crafts interiors and Pre-Raphaelite art.

Wightwick Manor is a beautiful Victorian house with Arts & Crafts style.

Art and Creativity

If you love art, the West Midlands has many galleries showing off amazing paintings, sculptures, and crafts.

Barber Institute of Fine Arts in Birmingham is an art gallery and concert hall. It has British art, French impressionism, sculptures, and more. It's part of the University of Birmingham.

The Barber Institute of Fine Arts has a wide collection of art.

Bilston Craft Gallery in Bilston, Wolverhampton, focuses on modern crafts and decorative arts.
The Drum in Birmingham is an arts centre that celebrates Black British and British Asian arts.

The Drum is an arts centre in Birmingham.

Herbert Art Gallery and Museum in Coventry has art, local history, and natural history exhibits. It covers Coventry's medieval, Victorian, and modern history.

The Herbert Art Gallery and Museum in Coventry.

Ikon Gallery in Birmingham is all about contemporary art, which means art from today.

The Ikon Gallery showcases contemporary art.

mac in Edgbaston, Birmingham, is a big arts centre. It has a theatre, cinema, cafe, and an exhibit gallery for art.

The mac (Midlands Art Centre) is a hub for arts and culture.

New Art Gallery Walsall in Walsall has sculptures and paintings by modern artists, including many works by Jacob Epstein.

The New Art Gallery Walsall has a collection of modern art.

Red House Cone in Wordsley, Dudley, is a former glassworks. You can see historic and modern glass and even watch glass-making workshops.

The Red House Cone is a historic glassworks.

Royal Birmingham Society of Artists in Birmingham has a gallery that shows off works by its members.

The Royal Birmingham Society of Artists gallery.

Wolverhampton Art Gallery in Wolverhampton has fine art and decorative arts from the Georgian and Victorian eras, plus Pop Art and Asian decorative arts.

Wheels, Wings, and Wonders

Discover amazing machines and scientific marvels in these museums.

Coventry Transport Museum in Coventry is home to a huge collection of British-made road transport. This includes cars, trucks, motorcycles, and bicycles.

The Coventry Transport Museum has many historic vehicles.

Midland Air Museum in Baginton, Coventry, is an aircraft museum. It includes the Frank Whittle Jet Heritage Centre, celebrating jet engine history.
National Motorcycle Museum in Bickenhill, Solihull, has a fantastic collection of British motorcycles.

The National Motorcycle Museum displays many British motorcycles.

Thinktank in Birmingham is a science museum. It explores future technology, space travel, and how science affects our daily lives. It also covers natural history and the city's industrial past.

Thinktank is a science museum with interactive exhibits.

Tyseley Locomotive Works in Birmingham is a railway depot. You can see workshops, engines, and other railway items on special open days.

Tyseley Locomotive Works showcases historic railway engines.

Local Life and Industry

Learn about the history of local communities and the industries that shaped the West Midlands.

Avery Historical Museum in Smethwick, Sandwell, has a collection of weighing machines and other old tools.
Birmingham Gun Barrel Proof House in Birmingham is a place where small arms and ammunition were tested. It has a museum showing the history of these items.

The Birmingham Gun Barrel Proof House tested firearms.

Black Country Living Museum in Dudley is a recreated 19th and early 20th-century industrial village. Historic buildings were moved here, and you can ride trams, visit old shops, and see how industries worked.

The Black Country Living Museum recreates an old industrial village.

Museum of the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham is a historic jewellery-making factory. It's part of the Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery.
New Hall Mill in Walmley, Birmingham, is an 18th-century watermill. It was used for grinding corn and is located in New Hall Valley Country Park.

New Hall Mill is an 18th-century watermill.

The Pen Museum in Birmingham tells the story of the pen-making industry in the city. You can learn about different pens, early typewriters, and Braille machines.

The Pen Museum explores the history of pen making.

Sarehole Mill in Hall Green, Birmingham, is an 18th-century water mill. It ground corn and later produced metal. It also has exhibits about local resident J. R. R. Tolkien.

Sarehole Mill is an old water mill with a connection to J.R.R. Tolkien.

Tipton Community Heritage Centre in Tipton, Sandwell, is in the town library. It shares local history, stories about industry, canals, and social life.
Walsall Leather Museum in Walsall is a former Victorian leather factory. It shows the history of local leather and saddle-making trades.
West Midlands Police Museum in Sparkhill, Birmingham, has uniforms, vehicles, photos, and other items. It tells the history of police work in the region.

The West Midlands Police Museum showcases police history.

Unique Collections

Some museums have very specific and interesting collections!

Cadbury World in Bournville, Birmingham, is all about the history of chocolate and the Cadbury company. It's a sweet experience!

Cadbury World explores the history of chocolate.

Centre of the Earth in Birmingham is a nature centre. It's used for environmental education, helping people learn about our planet.
Coventry Music Museum in Coventry highlights the musical heritage of the city.
Lapworth Museum of Geology in Edgbaston, Birmingham, has fossils, minerals, and rocks. It's run by the University of Birmingham.

The Lapworth Museum of Geology has a collection of fossils and rocks.

Locksmith's House in Willenhall, Walsall, is dedicated to a lock-making family. It shows locally made locks and their history.

The Locksmith's House tells the story of lock making.

The Lace Guild in Stourbridge, Dudley, has historic and modern lace, plus items related to lace making.

The Lace Guild Museum displays beautiful lace.

Stourbridge Glass Museum in Stourbridge, Dudley, focuses on the history and art of glass.
Wednesbury Museum and Art Gallery in Wednesbury, Sandwell, has fine art, decorative arts (like Ruskin Pottery), toys, games, and local history.

The Wednesbury Museum and Art Gallery.

Defunct Museums

Some museums in the West Midlands have closed over the years. Their collections might have moved to other places or been stored.

Broadfield House Glass Museum, Kingswinford, closed in 2015.
Coventry Toy Museum, Coventry, closed in 2007.
Dudley Museum and Art Gallery, closed in 2016.
Galton Valley Canal Heritage Centre, Smethwick.
Jerome K. Jerome Museum, Walsall, is currently looking for a new home.
Museum of Science and Industry, Birmingham, closed in 1997. Many of its exhibits are now at Thinktank, Birmingham.
Walsall Museum, closed in 2015.