birmingham museums ˜ what´s on

For events which need to be pre-booked, bookings can be made by calling 0121 348 8263 or via the website – www.birminghammuseums.org.uk (unless alternative details are given).

Trinity Road, Aston, Birmingham, B6 6JD See birminghammuseums.org.uk for up-to-date opening times and prices. Free entry for Friends. Charges apply to non-members. Discover the splendour of a grand Jacobean mansion.

PALAVER Party Takeover! 23 February 2022, 12noon, 1pm and 2pm Adult: £9, Child: £5, Concession: £7 Join this celebration of LGBTQ+ History Month to explore Aston Hall as you have never seen it before! This will be a FABULOUS party for kids (and their grown-ups too!). Join your host Fatt Butcher and a spectacular line-up of drag and cabaret performers as you travel through the historic rooms of Aston Hall for the most exciting family party Aston has ever seen.

PALAVER Party is a space where everyone is free to be whoever they want to be! Get ready for music, stories, performances, DIY costume-making, party games, and a fabulous rainbow disco in the Long Gallery for all the family.

Suitable for ages 3-8 (and fabulous for grown-ups too). Bring the little ones, stick on a sequin or ten, and get ready for a half term party like no other. PALAVER Party Takeover! Relaxed 23 February 2022, 11am - 11.45am Adult: £9, Child: £5, Concession: £7 This is a relaxed version of the PALAVER Party performance for neurodivergent children and those with physical access needs.

‘Beauty and the Beast’ Storytelling Tour 24 February 2022, 11.15am, 1pm and 2.45pm Adult: £9, Child: £5, Concession: £7 Swoosh! Join this interactive telling of the traditional story of ‘Beauty and the Beast’ at Aston Hall. Smell the spices traded by Beauty’s merchant father, help search for the Prince in Beauty’s dreams, and find out why roses are so important to ‘Beauty and the Beast’. Before you go, have a peek in Beauty’s enchanted mirror – a perfect opportunity for you to take a photograph of your little one, or yourself to remember your visit.

Blakesley Road, Yardley, Birmingham, B25 8RN See birminghammuseums.org.uk for up-to-date opening times and prices Free entry for Friends. Charges apply to non-members.

Explore Blakesley 20 February 2022, Tour times: 12pm, 12.30pm, 1pm, 1.30pm, 2pm, 2.30pm, 3pm Adult: £7, Concession: £5, Child: £3 Visit Blakesley Hall, a fine Tudor house and beautiful gardens built

Below: PALAVER Party Takeover

Above: Blakesley Hall

in 1590 by Richard Smalbroke, a member of one of Birmingham’s leading merchant families. There are timed tours throughout the day so pre-book to ensure you don’t miss out.

Car Boot Sale 20 March 2022, 9am - 2pm £5 per car pitch Book your pitch for the Blakesley Hall Car Boot Sale to sell your unwanted items or visit to pick up a bargain from one of the sellers. Light refreshments will be available from the Herb Garden Café throughout the day.

Tudor Women Guided Tour 6 March 2022, Tours at 11am and 2pm Adult: £8, Concession: £6, Child: £4 Learn about Tudor Women on our specialist guided tour of Blakesley Hall to mark International Women’s Day. The tour will end with a Tudor inspired craft activity.

75-80 Vyse Street, Hockley, Birmingham, B18 6HA Free entry for Friends. Tour charges apply to non-members. £15 per child Have a go at making your own piece of jewellery with the help of the Museum’s friendly learning team in this special children’s jewellery workshop activity. Design and create either a bracelet or pendant, learn and use real jewellers’ techniques like texturing metal, hammering, stamping and enamelling to make something unique and personal to take home with you.

Six Week Beginners Jewellery Course 22 February - 29 March 2022, 6.30pm - 9pm Tuesday evenings for 6 weeks £195 for the full course Make stunning pieces of jewellery at this beginner’s jewellery making course. During this six-week course, learn a variety of jewellery making techniques under the careful guidance of jeweller and teacher Vanessa Miller.

Jewellery Quarter Ghost Walk 26 February 2022, 6pm and 7.30pm £10 History, folklore and ghosts collide on a walking tour through Birmingham’s historic Jewellery Quarter. On this twilight tour, you’ll hear stories of overflowing graveyards, ancient Roman roads, mysterious grey ladies and Napoleonic soldiers. Also find out what links pear drops, lawn tennis and the 1966 World Cup final.

Above: Museum of the Jewellery Quarter

Museum of the Jewellery Quarter 30th Birthday 6 February 2022, 12noon, 1pm & 2pm Adult: £12, Concession: £10, Child: £6 The Museum of the Jewellery Quarter first opened its doors 30 years ago - in February 1992 - as the Jewellery Quarter discovery centre. To celebrate, visit for a special day of tours. Join guided tours of the perfectly preserved Smith & Pepper jewellery workshop, access our “Story of the Jewellery Quarter gallery” and enjoy a complimentary glass of sparkling wine during the tour to toast the occasion! The tearoom will also be open with birthday cake and hot drinks available to purchase.

Cole Bank Road, Hall Green, Birmingham, B13 0BD. See birminghammuseums.org.uk for up-to-date opening times and prices Free entry for Friends. Charges apply to non-members.

Explore Sarehole Mill 5 February 2022, 11am - 4pm Entry to this event is included in the price of admission. Explore Sarehole Mill at your leisure without the need for a guided tour! Enjoy the sights and sounds of a traditional 18th Century water mill at your own pace, learn about the life of a miller and take part in hands on demonstrations. Also take some time to see the beautiful millpond and explore the new Woodland Realm. There will also be Pizza in the courtyard, available from 12 – 3pm. Pre-book your table to avoid disappointment.

Guided Tour of Sarehole Mill 11 February - 12 February 2022, Tours at 11.30am on Friday and 11.30am and 1.30pm on Saturday. Entry to this event is included in the price of admission. Explore Sarehole Mill with our experienced guides. Enjoy the sights and sounds of a traditional 18th Century Water Mill, learn about the life of a miller and the scenes that inspired writer J.R.R Tolkien. Also take some time to see the beautiful millpond and explore the new Woodland Realm. Enjoy pizza in the courtyard available from 12 – 3pm, pre-book your table to avoid disappointment. Tours also take place on 18 & 19 February, 25 & 26 February, 4 March, 11 & 12 March, 18 & 19 March – please see the website for timings.

Origins of Middle-earth: J.R.R. Tolkien and Sarehole Guided walk 6 February, 20 February & 6 March 2022, 10am - 11am £10 A guided walk introducing the scenery that inspired J.R.R Tolkien when he lived near Sarehole Mill as a child. The tour begins at

the Mill and takes us to Moseley Bog, passing Tolkien’s childhood home. The route is around 2 miles in length, involves steps and a boardwalk that could be slippery when wet. Good walking shoes are recommended. Not accessible to wheelchairs or pushchairs unfortunately. Worked up an appetite? Book a table at the pizza in the courtyard for lunch following the walk! This event also takes place on 20th February, 6th March and 20th March.

Millennium Point, Curzon Street, Birmingham, B4 7XG Open daily 10am – 5pm Half price entry for Friends. Charges apply to non-members. Thinktank offers an extraordinary, fun-packed day out for all the family. From steam engines to a talking robot, this exciting museum is home to thousands of fascinating objects, and over 200 hands-on displays on science and technology.

This includes a state-of-the-art digital Planetarium, and an interactive outdoor Science Garden, a gallery dedicated to the iconic Spitfire as well as a number of natural history displays. MiniBrum, a major new mini city space where children are in charge. Open now, MiniBrum is an exciting, interactive child-sized world which been created in collaboration with schools, families and community groups.

With an ever-changing programme of demonstrations, workshops and events, there is always something new to discover.

Planetarium Lates: Particle/Wave 17 February 2022, 7pm - 8.15pm £10 Particle/Wave is an exploration of art and science showcased under the spectacular dome of the planetarium. Poets, musicians, sound and video artists – alongside renowned scientists – have collaborated to present a creative glimpse of the incredible story of gravitational waves.

Smethwick Engine Steaming Day 23 February & 13 April 2022, 12.30pm - 1pm Entry to this event is included in the price of admission One of the jewels in Thinktank’s collection is the Smethwick Engine, the oldest working steam engine in the world. Designed by the firm of Boulton & Watt and installed almost 240 years ago on the Birmingham-Wolverhampton canal in 1779, it was the first engine in the world to use both the expansive force of steam and a vacuum at the same time.

The Smethwick Engine has recently undergone an extensive restoration project. Come and see the power of the engine firsthand at 12:30pm.

Planetarium Lates: Equinox 360 Pink Floyd Tribute 17 March 2022, 7pm - 9.30pm £17 This is a Pink Floyd tribute like no other. Performed live, entirely by one man, one instrument and projected in 360 degrees which immerses you into the sights and sounds of one of the biggest selling and acclaimed acts on the planet.

Equinox will take you on an emotional and inspiring journey into the heart and themes of the band’s iconic albums and songs. This unparalleled performance will take you to the Darkside of the dome and leave you Comfortably Numb!

For all events visit www.birminghammuseums.org.uk/whats-on for further information and to book

Below: Sarehole Mill