The Best West Midlands Attractions & Activities

Recommended places to visit and things to do in the West Midlands


 
  • art gallery
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  • museum
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  • family-friendly
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  • open year round
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  • limited opening
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  • virtual tours
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  • shop
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  • art
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  • history
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  • local history

Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery houses world-class collections of fine art, archaeology and decorative arts. Highlights include Pre-Raphaelite masterpieces, ancient artefacts and exhibitions exploring Birmingham’s rich cultural heritage.

Cadbury World

Birmingham

  • family-friendly
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  • all-weather attraction
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  • open year round
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  • pre-booking advised
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  • café
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  • guided tours
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  • history

Cadbury World in Birmingham offers a fun, interactive journey through the story of chocolate and the Cadbury brand. With themed zones, tastings and family-friendly attractions, it’s a sweet experience for all ages.

  • place of worship
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  • family-friendly
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  • all-weather attraction
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  • free admission
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  • café
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  • architecture
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  • history
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  • religion

visit this modern masterpiece designed by Sir Basil Spence with the iconic tapestry by Graham Sutherland and the magnificent stained glass windows by John Piper

  • museum
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  • family-friendly
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  • all-weather attraction
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  • open year round
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  • café
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  • history
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  • transport
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  • cars
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  • buses

opened in 1980, the current collection of vehicles is acknowledged as one of the finest in the world, and the largest in public ownership

  • art gallery
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  • free admission
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  • open year round
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  • limited opening
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  • café
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  • shop
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  • art

The Barber Institute of Fine Arts in Birmingham showcases an outstanding collection of European art. Masterpieces by Monet, Van Gogh and Rubens are displayed in an elegant setting alongside concerts and exhibitions.

  • historic house
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  • museum
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  • something different!
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  • family-friendly
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  • all-weather attraction
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  • seasonal opening
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  • pre-booking advised
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  • National Trust
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  • shop
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  • antiques
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  • architecture
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  • furniture
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  • history
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  • social history

The Birmingham Back to Backs, preserved by the National Trust, reveal the lives of working families from the 19th and 20th centuries. These restored courtyard houses offer a vivid glimpse into the city’s industrial past.

  • garden
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  • open year round
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  • café
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  • shop
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  • nature
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  • walking
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  • wildlife

Birmingham Botanical Gardens offer 15 acres of landscaped grounds with glasshouses, exotic plants and seasonal colour. Located in Edgbaston, they provide a peaceful escape with wildlife, events and beautiful garden displays year-round.

Coffin Works Museum

Birmingham

  • museum
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  • something different!
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  • family-friendly
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  • all-weather attraction
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  • limited opening
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  • pre-booking advised
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  • guided tours
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  • shop
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  • antiques
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  • history

The Coffin Works Museum in Birmingham brings Victorian industry to life in a preserved factory where coffin fittings were made. Original machinery, stories and guided tours reveal a unique part of the city’s heritage.

  • archeological site
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  • natural landscape
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  • something different!
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  • family-friendly
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  • seasonal opening
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  • National Trust
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  • café
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  • shop
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  • archeology
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  • history
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  • nature
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  • walking
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  • wildlife

discover surprisingly cosy homes carved into the rock. Walk across Kinver Edge, buzzing with wildlife. Quirky tea room inside a rock house

  • family-friendly
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  • all-weather attraction
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  • open year round
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  • science

Thinktank, Birmingham’s award-winning science museum, features interactive exhibits on technology, transport, space and the human body. With a planetarium and hands-on displays, it’s an inspiring destination for curious minds of all ages.

Clent Hills

Romsley

  • natural landscape
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  • family-friendly
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  • open year round
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  • National Trust
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  • café
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  • guided tours
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  • cycling
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  • nature
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  • walking
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  • wildlife

The Clent Hills, near Birmingham, offer sweeping countryside views, woodland walks, and rich wildlife. Managed by the National Trust, they’re perfect for hiking, picnicking, and enjoying the West Midlands landscape.

  • museum
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  • family-friendly
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  • all-weather attraction
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  • limited opening
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  • café
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  • shop
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  • antiques
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  • jewellery

The Museum of the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham preserves a historic workshop frozen in time. Visitors can explore original tools, machinery and stories of the city’s renowned jewellery-making heritage.