Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery will host a weekend of special events from November 28 to 30 to mark its 140th anniversary. Activities include a birthday cake-cutting, live poetry by Bradley Taylor, a performance by the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Trumpet Club, behind-the-scenes 'hidden spaces' tours, a party hat trail, and 'my first museum' tours for young children. The museum originally opened on November 28, 1885, by the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII), and has welcomed an estimated 100 million visitors since. After closing in March 2020 for pandemic-related essential maintenance, it reopened in phases starting October 2024, with new galleries, displays, and full access to the Staffordshire Hoard by October 2025.
This anniversary celebration highlights the museum's deep-rooted role in Birmingham's cultural life and its ongoing evolution as a vibrant, inclusive institution. The phased reopening—featuring new family galleries, the Pre-Raphaelite collection, and the thought-provoking display 'The Elephant in the Room'—demonstrates a commitment to both preserving history and engaging contemporary audiences. The event underscores how regional museums can remain relevant by blending heritage with community-focused programming, serving as a model for cultural institutions navigating post-pandemic recovery.