The return of Heritage Open Days: Birmingham's top picks

Posted on Wed 04 Sep 2024

Heritage Open Days is England’s largest festival of history and culture, taking place every September and involving thousands of local volunteers and organisations. Stories are told, traditions explored and histories brought to life. The festival provides members of the general public with the chance to see hidden places and try out new experiences. And what’s more, it’s all absolutely FREE.

Here are some Birmingham-located options to enjoy...

Acocks Green Heritage Trail - Warwick Road, Acocks Green, B27 6RH

Take a walk and find out all about Acocks Green, its religious history, street scene, buildings, transport changes, and the creation of The Green in the 1930s.

The walk follows boards one to five of the eight boards that make up the Acocks Green Heritage Trail. At the end of the walk, participants can visit boards six and seven, which are a few minutes’ walk away. Board eight at Fox Hollies is best visited by car afterwards.

Thurs 12 Sept | 10.30am-12pm, pre-booking required

Birmingham Botanical Gardens - Westbourne Rd, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 3TR

If you've always wanted to pay a visit to Birmingham Botanical Gardens or perhaps it's been a while since your last visit, this open day is perfect for you.

The Gardens Open day offers a rare opportunity to explore the beauty and history of the gardens without an admission charge. Reserve your free admission time* online in advance, by picking your timeslot, and if you’re able, make an optional donation to support The Gardens.

*Once inside the gardens, you can stay until closing time at 5pm.

Sat 14 Sept | 10am-3pm (hourly admission waves), pre-booking required

Birmingham Honey Show - Winterbourne House & Garden, 58 Edgbaston Park Road, B15 2RT

Winterbourne has seven acres of stunning botanical garden for you to explore - but this particular event is all about its 'buzzing' residents, the honey bees. The Honey Show includes a chance to see the bees in glass observation hives, attend live bee demonstrations (weather permitting) and meet local beekeepers. Stalls for all the family, activities and plant sales also feature.

Sat 7 & Sun 8 Sept | 10.30am-5pm, no pre-booking required

Bournville Model Boat Club - Valley Parkway, Bournville Lane, Bournville, B30 1QS

Bournville Model Yachting Club was founded in 1923 at Rowheath Park. By 1926, George Cadbury had commissioned an area of marshland to be reclaimed, and the Valley Pool officially opened in 1933. The sailing of yachts and power boats has taken place there on a regular basis since then. Visitors will have the opportunity to see the updated boathouse, historical artefact & photographic display, and get up close to the model boats in action.

Sat 14 Sept | 10am-4pm, no pre-booking required

Cadbury Archives - Mondelez International, Bournville Lane, Bournville, B30 2HP

The Cadbury Archives have undergone a refurbishment to mark Cadbury’s 200th anniversary this year. They serve as a treasure trove of historical artefacts, documents and memorabilia, showcasing the evolution of the Cadbury business and brand from its beginnings through to the present day. Featuring nearly 50,000 Cadbury items, including ones dating as far back as 1842, the archives are home to some of the rarest Cadbury documents and artefacts in the world.

Sat 14 Sept | 10am-4pm, pre-booking required

Lickey Hills Heritage Weekend - Warren Lane, Lickey, Birmingham, B45 8ER

During Heritage Week you can join a guided heritage themed walk or see the exhibition in the heritage centre and there will be guides to show you the WW1 gun proof range in Warren Lane Quarry.

The guided walks include The Country Park’s WW1 & WW2 sites on Saturday 14 at 11.30am, Lickey History Walk on Saturday 14 at 2pm, Lickey Geology: ‘A Walk Through Time’ on Sunday 15 at 11am
and The Country Park’s WW1 & WW2 sites on Sunday 15 at 1.30pm.

Sat 14 & Sun 15 Sept | 11am-4pm, no pre-booking required

Manor Farm Park Heritage Trail - 389 Bristol Road South, Northfield, B31 2AB

This 2km walking trail takes visitors to 10 sites in the beautiful Manor Farm Park, showing the changes from farmland in the 16th century, to the development of a country estate and ownership by the Cadbury Family, to the creation of a public park in 1955.

Each site has a QR code which, when scanned on a smartphone, allows visitors to access information about it. A printed guide and map will be available for self-guided tours, but visitors can instead choose to book one of two guided tours.

Sat 14 Sept | 10am-4pm, pre-booking required

Moor Pool Heritage Festival - Moor Pool Hall, 37 The Circle, B17 9DY

A unique opportunity to discover the Moor Pool Estate, one of the last remaining intact garden suburbs in the UK - and one of Birmingham's best-kept secrets.

The festival boasts a packed programme, highlighting the range of activities that regularly take place around the estate, and features performances by the Sovereign Brass Band.

Sun 15 Sept | 11am-3pm, no pre-booking required

The Coffin Works - 13-15 Fleet Street, Birmingham, B3 1JP

To celebrate both Heritage Open Days and Birmingham Heritage Week, The Coffins Works will be running free taster tours of their stamp room.

The taster tours focus on the courtyard and stamp room of the Newman Brothers’ Victorian Manufactory, giving an insight into the early history of the factory and includes the chance to see demonstrations with working Victorian machinery.

The tours last around 30 minutes and do not include the upper floors of the museum. Spaces are limited and must be pre-booked to guarantee entry.

Sun 8 Sept | 11am-3pm (tours every half hour), pre-booking required

West Midlands Police Museum Collections Store Tour - West Midlands Police Museum, The Lock Up, 40 - Steelhouse Lane, B4 6BJ

The West Midlands Police Museum is now located in the old Victorian Lock Up on Steelhouse Lane in Birmingham city centre. In the atmospheric setting of a building that was opened in 1891, the museum tells the fascinating story of policing in the region, going right back to the 1830s. On this special tour, the museum manager will take you behind the scenes into the archives, where some of the oldest and most precious items can be found. The tour includes the chance to see some of the very earliest mugshots taken in the UK, criminal records going back over 150 years and a number of delicate items that are unsuitable to be on display.

Fri 13 & Sat 14 Sept | 10am, 11am, 1pm and 2pm, pre-booking required