10 Fun Things You Didn't Know About Birmingham

Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery is an excellent cultural venue in central Birmingham that has huge rooms devoted to Pre-Raphaelite art. In total, the museum has over 3,000 paintings, drawings and prints, although not all of them are on display.

Located in a wing of the city’s finest piece of architecture – Birmingham Council House – prominent artists on display at Birmingham Museum include Dante Gabriel Rossetti, John Everett Millais and William Holman Hunt. Other sections of the museum include ceramics, jewellery, archaeology, and industrial history.

Most locals are well aware that JRR Tolkien grew up in Birmingham, moving to the city with his parents when he was 3 years old. He lived in several areas of the city, most notably in Moseley. In fact, you can find a blue plaque dedicated to the author at Sarehole Mill, which is said to be the inspiration for the Old Mill in Hobbiton.

There’s speculation that Tolkien could see 2 prominent landmarks from his house, Perrott's Folly and the chimney of Edgbaston Pumping Station, on which he based his descriptions of the 2 Towers of Gondor. And his family even owned a farm in the area called Bag End!

Birmingham was once labelled the ‘first manufacturing town in the world’ thanks to the many industries that made this city great following the Industrial Revolution in the 1800s.

Although many of those industries have shrunk or permanently relocated, the people of Birmingham are still proud of their history and culture. Britain’s most famous plane – the Spitfire – was built in Birmingham and, besides the steam engine, inventions created in the Birmingham area include the vacuum cleaner, photocopier, and even plastic!

The Jewellery Quarter is a close-knit community of 150 jewellers and craftspeople dedicated to the production of jewellery. It’s said that up to 40% of Britain’s jewellery business is traded through this enclave of manufacturing on the northern edge of the city centre. You can easily walk to the Jewellery Quarter from New Street station in less than 20 minutes or take the train 1 stop to Jewellery Quarter station.

Forget what you think you know about libraries. The Library of Birmingham has reimagined the whole concept for the digital age, with surprises in store, inside and out. The building itself is a real head-turner, with a 7th-floor garden and several spacious viewing platforms.

There’s a full programme of events to attend for free. Watch live theatre in the amphitheatre or explore the permanent exhibition dedicated to William Shakespeare, Britain’s most celebrated playwright. For movie buffs, the entire National Film Archive is available in private booths, courtesy of the British Film Institute.

The Birmingham Christmas Market has been a mainstay in the city for many years and it continues to grow in size and scope every year. In fact, it’s now the largest Christmas Market outside of Germany!

Officially known as the Frankfurt Christmas Market Birmingham, it runs from early November right up to Christmas. Have your fill of schnitzels and bratwursts, drink hot chocolate and Glühwein, before browsing the 80 different shops and stalls to pick up a whole range of artisanal presents – from toys to jewellery and plenty of kooky homeware.