Things to Do: in Birmingham
From jazz music to pop culture, and world-class shopping to world dining - cosmopolitan and surprisingly chic Birmingham has got the lot!
With so much to do and explore in the city it can sometimes be difficult to choose what to do next - so why not check out some of the places & things Atholl Lodge loves about Birmingham…
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The Bullring
Birmingham is fantastic for shopping - and the Bullring hosts some of the best of the high street as well as a range of designer offerings including TopShop, Debenhams, Forever21, Reiss, Kurt Geiger and Armani Exchange (oh, and lets not forget the iconic Birmingham Selfridges 'bubble' building)...
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The Mailbox
Head for the Mailbox for some serious designer retail therapy with top names such as Emporio Armani, Aquascutum, Bang & Olufsen, All Saints, Jesire, and (of course) Harvey Nichols. The Mailbox also boasts some great restaurants and cafes - some with a fantastic waterside location for a truly relaxed, lazy lunch after all of that serious spending.
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The Rag Market
Birmingham's world famous rag market is home to over 350 stalls and is open 4 days a week.
Things to Do: in Birmingham City-Centre
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Great Western Arcade
One of Birmingham's favourite buildings, this Victorian shopping arcade not just looks great but also makes a convenient cut-through from Snow Hill station towards Temple Hill (any excuse to window shop will do)...
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The Jewellery Quarter
This interesting and unique quarter dates back over 250 years and is still home to more than 400 jewellery businesses. The area is a proposed World Heritage Site which is currently a designated conservation area boasting over 200 listed buildings and Birmingham's last remaining Georgian Square.
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The Museum of the Jewellery Quarter
Voted Best Small Visitor Attraction in the Enjoy England Awards 2010, this fab museum makes for an interesting and enjoyable time out from the hustle and bustle of the city-centre. Learn about the history and process of jewellery making in Birmingham by touring the jewellery factory and viewing live demonstrations of the jewellers art.
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The Jam House
The Jam House is a busy live music venue serving up a variety of jazz, blues and rock acts, as well as a tasty dining menu. A great night out for music fans!
Things to Do: in Birmingham City-Centre
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The Old Joint Stock Pub & Theatre
Victorian splendour awaits at this grand feeling city centre venue with fabulous glass domed ceiling over an island bar. Visit on a Wednesday for live jazz sessions, or take in a play or some comedy in the upstairs theatre.
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Brindley Place
Soak up some cafe culture at the canal side Brindley Place development in the heart of the city centre. There are a range of bars and restaurants situated by the waters side - or venture slightly further in for the Ikon Gallery and Crescent Theatre. Brindley Place is also home to the National Sea Life Centre.
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Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
Birmingham Museum and Art Galleries operates several fantastic cultural resources including the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery itself where you can see an astounding public collection (and the world's biggest) of Pre-Raphaelite art including work by Burne-Jones and Dante Gabriel-Rosetti.
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The Back to Backs
Be transported back in time with an atmospheric and realistic glimpse into the lives of the ordinary people who helped to make Birmingham extraordinary.
Things to Do: in the Birmingham Area
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The Balti Triangle
Number 15 in the Rough Guide's must-do list for the whole of the UK, the Balti Triangle is where you will find most of Birmingham's Balti action going down. The vast majority of Balti Houses in Birmingham (the Balti Capital) are to be found in this area between Sparkbrook, Balsall Heath and Mosely. Most restaurants are unlicensed and diners bring their own drinks.
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Cadbury World
A visit to Cadbury World in Bourneville will educate, inspire and entertain the whole family as you learn about chocolate and hear the Cadbury story. Admission charges apply.
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The Barber Institute
One of the finest small collections of European fine art in the UK. The Barber contains works by artists such as Botticelli, Bellini, Rubens, Degas, Van Gogh and Gauguin - all housed in a Grade II listed Art Deco building in the University of Birmingham grounds. Admission is FREE.
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MAC
The MAC (Midlands Art Centre) is located in the very pretty Cannon Hill Park near to Edgbaston cricket ground. The centre boasts two theatres, a cinema, exhibition space, workshops and a cafe.
Things to Do: in the Birmingham Area
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Aston Hall
Aston Hall is a Jacobean mansion house with sumptuous interiors run by BM&AG. Positioned next to Aston Villa football club the hall boasts lovely green gardens that are ideal for picnicking and playing in in summer. Aston Hall played a part in the civil war of the 1640's (roundheads vs cavaliers) and is even supposed to be haunted - see if you can spot the ghost of Sir Thomas Holte's daughter!
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Soho House
Soho House was the home of the celebrated industrialist (and founding member of the Lunar Society) Matthew Boulton. Boulton had a voracious mind and was instrumental in introducing items we take for granted such as silver plate, steam power and the steam engine, standardised coinage that was difficult to forge, as well as worker compensation for injuries on the job.
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Sarehole Mill
One of Birmingham's last surviving water mills - try and visit on a day when a milling demonstration is going on for the full experience. The author JRR Tolkien contributed to the renovation of the mill and the area around is thought to be the inspiration for his The Hobbit's shire.
Things to Do: in the Birmingham Area
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Moseley Bog & Joys Wood
A short walk from Sarehole Mill is a delightfully hidden gem. Moseley Bog is again widely seen as the inspiration behind settings in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and Hobbit books - today it is a haven for wildlife and Local Nature Reserve.
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Birmingham Botanical Gardens
Situated in Edgbaston, the pretty botanical gardens and glasshouses are a peaceful and pleasant day out - particularly on warm days when the setting is ideal for picnics.
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Birmingham, Victoria Square
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Birmingham, the botanical gardens
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Birmingham, the meadow at Moseley Bog
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Birmingham, Moseley Bog
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