Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery

Super Victorian building - absolutely massive so I'd suggest comfortable shoes are a must! Have taken parties of children round many times, and they love it, in particular the Egyptian Gallery with the mummies. Such a great day out - plenty to see and do, and a restaurant/coffee bar that is quite spectacular. Do give it a try.

Free museum in Birmingham city centre focusing on contemporary art. It's in a very grand building, so I thought the museum would be big too, but it wasn't. Well there is a lot of empty space, and not that much to see. Few different rotating exhibitions, I saw some on the rave scene in the 80s and also racial violence from the 60-90s. On the way out I accidentally insulted one of the artists, but he just brushed it off.

The Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery is a popular cultural attraction in the heart of Birmingham, albeit I didn't find it that special. The building architecture is nice for sure. The indoor space is quite small, though, with not a ton to see. It's free though, so if you're around it doesn't hurt to pop in for a visit.

We visited this museum yesterday and we really liked it. Both the exterior and interior of the building are beautiful. The museum has a terrific selection of paintings from the 15th, 16th & 17th centuries and a particularly good selection of Pre-Raphaelites.

There's a *gorgeous*/large Edwardian tea room and also a separate café (the latter is small and attractive). The gift shop isn't very large, but it had some nice items. Also, I had a wonderful conversation with one of the guards; she was very friendly and kind-hearted.

Half a dozen times at least I've been to Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery in the past few years. Wonderful collection of paintings (one focus is on the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood), pottery, sculptures - plus a healthy dose of local history and Ancient Egypt. It will take you hours & hours to explore. Far above average café, some lockers for your stuff, and of course the great architecture around it. Entry is free, photography allowed. Don't hesitate!

Somewhere for Brummies to be proud of!

The building itself is beautiful, especially the original galleries at the front. The art gallery has a fantastic variety and is split into eras and styles. There's a super Birmingham gallery as well, with art inspired by Birmingham and Brummies.

The museum has plenty of artefacts, including the Egyptian section with mummies! There are often special exhibitions of art or history and it is home to the Staffordshire Hoard. Staff are passionate and knowledgeable and seem to have really picked up the pace recently.

You could visit here several times over and still not see everything. The lovely tearoom is worth a visit too.

Oh and it's free. What more do you need?

I still can't get my head around the fact that I have not been back here since I was a child, this place is truly fantastic.

You can look at everything from Egyptian artefacts and 17th century art right through to newer additions to the museum that celebrate Birmingham's rich culture and heritage all in one place. All of the pieces are beautifully presented and maintained and the staff cannot help you enough. On our visit we had doors opened for us and directions when ever we needed them.

It's completely free to get in so next time you are walking by go in and take a look around. You won't be disappointed.

I had one of the best times here you could imagine, let me start by saying the place is free to get into so you don't have to pay a huge entrance price unlike some places I have been to in Birmingham. There is so much to see in the museum on the many floors and various rooms here, I was lost in a trance for hours on end!

There is something for everyone, even children. You have modern day pieces and classic paintings to interactive displays and hand made medieval villages that give an amazing representation of the past. If that doesn't take your fancy then spend half hour looking through the gift shop like I did, have a sit down in the restaurant there or have some fun on the penny presses!

There isn't anything I could fault with this amazing contribution to Birmingham and when I visit next I will be attending again!

Wow.. Has it really been so long since I wrote my review of BMAG? June 2013 indeed! Well, I think it's now definitely time for an update.

I have ended up visiting BMAG several times over the last year! With the vast range of exhibitions held here and Gas Gall, there is always something new to see and worth visiting regularly.

Entry to the main museum is still free of charge (but relies on donations), and you can certainly lose a day in this behemoth of a building. This year has seen the fantastic permanent "Staffordshire Hoard" exhibition open up, which is a wonderful addition to the already jam packed selection of collections available.

The refurbished Edwardian Tea Rooms (http://www.yelp.co.uk/biz/edwardian-tea-room-birmingham) provide a welcome break after an explore of the many floors here and you can get yourself a damn fine cup of coffee and a cake for under £5.

My personal favourite place in the museum is the Birmingham floor (at the top of the building). As well as telling you the history of "Beorma" and how it became a City, it goes into more modern history and provides lots of information about the "thousand trades" Birmingham got it's tagline from.

Be sure to pop into Gas Hall if they are offering a free exhibition or something you are interested in, the quality work in here never fails to amaze me. Don't miss a little wander around the gift shop too, as it often has unusual and quirky presents and a great selection of cards and wrapping paper.

In short, if my review from 2013 hasn't persuaded you to go yet... GO. GO NOW. It's one of the best museums I have ever visited and an afternoon spent in BMAG will never fail to mystify you.

Stopping here wasn't planned, but it looked inviting and ambitious. The external building was grand, and so were a lot of internal rooms.

And to be honest, sometimes the rooms were more grand than the art.

But what I really likes was the whole section committed to the story of Birmingham. I can't recall a museum that takes you on a journey like this... it was like walking a timeline. Here's what the city (village) looked like in the 12 century. Here's who lived here. Here's what they made. And the museum then walks you through many centuries of evolution, right up through modern times.

The displays in this timeline aren't always about art, but educating visitors about Birmingham's role in everything from the English civil war to the salve trade in the 1800's to the coal strikes of the late 1900s. Very educational.

Sometimes we get caught up in the idea that great museums have amazing stuff from all over the world. But that's a game nobody can really win. Showing an amazing story about local history can be just as great, especially if done creatively.

First things first, if you're planning your visiting to this elegant listed building placed at Chamberlain Square, there is some things to remember: make sure you are going to wear very comfortable shoes. There are plenty to catch up there and it's difficult even to decide where to start with. Secondly, get the map. Believe me, there are so many rooms in this building that it's likely to get lost and never find the exhibition or collection you were looking for.

This museum and art gallery is very impressive. So, before entering on it I would recommend to check the building from outside and spot every details of this phenomenal architecture built in 1884. In fact, it took four years to be erected! It's just impossible to not contemplate it.

A good place to admire its exuberant construction is from the Chamberlain Memorial fountain, also located at the Chamberlain Square.

From inside, BAGM is more inviting! From ancient & medieval antiquities to fine art printing and drawings, we are spoilt for choice. Birmingham Art and Gallery Museum collection has free admission. The Gas Hall is one of the rooms that can't be missed. For some very cheap fee (usually £ 4) you can check really interesting contemporaneous exhibitions. Best thing to do is visiting the website and check the list of events held there. For residents of Birmingham it should be a compulsory place to visit weekly. For tourists it would be in their bucket list.