9 Specialty Museums in Birmingham That You Shouldn't Miss

Soho House was the elegant home of the industrialist and entrepreneur Matthew Boulton from 1766 to 1809. The house has been beautifully restored and reflects the fashions and tastes of the late Georgian period. There’s also the chance to see some of the products of Boulton’s nearby factory – where buttons and buckles, clocks and vases, and silver and Sheffield plate tableware were made – and where he developed the steam engine in partnership with James Watt. Soho House was also a favourite meeting place of the Lunar Society, a leading Enlightenment group. The Lunar Society would meet every month on the night of the full moon to dine, conduct experiments, and discuss philosophical matters of the day. Members of the society included Erasmus Darwin, James Watt and Joseph Priestly who all gathered around the Lunar Room table and engaged in a lively exchange of ideas which inspired many new discoveries and inventions.

This regional transport museum houses a collection of more than 80 buses and coaches including the largest collection of preserved Midland Red vehicles, fire engines, London Transport RT buses, and a unique collection of battery-electric milk floats and bread vans.

Discover the skill of the jeweller's craft and enjoy a unique tour of an original jewellery factory, which traces the 200-year history of the ancient crafting skills that made Birmingham the centre of the British jewellery industry.

Selly Manor is a beautiful Tudor manor in the heart of historic Bournville. Alongside the medieval hall of Minworth Greaves, together these are two of Birmingham's oldest buildings and are surrounded by a lovely cottage garden. The museum is home to the Laurence Cadbury Collection of period furniture and domestic objects which bring these timber-framed buildings to life. The museum offers a range of exhibitions, talks and tours, special events, children's activities and is licensed for civil wedding ceremonies. Please check our website for our current opening hours as these change throughout the year.

The National Motorcycle Museums award winning facilities provides a truly unique venue for your conference, seminar, banquet or function. Breathtaking displays of literally hundreds of fully restored British motorcycles are on hand to provide an extra attraction to your delegates. We aim to offer more than a unique venue, however. We know that the success of any function is dependent upon the backing and support of an experienced and caring staff. 13 luxuriously appointed and newly renovated suites, ranging from just 5 to up to 1000 delegates offer the flexibility to suite most requirements. The National Motorcycle Museum is at the hub of the country’s motorway system and rail network, with Birmingham International railway station just five-minutes taxi ride away. Access from everywhere within the UK is direct and overseas visitors praise the excellent international services provided at Birmingham Airport, which is less than two miles in distance away. The National Exhibition Centre is also near the Museum complex and we offer vast car parking facilities.Many of our clients are ‘blue-chip’ companies from home and overseas. They come back to us time after time – we know you will too, and look forward to seeing you to discuss your requirements in the near future.

Set in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter, The Pen Museum is unique in the UK. It celebrates the legacy of Birmingham's 19th century steel pen trade, where mass production first made mass communication possible. And through exports, made an enormous contribution to global literacy. In effect, this is where the world learned to write. Our museum is based in an 1863 Florentine Renaissance style former pen factory; 1 factory of 129 in Birmingham that once manufactured the majority of the world's pens. The Museum holds regular calligraphy workshops and learning sessions.

A Victorian Coffin Fittings factory, restored by Birmingham Conservation Trust and opened as a museum in October 2014. The shelves and workbenches at Newman Brothers are full of original stock and tools of the trade. With the original machinery working again, you can truly experience how this old Jewellery Quarter firm once operated on a day-to-day basis, producing some of the world's finest coffin furniture, including the fittings for the funerals of Joseph Chamberlain, Winston Churchill and the Queen Mother.

Uncover a world of chocolate delights and enjoy a fascinating, fun-packed day out at Cadbury World. From learning how your favourite confectionery is made and uncovering the fascinating story of Cadbury chocolate, to playing in chocolate rain and adding your favourite treat to a delicious pot of warm liquid Cadbury Dairy Milk. You'll discover the origins of the cocoa bean amidst trees and waterfalls in the Aztec Jungle, before jumping on board the magical Cadabra ride and visiting the brand new 4D Chocolate Adventure zone, a 4D cinema experience featuring Cadbury's most popular characters. Cadbury World is located in the grounds of the original Cadbury factory, but isn't a tour of the factory itself. Instead, you'll discover the history, the making and the magic of Cadbury confectionery as you journey through our chocolatey zones.