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Birmingham museum and art gallery.

Makes you wonder if there is any point in donating to the museum, Over 40 years ago I gave them , after being encouraged by someone who worked there and said they did not have anything like it, a mutilated copy of a catalogue of church furnishings I had found. I wonder if that was ever properly catalogued or if it served just to act as a door stop
 
I guess it has been just lack of people to do a proper job in the past, possibly because they didn't have enough staff.
Hopefully they have some good archivists on the job now, I imagine it would be very exciting for them to go through the huge collection and examine everything properly.
 
I remember a library assistant in the old Archives (up the metal stairs) saying that there was probably only a fifth of their stock catalogued the rest of it was in store. It worried me when I found out about the rats in the basement - were they eating our heritage?
 
Williamstreeter said:
I spent many a happy time in the Museum as a child , just to see artefacts from history and different parts of the world had my mind running riot . Maybe the day after if we were on holiday we'd be off down Newhall ST to the Science and Industry Museum . Great thoughts Great daysI spent many a happy time in the Museum as a child , just to see artefacts from history and different parts of the world had my mind running riot . Maybe the day after if we were on holiday we'd be off down Newhall ST to the Science and Industry Museum . Great thoughts Great days

Victoria Square to Chamberlain Square is open up again past BM & AG. New paving. Be careful not to trip as you leave the old Victoria Square paving for the new Chamberlain Square paving. Still a lot of temporary fencing around for Paradise Birmingham.
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ellbrown said:
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So many hours spent in the Museum when young, never forget on going up the stone steps to the main entrance to see Lucifer standing tall and magnificent, the other one that stands out was the white marble horses head, all the art, and then over to the old now gone Library, spent more time there than home, not over keen on the new one when built, that's progress.
 
One thing I missed when it went was the large display of coins and tokens from centuries past located not far from the top of the main stairs. Also by a pre raph' "Work" and one of the smallest of paintings "The death of chatterton" stolen I believe by a passing drunk and sold on the top deck of a bus passing through Sparkbrook - it was recovered.
 
tt300 said:
One thing I missed when it went was the large display of coins and tokens from centuries past located not far from the top of the main stairs. Also by a pre raph' "Work" and one of the smallest of paintings "The death of chatterton" stolen I believe by a passing drunk and sold on the top deck of a bus passing through Sparkbrook - it was recovered.
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Hi T
I do remember the coin collection, I used to take my brother and also the accent of man, not sure what year they introduced the mummy section, you could look down and see sarcophagus's and displays from Egypt, so much to see. Never knew about the stolen painting, glad they got it back, loved the pre raph to this day one picture still stands out in my mind of the woman with reddish hair, things looked larger then.
 
Country Road said:
Hi T
I do remember the coin collection, I used to take my brother and also the accent of man, not sure what year they introduced the mummy section, you could look down and see sarcophagus's and displays from Egypt, so much to see. Never knew about the stolen painting, glad they got it back, loved the pre raph to this day one picture still stands out in my mind of the woman with reddish hair, things looked larger then.
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I also remember the section where you looked down into a sort of tomb - I found it quite frightening, for some reason.
 
Maria Magenta said:
I also remember the section where you looked down into a sort of tomb - I found it quite frightening, for some reason.
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The first time I saw it I was quite young, it scared the daylights out of me! As I got older I became more interested in mummies and Egyptology et Al. I have never been to Egypt and with everything going on there most likely will not. I continue to follow their work and engineering expertise, all triggered by that first look down into a tomb at the museum.
 
There was a frightening painting of The Death of Hippolytus (the bull from the sea) which I can't find by googling. Perhaps it was very big, but I certainly didn't like it.
 
I loved Chamberlain square as it used to be, I know we have to move with the times....I would be able to find my around my own city now...but I'm using a mobility scooter now not a car so maybe it maybe easier...I was going to town as the pandemic started so it's on hold for the time being
 
ye gods what they gona dig up next.......
Rubble rouser: Part of the main square in Brindleyplace is being redeveloped
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Between the wars, many "public works projects" took place to give people work. It seems that those who sit in offices doing nothing useful think the same should occur today
 
Website says closed till 2024 - the exact date still to be determined. Sad that we've been denied access to one of the Second City's greatest attractions for how long already and for how much longer?
 
tomkil said:
Website says closed till 2024 - the exact date still to be determined. Sad that we've been denied access to one of the Second City's greatest attractions for how long already and for how much longer?
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I thought it had been open recently? I don't live in Birmingham now, so perhaps misunderstood.
 
Maria, I think they opened it for limited access in the lead up to and during the Commonwealth Games. As I understand it there is considerable work to be done including updating the electrics (including lifts) and carrying out repairs to the roof. It closed on 13th November.

We are hoping to go to Derby later in the year to see the Joseph Wright paintings and this gallery has had to be closed due to leaking roofs which have threatened some of the exhibits. I think many of the art galleries and museums were built over a hundred years ago when there seemed to be a boom in building them.
 
Thanks for the gen Lady P. The museum and art gallery seems to have been closed whenever I've been in town over the past few years and I'd be interested to know when it was last fully open.
 
Lady Penelope said:
Maria, I think they opened it for limited access in the lead up to and during the Commonwealth Games. As I understand it there is considerable work to be done including updating the electrics (including lifts) and carrying out repairs to the roof. It closed on 13th November.

We are hoping to go to Derby later in the year to see the Joseph Wright paintings and this gallery has had to be closed due to leaking roofs which have threatened some of the exhibits. I think many of the art galleries and museums were built over a hundred years ago when there seemed to be a boom in building them.
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Thanks Lady P. I assumed it was open because they don't seem to be doing the online lectures they started during lockdown.
 
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