4 Best Sights in Birmingham, Stratford-upon-Avon and the Heart of England

Based in an incredible historic building in a forgotten part of the city, this heritage center and tour provider, a joint enterprise between the National Trust and the Canal and River Trust, has seen 19th-century stables once used to house Birmingham's hard-working horses brought back to life. Inside the horseshoe-shaped brick building, you can learn about the history of the building, as well as how integral both horses and the canals have been to the city's fortunes. This hub for city tours—by foot, bike, kayak, and boat—is a font of knowledge for those interested in Birmingham's industrial past. The visitor center is free to visit, and there's a good café, but most people come here to book a kayak tour or take a guided tour on foot through the city. There are tours of the building itself, and these can be combined with a visit to the excellent Coffin Works museum.

You can see old architecture typical of Worcestershire at this 19-acre open-air museum, which is situated 15 miles southwest of the city center and which has rescued more than 30 structures from destruction. Alongside half-timber buildings are Victorian chimneys, a collection of phone booths, a three-seater "earth closet" (lavatory), a 1946 prefabricated house, and a working windmill. During the week, school groups usually arrive at the museum in the morning, making afternoons a less crowded time to visit. Wear good walking shoes.

This 26-acre open-air museum on social history gives insight into what life was like centuries ago for the men and women who worked in the coal-producing region known as the Black Country (a term that arose from the air pollution from the region's coal mines), and it’s a little like walking onto a film set. The town of Dudley, 10 miles northwest of Birmingham, was where coal was first used for smelting iron in the 17th century. The replicated village is made up of buildings from around the region, including a chain maker’s workshop; his-and-hers hardware stores (pots and pans for women, tools and sacks for men); a druggist; and a general store where costumed women describe life in a poor industrial community in the 19th century. In 2024, the museum added an old-fashioned post office, a military surplus shop, and a grocery store. You can also watch Charlie Chaplin films in the 1920s cinema, peer into the depths of a mine, or ride on a barge to experience canal travel of yesteryear. For sustenance, visit the café, a 1930s-era fried-fish shop, and the Bottle & Glass Inn for ales and drinks. Peaky Blinders fans will appreciate the special themed nights where you can dress up and step back to the 1920s.  

To avoid the numerous school parties, visit on the weekend or during school vacations. The museum, 3 miles from the M5, is best reached by car. Leave M5 at Junction 2 by the A4123, and then take A4037 at Tipton. Trains from Birmingham New Street to Tipton Station take 17 minutes; buses from the train station run past the museum, which is a mile away.

The village of Bournville (5 miles south of Birmingham city center) contains this museum devoted to—what else?—chocolate. In 1879, the Quaker Cadbury brothers moved the family business from the city to this "factory in a garden." The museum traces the history of the cocoa bean and the Cadbury dynasty, and there are themed activity areas. In 2023, this popular longtime attraction was taken over by Merlin Entertainments, which looks after Alton Towers (a theme park) and Legoland, among other places. The experience here is getting much more interactive, with a new Cadbury Chocolate Quest ride introduced in 2024. If Legoland is anything to go by, perhaps visitors will see large-scale re-creations of buildings and objects made entirely of chocolate soon.  Opening times change almost daily, and reservations are essential; call or go online to check times and book tickets.