Nearly became a museum exhibit

Wednesday, 13 January 2010 16:22

Of course - the title is tongue in cheek

But as I wandered around Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery in the city I began to wonder if I would ever get out! This museum is part of a whole collection of museums in Birmingham - 7 in total - showcasing everything from its Jewellery heritage to its Jacobean past.

Main entrance to Museum

The building in Chamberlain Square was built in 1885. The main building was purpose built with four galleries and formed part of the Council House. The Council House Extension, built between 1911and 1919, extended the museum to over forty galleries. Is it any wonder that I got lost, even with the map provided!

My initial impression was of a very grand building that just "happened" to house some amazing old art. It has the largest collection of Pre-Raphaelite paintings in the world and collections of Old Masters and Impressionists too.

However, on exploration the galleries opened up to reveal exhibitions of modern and contemporary art, ceramics, and some "learning or activity" zones for children.

I was looking for the current exhibition "Birmingham Seen" - photographs of old Birmingham (1800 to 2009). This was in The Gas Hall apparently. The Gas Hall was once part of the Civic Gas Department. Refurbished, it was opened in 1993 as a major exhibition space.

In keeping with the Utilities theme, Waterhall, originally part of the Water Department, was opened in 2001 as another exhibition space. The museum is still developing, as there is a plan to make the top floor into new galleries, to house the story of the city and its people.

So did I find Gas Hall? - yes, eventually! The exhibition of photos and paintings was interesting, but one needs to know Birmingham well to appreciate some of the suburban photos.

On the top floor was an interactive display featuring the time line of Birmingham from Stone Age to Industrial Age. The town developed as a Medieval Market Town. The Bull Ring dates back to these early days. The wool trade began the real development, followed by metal working in the 16th Century.

The grand buildings of the 18th century industrialists began to appear as the coal industry and manufacturing brought rapid expansion and prosperity to the town. By 1760 Birmingham was the centre of the canal system.

Old Turn Junction from footbridge over Main Line

The 19th Century saw the railways arrive and Birmingham become the second largest city in England. In the more modern era Birmingham has had a couple of renaissances.

WWII brought destruction from bombing, as Birmingham was a prime target because of the industry centred here. Over 12,000 buildings were damaged, including many of the fine buildings. Including Blakesley Hall, built in 1590, damaged in 1941

The rebuild post-war and in the 1960s is now looked back on as mistaken - the city centre was largely rebuilt, centred on the Bull Ring. Back-to-back houses were replaced by huge tower blocks.

In the late 20th century and recently, the second renaissance has seen rebuilding in supposedly a more appropriate style and to attract more visitors due to the decline in industry. The Bull Ring has a completely new look, having been razed to the ground and then built again.

My feeling is that much of Birmingham city centre is a miss-match (or mish-mash) of lovely older buildings with interlopers of brash new ones! Maybe when the ravages of 1960 buildings are gone it will feel more a "whole".