We welcome enquiries about Birmingham’s collections, and our curators can offer an email enquiry service or in-person visits to the Museum Collections Centre.
We aren’t able to answer enquiries that don’t relate to objects in Birmingham's collection. We can’t give valuations, date objects, suggest attributions, or conduct research on your behalf. Please see the FAQs below to find out more about enquiries.
FAQs
Which areas of the collection can I enquire about?
We can only answer enquiries in areas where we currently have curatorial expertise. These are:
- Fine Art (including paintings, works on paper and sculpture)
- Birmingham History (including material relating to work, trades and industries, domestic and personal life, and community life)
- Natural Science (including entomology, invertebrates, zoology, ornithology, botany and earth science specimens)
- Science and Industry (including manufacturing, engineering, science and medicine, technology and transport)
- Decorative Art (ceramics, glass, metalwork, jewellery, furniture, woodwork and Pinto collection, dress and textiles, Hardman archive)
- Collections relating to the African collection (including textiles, ceramics, metalwork) and the SADAA archive
We cannot answer enquiries that don’t relate to objects in Birmingham’s collections, and we cannot offer valuations.
How can I access the collection in person?
It is possible to access the collections stored at the Museum Collections Centre in Duddeston on a monthly basis, via a pre-booked system.
Availability for these visits is limited and we advise you contact us well in advance of your proposed visit. Collections access is on the third Wednesday of the month.
Is there a charge for making an enquiry?
Email enquiries are free, however if an enquiry is likely to take considerable time to answer, we will contact you to discuss what we are able to provide.
Visits to the Museum Collections Centre are free on our pre-booked access days. Access outside these days may incur a charge.
How long will it take for my enquiry to be answered?
We receive a very high number of enquiries, as well as carrying out our own curatorial work. As a result, we aim to respond to all enquiries within six weeks.
In-person visits can be booked up quite far in advance. Please ensure you give us plenty of notice of any visits you would like to make, so we can fit you in.