Join us every Friday morning in August at the Museum Collections Centre for a celebration of toys, past and present. 

During this family-based event, you will get to see, learn about and even handle some of the toys from our vast collection and others which will have been kindly donated from our own staff.

How have toys changed over the years? Would you like to play with the type of toys your grandparents would have liked? Do the old toys remind you of any of your toys in your collection? Find out Friday mornings between 10am-12pm. This event is being run as part of our Explore the Store general admission meaning you will also be able to view the warehouse and transport store alongside this event. 

The Museum Collection Centre is a 1.5-hectare site that holds 80% of Birmingham Museums’ stored collections under one roof. Among the hundreds of thousands of objects stored here are steam engines, sculptures, a transport collection of Austin, Rover and MG motor cars, dozens of motorbikes and even a red phone box. Your visit will allow you to see a vast range of objects, often with a real focus on Birmingham and the West Midlands. The contrasting mix of objects and the behind-the-scenes atmosphere at the Museum Collection Centre make it an intriguing place to explore and discover more about museum stores.

Pre-booking is essential.

Please note - This event is designed with families and children in mind. While everyone is welcome, we kindly ask that if you're planning to attend without children or if you're a member, you consider joining us for the quieter 12:30pm–2:30pm session on Friday afternoons. The toys will still be available to view during this session, and staff will be on hand to show them and answer any questions. This helps us keep the limited number of morning tickets available for families with children. 

If you're a member and can no longer attend a session you've booked, no problem — just let us know at hello@birminghammuseums.org.uk so we can release your ticket for someone else.

Thank you for your understanding.