From a vital exploration of missing histories to an immersive virtual reality adventure into rave culture, discover the best exhibitions you can see across Birmingham in 2025.
Featured image credit: RBINS
Artist Christopher Samuel explores themes of stigma, belonging and agency in a new exhibition about stories missing from history at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery.
Through nine newly recorded interviews for the city of Birmingham’s collection, Watch Us Lead highlights the experiences of disabled people of colour in Birmingham, particularly Black individuals, combining these stories with stained glass and drawings by Christopher that reflect significant moments in the lives of the individuals featured.
The Bothy is a permanent outdoor installation set in the Minerva Apothecary Garden on the Grand Union Canalside, and is part of Whittle’s long-term artist project with Grand Union titled Congregation: Creating Dangerously.
Created by British-Barbadian artist Alberta Whittle, along with Birmingham-based women’s organisations and MJM Bespoke, the structure is modelled on a traditional Scottish both, which provides temporary, free shelter for anyone to use, and is intended as a place for people to rest and take in views of the sky and surrounding land.
Presented by Midlands Arts Centre and Sampad South Asian Arts and Heritage, Sari Stories shares joyful and moving reflections on the sari, collated through an open call by individuals across the Midlands.
From climbing mountains and running marathons in saris, to hand crafted saris passed down through family, to expressions of gender and queer identity explored through the beautiful material, this exhibition weaves together a rich collection of stories.
Founded in 1880, The Lapworth Museum of Geology is one of the oldest geological museums in the UK.
Housed in the Edwardian Grade II listed Aston Webb Building at the University of Birmingham, the institution houses collections dedicated to everything from dinosaurs and volcanoes to diamonds and fossils, offering a fascinating insight into how life began and changed through time.
Ozzy Osbourne: Working Class Hero showcases the solo achievements and global awards of the rock icon, as well as the album art of the original Black Sabbath lineup.
The free-to-enter exhibition celebrates Ozzy’s most prestigious international honours, including Grammy Awards, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame accolades, MTV awards, Hollywood Walk of Fame and Birmingham Walk of Stars honours and a selection of his platinum and gold discs, which recognise millions of global record sales.
Whether you’re a calligraphy fanatic or more of a fairweather fan, the Pen Museum is a somewhat unlikely but fun afternoon out for all ages.
During the Victorian era, making steel pen nibs was a major industry, with 129 companies employing 8,000 workers across Birmingham. Throughout the museum, you’ll find a wide variety of objects that tell the story of the city’s pen trade, with a range of interactive activities along the way, including writing with quills and ink, using graphology to analyse your handwriting and even the opportunity to make your own nib.
Emma Woolley presents The Wonder Series, a new solo exhibition of bold, intimate portraiture exploring the wildness, softness, and emotional complexity of being human. Created throughout 2024, The Wonder Series marks Woolley’s return to painting after a period of grief and creative silence following the loss of her mother.
Billed as a ‘joyous celebration of local hobbies, creativity and passion’, Come As You Really Are has been pulled together by award-winning artist Hetain Patel, showcasing objects crafted, modified or collected by hobbyists based in the Midlands and beyond.
Contributions span a vast variety of mediums, with everyone from crocheters, needleworkers and kitters to woodturners, model makers and cosplay creators taking part.
Step into a world of prehistoric giant animals in this immersive, family-friendly exhibition, featuring life-sized 3D models, nearly complete fossil skeletons, hands-on activities and digital projections at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. Adult tickets are priced at £15.50, but children up to the age of 15 go for free.
Venturing a little out of the city for this one, In Pursuit of Repetitive Beats, which enjoyed an acclaimed run at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery last year, is heading to Warwick Arts Centre.
The virtual reality experience is described as a cinematic documentary adventure, inviting groups of four to share the same virtual space and interact together as rave culture pioneers.
Following the VR experience, there is a small exhibition containing archive and other audio-visual materials exploring the British Acid House scene to enjoy at your leisure.
- Words:
- Bradley Lengden
- Published on:
- Mon 4 Aug 2025
Ikon presents the first UK solo exhibition by artist Seulgi Lee. Born in Seoul, South Korea and living in Paris, France since 1992, Seulgi Lee’s work is shaped by the use of colour, gesture, simple yet elegant forms and performance. Intrigued by the relationships between language systems, form and function in traditional crafts, Lee has developed a unique sculptural vocabulary, in which she often combines conceptual approaches with artisanal methods.