Birmingham Science Museum’s latest exhibition delves into the long history of coding, accompanied by incredible stories of local people, both past and present, who use coding in their work.

Makers and Machines also explores the implications of new technologies like AI, challenging visitors to uncover three object labels that have been written by an AI chatbot rather than a human.

Rare objects on display include the HEC computer, one of the oldest surviving electronic computers in the world, along with an array of digital and analogue devices and classic game designs.

Ikon hosts the first major solo exhibition by British artist Dion Kitson. An ambitious off-site commission, Kitson’s Rue Britannia dissects British class and identity, and is inspired by the artist’s experience of growing up in Dudley.

Visitors are invited into the architectural installation Council House of Kitson (2024), which recreates both the façade and interior of his father’s house, while Ode to Rubbish Mountain (2022) is a miniature recreation of the infamous landfill pile that was removed from Brierley Hill in the Black Country in 2016 following a five-year local battle.

Elsewhere, visitors can play on a functional pool table, a nod to the British pub staple, take in a series of prints created from scratched bus stop windows, and much more.

Featuring selected works from the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists collection, Figures and Faces examines the shifts in approach to how human anatomy is represented in art throughout the last 200 years.

The exhibition offers fascinating insights into the cultural life of Birmingham via fine drawings, paintings and sculpture from the Georgian period through to the present day.

Not your typical exhibition, The Bothy is a permanent outdoor installation set in the Minerva Apothecary Garden on the Grand Union Canal side.

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.

The Bothy is part of Whittle’s long-term artist project with Grand Union entitled ‘Congregation: Creating Dangerously’. The building’s design references Barbadian Chattel House in the area, connecting the Grand Union Canal to the Apothecary Garden, and is large enough to hold ten people at a time.

An immersive virtual reality experience will transport visitors into the heart of 1989 West Midlands when the Acid House movement was first taking off.

In Pursuit of Repetitive Beats combines iconic tracks from the era with cutting-edge VR equipment to create a cinematic documentary which places you at its heart, inviting you on a journey through pirate radio stations, secret warehouses and police stations.

Sessions last around 40 minutes, and visitors are advised to allow up to 20 minutes following the VR experience to explore the gallery space.

A special, multi-site outdoor exhibition celebrating the life and legacy of Birmingham poet, author, actor and activist, Professor Benjamin Zephaniah takes place across the city centre throughout summer.

Benjamin Zephaniah – The Brighter Flame will run until Sun 1 Sep and features more than 20 specially-curated artworks in Victoria Square, all of which are free to view.

The collection, which has received the support and acknowledgement of the Zephaniah family, will also feature flags designed in his memory flying on Colmore Row.