What a splendid quirky museum run by volunteers who are passionate about Newman's coffin works and…read moreonly recently won their fight to open the museum to help preserve the history of the company. The museum has only been open for 7 months and is already winning awards. Located in Birmingham's jewellery quarter this museum opens at midday on Sunday's and the guided tour which takes just over an hour is thoroughly recommended. A bargain at just £5 per person.

What a fascinating place. A lovely guided tour around a beautiful little site. Our volunteer tour…read moreguide was very knowledgable and the little touches (tea trolley, handling collections, demonstrations) really made the difference. For only £5 it's great value too.

Yes! I love planetariums! The night sky is a damn beautiful thing, and planetariums are a great…read moreplace to learn a little more. Pay £1.50 for the privilege for adults, I'm not sure how much for children, sorry, and queue up on the third floor. The seats are comfy, filling from the middle where the best view is. The show isn't too long, and gives you an idea of the night sky on the night that you watch the show, visible planets, constellations and where to look for them, with the zodiacs marked in red. The voice is clear, but there are a couple of stumbles that they were too lazy to re-record, come on, think tank! There's also a nice section on the ISS with Tim peak too. Two things: One, there are a couple of dizzy bits, not too bad, but something to think about if you suffer badly. Two, please, for everyone's sake, control your kids, it's not fair if they're kicking off, running around and talking, and you will get ejected for it.

Many of us I'm sure remember visits to the Planetariums of yester-year where a big ball of light in…read morethe centre shone a pattern of stars above and all around. Well things have certainly moved on, as my recent visits to the Thinktank Planetarium or, 'Fulldome' (to use the up-to-date name) have confirmed. The old star-ball that I remember being in the middle of Planetarium domes has disappeared and been replaced with state-of-the-art digital projectors and computers. So instead of sitting and watching a fixed pattern of stars in the night sky I held onto my seat as I orbited the moon, flew past constellations, across entire galaxies and was still back home for tea time! Gone seem to be the days when all you would see at a Planetarium were Astronomy and Space films, as a quick visit to the Thinktank's Planetarium web site told me. I found the best place to check out all the latest events was the Thinktank Planetarium's own Facebook page. With interesting and buzzing contributions from over 3,000 followers I found it well worth visiting and re-visiting. When night time comes the Thinktank Planetarium are throwing open their doors open to put on shows featuring a new breed of Fulldome films now being made by creative people locally and world-wide. I have now been to a couple of these night time shows and can say without a doubt they are something special. The hosts are likeable and enthusiastic with a passion for what they are doing and this really adds to the experience. In the interval we had a drink in the IMAX, 'I-Bar'. The Millennium point complex also houses a full-on giant screen IMAX cinema which made me think of combining a visit to the Planetarium Fulldome with an IMAX visit to see the latest 3D blockbuster like Pirates 4! The experience of watching these new films I found quite difficult to explain to my freinds. Whether it's the music of Pink Floyd set to amazing visuals or any of the other prize-winning Fulldome films now being shown, I was transported somewhere new and exiting. The experience can be very immersive and that's why after my first visit to a Thinktank Fulldome show I never quite viewed a normal cinema film screening in the same way - not even the IMAX! As Morpheus said to Neo in the Martix, " No one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself" The same can be said about the Thinktank Planetarium Fulldome. So why not, "Take the red pill" and give it a try, you won't be disappointed!

Free museum in Birmingham city centre focusing on contemporary art. It's in a very grand building,…read moreso I thought the museum would be big too, but it wasn't. Well there is a lot of empty space, and not that much to see. Few different rotating exhibitions, I saw some on the rave scene in the 80s and also racial violence from the 60-90s. On the way out I accidentally insulted one of the artists, but he just brushed it off.

We visited this museum yesterday and we really liked it. Both the exterior and interior of the…read morebuilding are beautiful. The museum has a terrific selection of paintings from the 15th, 16th & 17th centuries and a particularly good selection of Pre-Raphaelites. There's a *gorgeous*/large Edwardian tea room and also a separate café (the latter is small and attractive). The gift shop isn't very large, but it had some nice items. Also, I had a wonderful conversation with one of the guards; she was very friendly and kind-hearted.

Hooray to the independent music venues!…read more I love the fact that the Ballroom has been refurbished by private developers in a bid to restore the heart in Birminghams central music scene. Nowadays, bands tend to be left with 2 options. Either play at a small dingy venue where a limited number of fans can afford to come and see you, or play at a large arena which not only costs fans a ridiculous amount of money to come but you also need to be pretty big time to fill the gig. That's where the Ballroom shines and continues to make its mark on the industry. Large enough to put on a memorable gig but so reasonably priced it enables everyone to come and enjoy the experience. The sound system was OK, I have heard better but overall it was a good night, crackin atmosphere and the drinks weren't too expensive either.

Although it's early days, the Birmingham Ballroom already shows signs of settling down as the city…read morecentre's premier mid-large music venue experience. Having laid empty and derelict for over a year, the venue was bought up by disillusioned ex-employees from the Academy group with a view to open a venue that openly challenged the O2 Academy. Having refurbished the old Academy 1 and 2 (and the Bar Academy next door), there is a nostalgic familiarity attached to The Ballroom that its owners have knowingly traded in on: Although the floor is no longer notoriously sticky, it feels like visiting an old friend. The bar is far more reasonable than the new O2, and is constantly offering night-specific drinks promotions. Touring acts are becoming more frequent as the venue becomes more established and it will be competing with the O2 and the Institute within a few months, arguably. But the Ballroom's real lure for me is knowing that an independent venue lies within the city centre once more (the Flapper is perhaps too far a walk to be considered truly 'central'), and that goes a long way with me.

Wow, what a great venue. I was suitably impressed when I entered Ana Rocha last week. It is such an…read moreincredible place. Firstly the décor - As it is also a gallery, there's a lot of art on display. There is also a great selection of vintage furniture, props and other items scattered around the space.. As we entered we were told that everything that you see is available to buy. There is so much to see in this place it would be hard to get bored. Next, the bar - The staff on the bar are incredible. They obviously knew what they were doing - they are friendly, professional and the cocktails taste amazing. Finally, the food - Again, simply incredible. I don't think I have ever had Chorizo like the meat that they serve here (it just melted in my mouth). I don't think that this was the most authentic tapas that I have tasted, and it has more of a cultured feel, but it was great all the same. Overall, I absolutely loved this place and can't wait to go back.

Hidden Jewellery Quarter treasure alert......I have a new spot for drinks when I am in the area…read more I was initially put off by the bouncer on the door of this place as to me it gives a bit of a stuck up vibe but when you actually take the time to go up and have a chat you realise why....this place has some seriously beautiful art, watches and antiques everywhere from the minute you walk in. You also realise the bouncer is SO nice and helpful!! This is a classic case of dont judge a book by its cover.....my bad.... At first you walk down a corridor of artwork then through a reception room filled floor to cealing with beautiful items. You go through one more door to the bar and resturant space which has a higher ceiling bit is still filled with beautiful goods, some of which are for sale of you have the $$. We went to the bar at the back of the space and chatted with both the bar man and the owner of the place....again two lovely people that were more than happy to chat us through the idea of the venue and the ideas they have for its use moving forward. Drinks wise there are a lot of spirits and cocktails to choose from . As I was with LIv from Licor 43 we went for a signature serve with pineapple and 43. It was really smooth and balanced I would definately recommend it. We didnt have the food other than a cracker with some pate to sample (free of charge....very nice of them) but the menu is tapas....expect a review soon! If you havent been here yet.....do it....asap. Its a really beautiful and welcoming place with a lot to offer the area. You can be a lover of good drink, art or just bars in the area to appreciate somewhere of this quality :D Obviously.....5*

This place is so wonderful and the volunteers are just fantastic (yep - they are volunteers; if you…read morevisited before and thought the place was amazing, now go back and realise it's even more special when you know the people telling you all you could ever want to know about the pen trade in Brum are giving their time for free!). What I particularly liked about this place was the hands on nature - Yes I want to have a go on the type writer! Yes I want to make my own pen nib! Yes I want to try writing with a quill and get my hands covered in ink. Once of several really fantastic museums in the Jewellery Quarter - and a lovely way to spend a few hours.

After working in the Jewellery Quarter for a few years, I'd often walked past The Pen Room and…read morewandered what it was. My initial thought was that it was a shop selling pens (come on you know you'd think the same!) to which I wondered how many pens they must have to sell every week to keep open! I since found out that it was so much more than a pen shop and in fact it was a museum that represents another one of Birmingham's fine manufacturing trades that have since been forgotten. I decided to wander in on my lunch break and have a look around. With so many biros and plastic pens taking prime position on our desks, it's a shame that the majority of us seem to have forgotten the classic steel pen which many artists and calligraphy writers still use today. The staff were all very knowledgeable and were happy to tell me lots about the machines and answer all of my questions, no matter how small or basic they were!

Ever since I first moved to Birmingham in 2003, I have had a love affair with Eddies. From the John…read moreBright Street venue (sadly burned down and now redeveloped) to the temp relocation to the Newt (the worst incarnation of the venue) and then to Gough Street and it's current home at the Tunnel Club; it has always been a part of my life. When it was announced that the Gough Street venue had been sold by the owners; I was gutted. Where else would I get my fix of alternative music, cheap drinks and lovely locals on a Friday night? Luckily, the Tunnel Club stepped in and gallantly provided a new home for this weekend institution. I hadn't managed to make the opening night or the many weekends following, but on Friday the wonderful Squeaky F. was hitting the decks and it was Gem R's Birthday; so it was finally time to see if the club had retained it's rock cave charms. I am pleased to say it has (and it might just be better than ever). The Tunnel Club (as the name suggests) is a warren of a venue. On the night I was there only 3 of the rooms were open, but on a busier Saturday night more of the club is available to explore. I was never a regular at Subway City before the name change (so I can't really remember what it used to be like), but I love the layout of the rooms and the vibe of the venue is perfect for a dirty rock night. The bar is stupidly cheap. A pint of Somersby Cider was £1.50 and spirits and mixer were being sold for £1.40 a go. There is a humble selection of spirits, beers and alcopops on offer and the bar staff were friendly and helpful (telling us what brand their house spirits are allowing me to avoid a very nasty Saturday morning). Friday and Saturday nights vary in the venue now. From the hugely popular goth/rock/metal genres to the EBM nights, you have to keep an eye on their webpage to be up on whats on; but many of the old favourites are still going. The sound was a little off and on on the Friday, but that's something I have come to expect from Eddies over the years. I am so pleased that despite the venue moves, fires and various hardships the club has experienced; Eddies still continues to soldier on. I am a fan of the new venue and hope it continues to be a haunt of the rock community in Birmingham for years to come.

When Eddies announced at the start of June that they would be closing their doors due to a 'change…read morein ownership' of the 'property', a lot of their fans were very disappointed and the response to the announcement was phenomenal. However, the club did not remain closed for long - Colin, its owner, found a new venue in The Tunnel Club on Livery Street, which is where Subway City used to call home. I had been to the Tunnel Club once before, but it was years ago and during a Subway City night. I must admit I didn't enjoy that evening - I hardly recognised any of the music and when I did, it was generally awful (Oasis comes to mind). Consequently, I wasn't sure whether to go to Eddies' re-opening night on the 5th of July, but a few friends and I decided to go and check it out anyway. The club was nothing like what I remembered - as you walk in there is an entrance hall with a seating area and there are some stairs up to a bar with yet another seating area. If you don't take those stairs and go straight ahead instead, you get to the main dance floor, which is massive! There is a balcony all the way round for those who like to survey the room, with seats if you are tired and films for entertainment. There is also a stage, for those who like to show off their dance moves (not me, I might add!). Off to the right from the main dance floor is a set of stairs up to the hair metal room (as I call it - I think it's the 70s/80s metal room?) and off to the left is the goth room. Behind the goth room is yet another seating area. All in all, there is oodles of space and the inclusion of two smoking areas makes sure that there is plenty to explore! It's a little disorientating to start with but I quickly got used to the layout. Just beware of those hidden steps that you can't spot in the dark! The music was pretty good all night, with the main room playing the usual rock mainstays, upstairs catering for those who like their vintage metal and the goth room playing a nice mix of trad and EBM. Everything you could want from a single alternative club, all under one roof. My only complaints are that the club has a distinct smell of damp (quickly goes once you've had a few though!) and the sound upstairs wasn't great - others who like that style of music said they could hardly distinguish one track from another. However, making up for that is the masses of space, the labyrinth to explore with many seating areas for those with sore feet and toilets which were a unexpectedly quite posh! Oh and I forgot about the drinks offers - £1.40 for a house spirit and coke, not bad at all. The opening night ended up being great, perhaps a little overly busy but that should die down in time. Will this new venue stand the test of time? Only one way to find out...