Birmingham’s reputation as the industrial city dates back hundreds of years. Its streets, where 12^th century jewellers once crafted ornaments for knights’ armour, are the same ones where engineers would later stoke the fires of the industrial revolution. More recently, the city’s minds have been responsible for advances across countless disciplines, whilst UoB alone has produced 10 Nobel Prize winners since its inception.

Clearly, Birmingham has earned its title as the ‘city of a thousand trades’, but it’s not all hidden away in labs and workshops. We’ve put together a list of our favourite Sci & Tech attractions; whether you’re fond of the far reaches of space or the depths of the ocean, these aren’t some to miss!

Lapworth Museum

This first entry is as local as it gets: located in the Aston Webb building right here on campus and boasting free entry, you haven’t got an excuse to miss one of the UK’s best geological collections. Dinosaurs, crystals and artifacts from the museum’s archives reveal 4.6 billion years of local history in interactive and fascinating detail.

Butlerrich1981 via Wikipedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

A personal favourite is the upstairs mineral gallery, showcasing dazzling specimens of amethyst, quartz, malachite and more. Another is the current temporary exhibition, celebrating research and student life over the university’s 125 year history. Curated by a team of students, the exhibition features archival material, interviews and stories of their own experiences. And of course, I can’t go without mentioning the museum’s centrepiece: Roary the Allosaurus.

Also, much like a certain film starring Ben Stiller, the Lapworth comes to life at night. The museum hosts a variety of events such as movie screenings, comedy shows, and musical performances. Last term, for instance, anyone willing to flex their trivia knowledge headed down to a quiz night and David Bowie fans got glammed up for a tribute performance by the Major Toms. The Lapworth has got it all!

Birmingham Botanical Gardens

I believe the best way to appreciate science is to be surrounded by nature, and good luck finding a better spot in the city than the Botanical Gardens. Only 15 minutes’ walk from the Vale, the 15-acre grounds include alpine, Japanese and pine gardens, whilst the beautiful Victorian glasshouses support microclimates for tropical and desert plants alike. With a collection of over 30,000 plants, there’s something to see all year around.

jo-h on Flickr via Wikipedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

The gardens have their own busy programme of events. Markets, craft workshops and community music shows are a few to catch during October for that cosy autumnal feel, though if you’re just in the mood to relax and detox after a busy week, the grounds and café are the perfect spot.

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Thinktank Science Museum

For a day out in the city centre, head over to the Thinktank at Millennium Point. Its four floors packed with over 200 displays will easily occupy a day of exploration. Embracing Birmingham’s industrial history, the museum houses the Smethwick Engine, the oldest working steam engine in the world, as well as a gallery dedicated to the iconic WW2 aircraft, the Spitfire, 10,000 of which were produced in Birmingham.

Birmingham Museums Trust via Wikipedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

My personal star of the show is the Planetarium. Taking a seat under its 360°, 4K screen, you can prepare to be transported into the outer reaches of space, travel through the human body, or become immersed in hypnotic music and light.

Unfortunately we can’t list everything worth seeing, but these are a great few to start with. See you around and happy exploring!

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