BIRMINGHAM Museum and Art Gallery (BMAG) is to remain closed throughout 2021 while electrical upgrade work of Birmingham’s Council House complex takes place.
However while the building is closed Birmingham Museums Trust plan to continue sharing items and stories from the collections with audiences in a variety ways both online and in the community.
BMAG is currently closed due to the Coronavirus pandemic but plans for reopening in time for the 2022 Commonwealth Games are already underway.
Next year also marks the 160th anniversary of the birth of Birmingham’s collection and in celebration of this key moment, when the eyes of the world will be on the city, Birmingham Museum’s will use the opportunity to re-invigorate its collection and re-interpret it for the 21st Century.
The reopening will be launched with a transformation of BMAG’s iconic Round Room.
In a sweeping change from the current paintings of landscapes, historic subjects and dignitaries from the past, the new We Are Birmingham display will present a vibrant celebration of the city that Birmingham has become.
It will draw on new artworks as well as historic items from Birmingham’s Collections.
2022 will also herald a programme of new exhibitions as well as celebrating the city’s treasures such as the Staffordshire Hoard, world-famous Pre-Raphaelites and more recent items from Collecting Birmingham such as the Koh-i-Noor curry house booth.
Sara Wajid and Zak Mensah, Joint-CEO of Birmingham Museums Trust said: “We had very much hoped that we would be able to reopen BMAG to visitors before this essential work started, but sadly due to the latest lockdown this won’t be possible.
“However, during our closure we will continue to find ways to make Birmingham’s collections available to as many people as possible. Understanding our history and our national identity is now more relevant than ever and so we look forward to staying connected with all our audiences across Birmingham and the West Midlands as we bring them with us on our journey towards 2022.”
