Description
Back by popular demand, join us for a proper Birmingham day out.
Your day will start with the Introducing the Roundhouse tour. An informal and interactive guided tour of the Roundhouse site, which tells the Roundhouse’s story from canal wharf to noisy Victorian public works stables, right through to a new purpose as a modern-day heritage and wellbeing hub. After lunch, take a short guided walk along the canal to the Coffin Works for a tour of their beautiful space.
In its time, the Coffin Works was a Victorian Jewellery Quarter factory and produced some of the world’s finest coffin furniture, including those for many royals. Today the workbenches are still full of all the original stock and tools of the trade, and with some of the original machinery working again, you can truly experience the sights, sounds and stories of this hidden gem.
The Roundhouse, the canals and the Coffin Works are extremely photogenic. Be sure to bring your camera!
What’s included:
- A guided tour telling the stories of the craft and graft of Birmingham’s workers.
- Spend the morning at the Roundhouse learning about the workers who were based at this unique building, and the afternoon at the Coffin Works in their preserved coffin-furniture factory.
- Fully guided by our team of trained and experienced tour guides.
What happens on the day:
- On arrival, you’ll be warmly welcomed at the Visitor Centre where you will get issued with a headset that allows you to hear the tour guide clearly.
- This guided tour stays at the Roundhouse for the morning, learning about its’ significant role in Birmingham’s development.
- After the Roundhouse tour there will be a break for lunch at around 1pm. Bring your own picnic or book a table at on-site Ristorante Caffe Arena or The Distillery.
- At 2:30pm you will leave the Roundhouse to enjoy a leisurely guided walk along Birmingham’s canals, arriving at the Coffin Works ready for the 3:00pm tour.
- Explore the historic coffin furniture manufactory, brought back to life in a unique time-capsule museum.
- This tour finishes at the Coffin Works at approximately 4:15pm.
What about the weather?: Guided tours will go ahead in all but the worst of weather. If we need to cancel the tour because of very poor weather, we will reschedule at the earliest opportunity.
What should I wear?: Our cobbled courtyard and the city streets can be a little uneven, slippery and steep in places, and this tour will involve some walking. Sturdy, sensible shoes are your friend! Don’t forget to wear clothes suitable for a day outdoors as well.
Great for: Anyone looking to explore something new (and old) in Birmingham; seekers of hidden gems; an alternative to a lecture-style museum tour; something memorable to do with visiting family and friends.