Outdoor display reveals hidden history of Birmingham Town Hall
Visitors will be able to explore a specially curated outdoor exhibition outside Birmingham Town Hall.
The exhibition will run from Tuesday 17 February until the end of March and will offer photographs, posters, tickets and personal memories collected from the public.
Displayed outdoors, it offers passers-by a chance to discover how the building has been used for music, public meetings and landmark cultural moments over the 191 years.
For the first time, those who have not yet stepped inside the Grade I listed building will be able to experience highlights from its extraordinary story.
Delivered by B:Music, the charity responsible for Town Hall and Symphony Hall, Amplify Town Hall launched in 2025 with support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Thanks to National Lottery players, alongside the generosity of the Saintbury Trust, B:Music audiences, individual donors and public supporters, the campaign has safeguarded and celebrated the past, present and future of Birmingham’s oldest events venue.
Over its 191-year history, Town Hall has played a defining role in Birmingham’s social, political and cultural life- yet much of this heritage has remained unknown.
Last summer, B:Music partnered with Birmingham Music Archive to create a comprehensive new archive preserving the venue’s remarkable legacy.
Following a public call-out, more than 1,500 treasured items and memories were contributed by music lovers across the city and beyond.
In total, including previously unseen collections, 2,700 items have now been digitised- safeguarding programmes, tickets, posters and photographs that might otherwise have been lost.
Among the highlights are materials from landmark moments including Black Sabbath’s debut performance at Town Hall in April 1970, and a 1949 poster signed by civil rights activist Paul Robeson.
These materials now form a permanent installation inside Town Hall, alongside a digital archive- developed with Birmingham Open Media- making nearly two centuries of history accessible worldwide for the first time. The Victoria Square exhibition presents a snapshot of this installation, inviting the public to discover the venue’s story in the heart of the city.
Visitors can scan a QR code onsite to explore the full digital archive.
A major milestone in the project came in December with the unveiling of a Blue Plaque commemorating the first ever public reading of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, which took place at Town Hall on 27 December 1853.
The plaque was unveiled by acclaimed Birmingham actor Anton Lesser and the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Zafar Iqbal.
Alongside the heritage programme, significant refurbishment works were completed during a six-week closure in summer 2025 to improve accessibility, comfort and environmental sustainability.
Between the end of August 2025 and January 2026, the revitalised venue has already hosted 93 events, welcoming over 50,500 visitors.
As part of this new chapter, B:Music has announced internationally acclaimed author Lee Child as Town Hall’s latest Amplifier, joining a distinguished cohort including Joan Armatrading, Joe Lycett, Roger Taylor of Duran Duran, and Toyah Willcox.
The author of the Jack Reacher books said: “I spent hundreds of ecstatic hours in Birmingham Town Hall, with everyone from Led Zeppelin to Captain Beefheart to Nigel Kennedy to the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. It was a huge part of my life. Let’s make it a huge part of the future, too.”
Rachel Cranny, head of development and impact for B:Music said: “The Amplify Town Hall campaign represents a defining new chapter for one of the UK’s most historic performance venues.
“By bringing together essential conservation works, community-driven heritage activity and digital innovation, we are ensuring Town Hall is ready to serve the next generation of artists and audiences.
“We’re incredibly grateful to Central BID for their support in making this outdoor exhibition possible.
“As the Victoria Square display marks the final public moment of the campaign, Amplify Town Hall leaves a powerful and lasting legacy- safeguarding Birmingham’s rich musical and civic history while opening the doors wider than ever before.”
The Amplify Town Hall exhibition runs from Tuesday 17 February until the end of March in Victoria Square, Birmingham.
