The Museum of the Jewellery Quarter will reopen to the public for guided tours from 21 August.
Following a successful pop-up opening to coincide with the city’s annual Jewellery Quarter Festival on Saturday 26 July, visitors will be able to enjoy guided access to the historic Smith & Pepper factory on Thursday to Saturday each week.
When the owners of the Smith & Pepper jewellery manufacturing firm retired in 1981, they simply ceased trading and locked the door, leaving everything as it was.
The museum opened in 1992, preserving this 'time capsule' of a jewellery workshop, containing a vast array of original tools, stamps and machinery that remain intact.
The self-guided gallery, The Story of the Jewellery Quarter, which traces the 200-year history and development of the area and its traditional craft skills, will also be open to the public as part of the museum’s phased reopening.
Visitors can book a timed tour in advance online on the Birmingham Museums website or on arrival, subject to availability.
The museum building in Vyse Street has undergone essential repairs and maintenance since its closure in 2020 and conservation work is continuing to bring it back into full use.
Rob Lewis, director of transformation at Birmingham Museums Trust, said: “We are delighted to be reaching this significant milestone in the phased reopening of the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter since its closure in March 2020.
“We received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the public to the pop-up opening during the Jewellery Quarter Festival and we are now looking forward to welcoming visitors through the doors on a regular basis to explore the story of the region’s unique heritage.”
