As the only surviving example of the once prevalent Back to Backs of Birmingham, these historic buildings are a rare treasure. During the 19th Century, a number of buildings were built back to back around a common courtyard to meet the demands of the rapidly growing population of the city as a result of industrialization. These houses were inhabited by the working class who managed to survive in these cramped quarters. Each of the four Back to Backs around the courtyard has been restored and refurnished as a representation of four different time periods, giving visitors an extremely rare opportunity to take a peek into the lives of the ordinary working men and women of the 1840s, 1870s, 1930s and 1970s. Only a few slots are available each day and prior reservations are a must if you wish to visit these homes.

The jewellery industry developed in Birmingham from the mid-19th Century. The Museum of the Jewellery Quarter is an award-winning working museum which offers a guided tour around a real jewelry factory, showing you all the different aspects of jewelry in the 19th Century and also highlighting the work of new designers. There is a tea room, in case you need refreshments, plus a shop from which you can purchase souvenirs, books and jewelry. If English is not your mother tongue, then you can will find guided tours on tape in French, Hindi, Japanese, Spanish and German.

Built between 1618 and 1635 by Sir Thomas Holte, this fine Jacobean mansion is one of Birmingham's crown jewels. The house was used to harbor King Charles I for a short time during the Civil War, and the Great Stairs still bear scars left behind by cannon fire. Although changes were made to the Hall during the 17th and 18th Centuries, it remains largely Jacobean in style. Today, Aston Hall serves as an educational working museum and it has its own schools' liaison team. Over 20 rooms have been opened to the public, and it also hosts magical candle-lit guided tours every December. Managed by the Birmingham Museums Trust, Aston Hall shelters decadent rooms ornamented with splendid furniture, textiles and metalwork. It is also embellished with a spectacular elongated gallery. Skirted by a verdant, rolling park, this gargantuan, red-brick mansion is a magnificent remnant of the 17th-century regality.

This award-winning museum, restored to its original 18th Century appearance, was the former home of the city's industrial pioneer Matthew Boulton. Soho House was often used as a meeting place for the Lunar Society: a group that counted Josiah Wedgwood (famous pottery maker) and Joseph Priestley (discoverer of oxygen) amongst its members. On display are some of the products of Boulton's nearby Soho Manufactory, including buttons and buckles, as well as silver and Sheffield Plate. The Lunar Society was so called because its members met when there was a full moon. This enabled them to see their way home safely in time before street lamps were in common use.

Blakesley Hall is a timber framed Elizabethan yeoman's farmhouse, built in 1590 in Old Yardley for Richard Smallbroke (a Birmingham businessman and farmer). The Hall is furnished and staffed in 17th-century fashion and is a fascinating place to visit. It is open to schools as well as the public.

Sarehole Mill is a restored Victorian-style working mill originally built in 1765. Situated on the bank of the River Cole, it features a Victorian engine house and bakehouse and gives an insight into rural life of the period. Sarehole Mill was the inspiration for the village and mill in The Hobbit, since JRR Tolkien used to live in the area and spent much of his childhood by the mill. The mill is open all year round and is a popular destination for school trips.

The Black Country is a large industrial area to the north-west of Birmingham and this museum is a reminder of how things used to be here 100 years ago. It comprises many historic buildings, taken down from elsewhere and re-erected to make an authentic town of a century ago. Highlights include an old-fashioned funfair, a narrowboat ride and a trip down a coal mine, light is deliberately kept to the levels that would have been experienced by the miners. All children and adults can take a lesson in an 1840s school and tour round a Victorian sweetshop, chemist's, nail-making shop and stables, among many other exhibits.

Warwick es conocido como el castillo medieval más importante de Inglaterra. Se encuentra a 30 minutos en coche de Birmingham, y consta de más de 1000 años de historia inglesa. Aquí hay murallas, torres, e aun una cámara de prisión y tortura: todo absolutamente auténtico y en excelentes condiciones. Las exhibiciones incluyen una de armamento medieval y una de obras de cera de alrededor de 1898. Los terrenos, entre ellos los jardines Peacock y Rose, son especialmente populares. Aquí se realizan numerosos eventos por año, como por ejemplo el festival Medieval, Flight of the Eagle y Meet the Castle Craftsmen. Los horarios y precios de las entradas varían, por lo que se recomienda visitar el sitio web para más detalles. Llamar al +44 871 265 2000 para más información.