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Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery to reopen next month

Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery is set to reopen to visitors next month.

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Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery

The attraction will open its doors on October 7 after "one of the most significant closures in the museum's history" due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Opening from Wednesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm, capacity will be reduced to accommodate social distancing and timed tickets must be booked online.

Tickets will be free, but visitors will be asked to donate to help Birmingham Museums Trust secure its future. Tickets will be released regularly on a rolling basis up to a month in advance.

Branded masks, hand sanitiser and museum guidebook can also be pre-ordered when booking.

Gurminder Kenth, museum manager at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (BMAG), said: “BMAG hasn’t been the same since our doors closed to visitors in March.

"While we’ve adapted to reach people online during this time, we are over the moon to be able to welcome the people of Birmingham and beyond back to the museum.

“The team have been working hard to put extra measures in place to ensure everyone can enjoy their visit. We have a really exciting programme coming up and while things may feel a little different, it’s the same familiar museum behind the doors, ready to greet you.”

Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery

Only level two galleries will reopen from October 7 with further gallery openings yet to be announced. Level three galleries can still be viewed online

The Edwardian Tearooms will be welcoming diners back to eat in. Hot and cold drinks, sandwiches and cakes will be available to takeaway. The museum’s shop will also be open with a range of gifts to take home.

New measures in place for the reopening include limiting capacity through the new ticket system and one-way routes around the galleries with entry via the Gas Hall entrance on Edmund Street.

Masks to be worn throughout visits and hand-sanitising stations are available throughout the building. There will also be an enhanced cleaning regime.

Visitors are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the full list of guidelines on the website before arrival.

The gallery's new Autumn and Winter programme gives visitors the chance to see Cold War Steve’s huge celebratory Birmingham collage – Benny’s Babbies.

Launched online during lockdown, the two-metre-wide collage will be able to view upon the attraction's reopening, showcasing some of the city’s most notable people.

The Natural History Museum’s world-renowned Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition will be coming to the Gas Hall at BMAG from Saturday, October 17.

Benny's Babbies by Cold War Steve

Tickets can be pre-booked separately from September 17 and more details will be announced soon.

There is also another chance to see innovative exhibitions Dressed to the Nines and Birmingham Revolutions.

Dressed to the Nines showcases gems from Birmingham’s costume collection, including formal ball gowns and contemporary drag, exploring how fashion and dressing up for special occasions has changed since the 1850s.

Birmingham Revolutions: Power to the People delves into the city’s vibrant and varied history of protest and activism and the role Birmingham has played in some of the most important campaigns and movements in British history.

Visitors will also be able to see an exhibition of paintings by renowned Birmingham artist Arthur Lockwood, which opened at the start of 2020, and celebrates 300 years of history for family owned firm Webster & Horsfall.

Safety will be the museum’s top priority and there will be new measures in place, including

Gurminder Kenth continued: “Reopening BMAG is one of the first steps in recovering from what has been a very challenging six months.

"Thank you to everyone who has supported us during this time, including our major fundraising campaign.

"It was extremely heart-warming to see how much our museums mean to people, but there are still challenges ahead.

"We remain extremely grateful for donations and purchases which will all go a long way to helping us secure our long-term future beyond the pandemic.”

For more information and to buy tickets, click here.

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