Credit: Museum of the Jewellery Quarter
When the elderly owners of the family-run firm of Smith and Pepper decided to retire in 1981, they simply locked the door and left everything as it was: tools on benches, overalls hanging on coat hooks, even cups of tea and jars of jam and Marmite. It took until 10 years later for the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter to open, preserving all this.
The museum opened in 1992, and teaches us not only the history of the jewellery workshop, but the 200-year story of Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter and its traditional craft skills. Sadly, it’s been closed for maintenance for the last five years, but that’s changing this weekend.
Credit: Museum of the Jewellery Quarter
As part of the Jewellery Quarter Festival, The Museum of the Jewellery Quarter will be opening its doors to the public on Saturday, July 26. During this pop-up reopening, visitors will be able to explore the historic Smith & Pepper factory and the Story of the Jewellery Quarter gallery display.
Very few changes have been made to the working practices, equipment or the appearance of the workshop—although the building has undergone essential repairs since 2020—with advanced tickets for the pop-up event available to book online now. The aim is to follow this with a phased reopening.
Credit: Museum of the Jewellery Quarter
“We are delighted to be opening our doors on the day of The Jewellery Quarter Festival, an annual celebration of the vibrant spirit of Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter,” said Rob Lewis, Director of Transformation at Birmingham Museums Trust. “This is a significant milestone, as the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter has been closed to the public since March 2020.”
Tickets are discounted for this one-off open day, too. Costing £6.50 for an adult, £5 for a concession (excluding over 60s) and£3 for a child (age 3 – 15). It’s free for Birmingham Museums Members. To book your visit to The Museum of the Jewellery Quarter, head here.