Birmingham Museums Trust
Birmingham Museums Trust is a UK registered charity operating nine museum venues across Birmingham — including Thinktank, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, and the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter — serving general public visitors, school groups, corporate venue-hire clients, and local communities with exhibitions, education programmes, events, retail, and membership.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersBirmingham, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Birmingham Museums Trust does
Birmingham Museums Trust is an independent registered charity (Charity No. 1147014), founded in 2012, that operates nine museum venues across Birmingham, United Kingdom: Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum with its planetarium, the flagship Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter, Aston Hall (Jacobean manor), Blakesley Hall (Tudor house), Sarehole Mill, Soho House, Weoley Castle ruins, and the Museum Collection Centre. The trust preserves and presents collections spanning art, human history, natural science, and science and industry, including the Pre-Raphaelites and the Staffordshire Hoard, supported by an in-house Digital Asset Management System and 360° virtual tours for remote access. Services include free permanent galleries with paid ticketed exhibitions and events, an education and schools programme with a 'Museum in a Box' outreach service, venue hire for corporate events and weddings, retail shops, an annual membership programme, and a Community Welcome Pass scheme targeting underrepresented groups. Revenue is generated through admissions and ticketing, venue hire, retail sales, memberships, and donations — augmented by public grants from Birmingham City Council, Arts Council England, the National Heritage Fund, DCMS, and the Art Explora mobile museum partnership — alongside major public fundraising campaigns such as 'Your Museums, Your Move'. The customer base is split across general public visitors, school groups, corporate event clients, members, and local communities, with the trust's go-to-market relying on exhibitions and events, content marketing, a six-channel social media presence, email newsletters, and community partnerships. The organization is led by co-chief executives Sara Wajid and Zak Mensah, with Rosie Barker as Head of Curatorial and Participation, and employs 51-100 people.
Birmingham Museums Trust firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Birmingham Museums Trust
- Legal name
- Birmingham Museums Trust
- Website
- https://birminghammuseums.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Birmingham Museums Trust is a UK registered charity operating nine museum venues across Birmingham — including Thinktank, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, and the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter — serving general public visitors, school groups, corporate venue-hire clients, and local communities with exhibitions, education programmes, events, retail, and membership.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Birmingham Museums Trust industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Museum and Cultural Heritage Services
- NAICS
- Museums (712110), Historical Sites (712120), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Specialty Museums (e.g., Maritime, Aviation, Sports, Music, Film) (THAJADAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Art Museums (THAJADAA), History Museums (THAJADAB), Science & Technology Museums (THAJADAD), Museum & Landmark Guided Tours (Skip-the-line/Docent-led) (THAJAAAC), Museum, Zoo & Attraction Gift Shops (CRALAJAG)
Keywords
Where Birmingham Museums Trust is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Birmingham
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Birmingham Museums Trust business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Admission and Ticketing: Free entry to permanent galleries with paid ticketed access to special exhibitions and events such as planetarium shows, workshops, and guided tours.
- Membership Program: Annual membership providing free access to all venues and exclusive benefits, targeting repeat visitors and cultural enthusiasts.
- Venue Hire: Renting unique historic venues for conferences, functions, and weddings to generate commercial revenue.
- Retail Shop: Sale of merchandise, gifts, and products influenced by museum collections through physical and online storefronts.
- Donations and Fundraising: Major fundraising campaigns such as 'Your Museums, Your Move' aiming to raise at least £2 million over two years for heritage protection.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Museum of the Jewellery Quarter standard admission |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Weoley Castle Medieval Day event |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Queen Heaven Planetarium Show |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Jewellery Workshop |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Concessionary Rates |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Birmingham Museums Trust product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Birmingham Museums Trust operates a portfolio of nine museums and historic venues across Birmingham, offering free access to permanent collections alongside paid ticketed exhibitions, planetarium shows, workshops, and guided tours. Beyond public visits, the trust sells venue hire for corporate events and weddings, delivers curriculum-linked education programmes for schools including a Museum in a Box outreach service, runs an annual membership scheme, and operates an online retail shop. It also manages digital access to its collections via a Digital Asset Management System (DAMS) and 360° virtual tours.
Product overview
Birmingham Museums Trust operates a portfolio of 9 museum venues across Birmingham, UK, providing cultural, educational, and community services. The venues include Thinktank (Birmingham Science Museum) with its Planetarium, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery (flagship art and history museum), the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter (preserved jewellery factory), Aston Hall (Jacobean manor), Blakesley Hall (Tudor house), Sarehole Mill (industrial heritage), Soho House (Georgian history), Weoley Castle (medieval ruins), and the Museum Collection Centre. Services span in-person venue visits with ticketed exhibitions and events, online ticket booking, education programmes for schools, venue hire for events, retail shops, membership schemes, community outreach (Welcome Pass), and digital services including virtual tours and a Digital Asset Management System for public access to collection images. The trust also partners in mobile museum initiatives to expand reach beyond physical venues.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum Birmingham's science museum featuring interactive exhibits, a Science Garden, and a Planetarium hosting fulldome experiences including music shows such as Queen Heaven.
- Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery Flagship museum and art gallery housing world-class art and historical artefact collections, including the Industrial Gallery, Pre-Raphaelites, Staffordshire Hoard, and rotating exhibitions.
- Museum of the Jewellery Quarter Museum preserving the perfectly preserved Smith & Pepper jewellery factory, showcasing Birmingham's jewellery-making heritage with interactive galleries and workshop spaces.
- Aston Hall Jacobean manor house providing insight into 17th-19th century aristocratic life in Birmingham.
- Blakesley Hall Tudor timber-framed house showcasing 16th-17th century domestic life.
- Sarehole Mill Working watermill and museum exploring Birmingham's industrial heritage and Tolkien's connection to the area.
- Soho House Georgian house museum once home to Matthew Boulton, showcasing Birmingham's industrial history.
- Weoley Castle Scheduled Ancient Monument featuring medieval castle ruins with periodic special events and re-enactments.
- Museum Collection Centre Storage facility housing the trust's collection reserves, including vintage motorised fire engines, open for special tours.
- Online Ticket Booking System Digital ticketing platform (shop.birminghammuseums.org.uk) enabling visitors to book tickets for exhibitions, events, and venue visits across all museum sites.
- Education and Schools Programme Curriculum-linked sessions for school groups including workshops on Ancient Egyptians, Anglo Saxons, Romans, plus Museum in a Box outreach service.
- Venue Hire Unique event spaces available for conferences, functions, and weddings across museum venues.
- Museum Shop Retail outlets at multiple venues and online shop offering museum-inspired merchandise, gifts, and products influenced by collections.
- Membership Programme Annual membership offering free access to all venues and exclusive benefits.
- Community Welcome Pass Scheme Community outreach initiative providing access to museum venues for underrepresented communities.
- Digital Asset Management System (DAMS) Online collection database (dams.birminghammuseums.org.uk) providing public access to images and sound recordings from the museum collection.
- 360° Virtual Tours Interactive virtual tours allowing online exploration of venues including the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter factory, offices, and galleries.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 640,000 visitors to Ozzy Osbourne: Working Class Hero exhibition
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Birmingham Museums Trust
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Birmingham Museums Trust technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Birmingham Museums Trust partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Art ExploracoreArts access charity and mobile museum initiative partner. Art Explora is funding £800,000 toward the UK mobile museum project and will operate the touring mobile museum starting in 2027, bringing world class art to communities across the country.
- Ab Rogers DesigncoreRenowned British architecture studio appointed to design the new mobile museum after international competition. Ab Rogers created the striking colorful design for the vehicle.
- Torton Bodies LimitedminorLeading UK firm building the mobile museum vehicle in Telford. Constructing the state-of-the-art mobile museum based on Ab Rogers' design.
- Government Art CollectioncoreNational collection of historic, modern and contemporary British art established in 1899. Will feature in one exhibition annually as part of the mobile museum touring program.
- National Portrait GallerycoreNational museum partner delivering exhibitions as part of the mobile museum touring program alongside other national and regional partners.
- Leeds Art GallerycoreRegional museum partner collaborating with Birmingham Museums Trust and other national institutions for the mobile museum touring program.
- National Museums LiverpoolcoreNational museum partner delivering exhibitions as part of the mobile museum touring program to ensure widest possible reach across the UK.
- TatecorePrevious collaboration on two mobile museum tours in 2023 and 2024 across the Midlands and the North, which built the foundation for the permanent mobile museum initiative.
- Central BID BirminghamcoreBusiness improvement district organization that curated the Ozzy Osbourne: Working Class Hero exhibition in collaboration with Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery and the Osbourne family.
- Sharon Osbourne ManagementcoreManagement representing the Osbourne family, collaborating on the Ozzy Osbourne exhibition and throne display at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery.
- Ocean OutdoorminorSponsor of the Ozzy Osbourne: Working Class Hero exhibition.
- Birmingham City CouncilcoreLocal government authority supporting the Ozzy Osbourne exhibition and cultural initiatives, with cabinet member for culture actively involved in promoting related activity.
- Children Of The Grave BookingsminorBirmingham-based music and events collective dedicated to celebrating and supporting rock, metal and alternative culture. Co-organized the Legacy of a Madman tribute event celebrating Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath's legacy.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Birmingham Museums Trust competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Tate (Tate Modern, Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool, Tate St Ives): Operates a UK-wide multi-venue public museum trust under the Tate brand, with four major gallery venues, national programming, and government grant funding. Directly comparable as a national multi-venue museum trust, and an existing BMT partner for mobile museum tours.
- National Museums Liverpool: Regional UK museum trust operating multiple free-to-enter venues (Walker Art Gallery, World Museum, Museum of Liverpool, Maritime Museum, Lady Lever Art Gallery). Comparable in scale and operating model to BMT, and an existing partner in the mobile museum touring programme.
- Leeds Museums and Galleries: Council-operated museum service running nine venues across Leeds including Leeds Art Gallery, Abbey House Museum, and Kirkstall Abbey. Comparable multi-venue regional museum operation, and a confirmed mobile museum touring partner.
- Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums: Joint archive and museum service operating venues including the Great North Museum, Discovery Museum, and Arbeia Roman Fort. Comparable multi-venue regional museum trust with mixed art, history, and science focus similar to BMT.
- Manchester Museum (University of Manchester): Major university-affiliated museum featuring extensive collections in natural history, anthropology, and archaeology. Comparable as a large-scale UK regional museum with significant visitor throughput and educational programming.
Regional players
- Glasgow Life (Glasgow Museums): Charitable arm of Glasgow City Council operating nine museums including Kelvingrove Art Gallery and the Riverside Museum. Comparable multi-venue Scottish museum operation with similar scale and free permanent gallery model.
Broad incumbents
- British Museum: National museum holding one of the world's largest permanent collections of art and antiquities, free general admission with paid exhibitions. Operates as a broader national incumbent in the same UK museum sector as BMT.
- Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A): National art and design museum with major permanent collection, paid temporary exhibitions, and venue hire operations. Overlaps BMT's art, history, and design programming at a much larger scale.
- Natural History Museum: National natural history museum with comparable science-and-nature programming to BMT's Thinktank venue. Operates as a larger specialist competitor in the science museum segment.
- Imperial War Museums: National museum trust operating five branches focused on conflict history, with similar trust governance, government funding, and ticketed temporary exhibition model to BMT.
Market position
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Birmingham Museums Trust social profiles
Digital presenceBirmingham Museums Trust compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Birmingham Museums Trust financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Birmingham Museums Trust leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Birmingham Museums Trust funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Birmingham Museums Trust M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Birmingham Museums Trust
What does Birmingham Museums Trust do?
Birmingham Museums Trust operates a portfolio of nine museums and historic venues across Birmingham, offering free access to permanent collections alongside paid ticketed exhibitions, planetarium shows, workshops, and guided tours. Beyond public visits, the trust sells venue hire for corporate events and weddings, delivers curriculum-linked education programmes for schools including a Museum in a Box outreach service, runs an annual membership scheme, and operates an online retail shop. It also manages digital access to its collections via a Digital Asset Management System (DAMS) and 360° virtual tours.
Is Birmingham Museums Trust a public or private company?
Birmingham Museums Trust is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Birmingham Museums Trust founded?
Birmingham Museums Trust was founded in 2012. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Birmingham Museums Trust based?
Birmingham Museums Trust is headquartered in Birmingham, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Birmingham Museums Trust make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Admission and Ticketing is the primary driver. The others are membership Program, venue Hire, retail Shop and donations and Fundraising.
Who are Birmingham Museums Trust's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Tate (Tate Modern, Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool, Tate St Ives), National Museums Liverpool, Leeds Museums and Galleries, Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums and Manchester Museum (University of Manchester). Glasgow Life (Glasgow Museums) is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are British Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), Natural History Museum and Imperial War Museums.
Does Birmingham Museums Trust have an API?
No public API is recorded for Birmingham Museums Trust.
What industry is Birmingham Museums Trust in?
Birmingham Museums Trust's product category is Museum and Cultural Heritage Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJADAF, Specialty Museums (e.g., Maritime, Aviation, Sports, Music, Film), with a secondary code of THAJADAA, Art Museums. Its NAICS code is 712110 and its SIC code is 7900.