- Roundhouse Birmingham celebrate buildings 150th birthday with a full weekend of activities and tours.
- Days include FREE kayaking sessions, family crafts and discounted walking tours.
- Evenings include a silent disco, a murder mystery night and an outdoor concert.
Roundhouse Birmingham is gearing up to celebrate a big birthday this May, as their building – the Roundhouse – turns 150 years old. From Victorian stables and stores to a unique, grade II* listed building offering unique tours around the city, the Roundhouse is brimming with fascinating history and activities for all the family.
To celebrate the milestone birthday, Birmingham Roundhouse are planning a weekend jam-packed with tours and experiences to suit the whole family, taking place from Friday 10th to Sunday 12th May.
Over the weekend, guests can enjoy a host of FREE activities, including family crafts, kayaking sessions – including the chance to experience their award-winning Bustling Birmingham tour.
You can also learn more about this fascinating building on a FREE Workers of the Roundhouse building tour or stop by their Visitor Centre and chat to their lovely volunteers who can tell you more about the horses stabled here. The popular Heritage Working Boats Tour is back for the first time this year.
The celebrations continue into the evenings, with an improvised comedy murder mystery, a silent disco and an outdoor music concert happening from Friday – Sunday.
Events and activities across the weekend:
Kayak Taster Saturday & Sunday| FREE | Various times each day
Take your first strokes on the water and learn how to kayak on Birmingham’s canals, right outside of the Roundhouse. Suitable for children aged 8+. Under 18’s must be accompanied by an adult.
Kayak Tour Saturday & Sunday | FREE | 10:30-12:3
See Birmingham’s canals as they were intended on the award-winning Bustling Birmingham kayak tour. Booking essential. Suitable for children aged 8+. Under 18’s must be accompanied by an adult.
Heritage Working Boat Tour Saturday & Sunday | £6.50-£9.00 |10:45-12:15, 13:15-14:45
Step into the cargo hold of a 1930s heritage working boat and take a relaxing trip around Birmingham’s canal loops. A perfect way to explore Birmingham by water.
Family Crafts Saturday and Sunday | FREE | 10am-4pm
Drop into the Roundhouse for some free, family friendly heritage themed craft activities, including build your own Roundhouse or canal boat.
City Walking Tour Saturday & Sunday | £7-£12) |1pm-3pm
On this interactive Birmingham Bingo walking tour, you’ll head into the city discovering Birmingham’s rich heritage and local landmarks, all with an added dash of B-I-N-G-O.
Canal Walking Tour Saturday & Sunday£7-£12) | 10:30am-12:30pm
Enjoy Roundhouse Birmingham’s More Canals than Venice guided walk around Birmingham’s famous canal network, hearing stories of how the waterways helped Birmingham become the City of 1000 Trades.
Murder on the Cobbles! A Dickensian Improvised Murder Friday 10th May | £5 | 6pm-8pm
Murder is afoot upon the cobbles of the Roundhouse! The script is unwritten and the plot is in your hands. Step into a world of suspense, laughter and betrayal in this hilarious whodunit.
Silent Disco Saturday 11th May| £10 | 7pm-10pm
Grab your dancing shoes, a glowstick and celebrate our big birthday in style, as you party away in the illuminated courtyard and tunnel of our beautiful building.
Sofar Sounds Outdoor Concert Sunday 11th May | £13 | 8pm-10pm
Three secret (and incredibly talented) musicians will be rounding off the 150th birthday celebrations. Bring a chair, something to drink and discover new music in a magnificent Victorian setting.
Anna Pickton, Operations Manager at Roundhouse Birmingham, said:
“We’re delighted to be celebrating this milestone birthday with a whole host of exciting events and activities planned across the weekend.
This unique building has such a rich history, as does the city and canal network that surround it. We hope guests will enjoy learning a little more about the Roundhouse’s past, with free building tours and volunteer led talks in our example horse stall.
There’s something to suit the whole family across the birthday weekend, from free and discounted tours and experiences during the day, to special one-off events in the evenings – like our Silent Disco and Murder Mystery Night”.
Tickets for activities and events are limited, booking is essential. If you’d like to secure a place, we’d recommend booking via their website.
If you’d like to know more about any of the events listed above, or book tickets, visit www.roundhousebirmingham.org.uk/roundhouse-150th-birthday-weekend/.