Birmingham Heritage Week is back again for 2024. Celebrating 10 years of the city, its stories and heritage, this year’s Birmingham Heritage Week looks to be the best yet.

With tours and activities taking place throughout the city between 6-15 September, you’ll find boat trips, walking tours and a whole host of one-off and exclusive tours.

One Birmingham venue taking part in this year’s celebrations, is Roundhouse Birmingham; a heritage enterprise and independent charity who look after the Grade II* listed building, the Roundhouse. Guests who visit can enjoy kayak tours, tours of their uniquely shaped building and walking tours exploring Birmingham, it’s culture and extensive history.

As part of Birmingham Heritage Week, Roundhouse Birmingham are offering a variety of special tours and activities, including kayak tours by night, free family craft sessions, walking tours with a twist, and even the chance to learn to sketch on a 1930 Heritage Working Boat.

Though some tours are now sold out, you can still get tickets to the tours listed below – but you’ll need to be quick! Click the title of each event below to book.

Art on the Water | Friday 6 September | 11am-1pm and 2pm - 4pm
Sketch and draw Birmingham’s beautiful waterways with local Birmingham illustrator Milan Topalovic. Starting with a short drawing session at the Roundhouse, you’ll step into the cargo of a 1930’s Heritage Working Boat and take a tour of Birmingham canals – stopping at two locations to draw the scenery. To find out more, click here.

From the Horse’s Mouth | Saturday 7 September | 2:30pm - 4pm
Betty has been sharing Birmingham’s history for over 10 years. As a well-loved tour guide at both Roundhouse Birmingham and Birmingham Back to Backs, she’s both knowledgeable and passionate about the city and its social history.

On this 90-minute tour, you’ll be taken from post-war Birmingham to the city it is today, learning about Birmingham’s industrial heritage and its changing landscape from the 50’s. Betty shares her own memories of the area, like playing on bomb sites near her home and memories of old theatres and cinemas like the Cresent and Lyric, she also encourages you to share your own stories and memories along the walk. To find out more click here.

Rose & Castle workshops | Sunday 8 September | 10am - 1pm and 2pm - 5pm
Roses & Castles is the colourful canal folk art that was used to decorate working narrowboats in the 19th century and is a distinctive part of our canal network, and it was the art of working canal boating families of the past. On this 3-hour creative session, you’ll learn more about this craft from our expert guide, Kerri, and create your own piece of Rose & Castle artwork. To find out more click here.

Birmingham Bingo by Night | Wednesday 11 September | 6pm - 8pm
The ultimate Brummie walking tour, with a (gently) competitive element. Explore Brum by night in search of the amazing innovations, music, and culture the city has produced, all while ticking off some brilliant Birmingham Bs on your bingo card as you go. You’ll need to keep an ear out, and to keep your eyes peeled. The route takes in some beautiful Birmingham landmarks that look even better when illuminated at night. To find out more click here.

Life & Death in Late Victorian Birmingham | Saturday 14 September | 2:30pm - 4pm
From local government to those living in Birmingham, begin to explore attitudes to life and death by exploring the role played by three key heritage sites: Roundhouse Birmingham, Birmingham’s Canals and The Coffin Works. The tour take around 90 minutes. To find out more click here.

If you’d like to see the full list of tours available at Roundhouse Birmingham as part of Birmingham Heritage Week, visit roundhousebirmingham.org.uk

If you don’t get chance to take part in any of Roundhouse Birmingham’s Heritage Week tours and activities, be sure to check their website tours through autumn.