Birmingham Museum Collections Centre Part 2

Originally published on Photoblog by Gethin Thomas July. 07, 2020

The Museums Collection Centre is a 1.5 hectare site that holds 80 per cent of Birmingham Museums’ stored collections under one roof.

Among the thousands of objects stored here are steam engines, sculptures, an entire collection of Austin, Rover and MG motor cars and even a red phone box.

This enormous facility is like something from the last scene of Raiders of the Lost Ark or an old curiosity shop.

There are retro toys lined up next to stuffed foxes and delicate tea cups alongside telephone boxes, sculptures, platform boots and chopper bikes.

There's classic cars, motorbikes and the world's oldest 'garden locomotive'.

Birmingham Museums Trust owns an incredible one million items - and a whopping 800,000 of these are in storage at the Birmingham Museum Collection Centre.

The fascinating thing about this place is that unlike a gallery or museum open to the public, none of the items are curated on display. Items are simply stored by size and weight, so you get some weird and wonderful collections of items.

William Pitt the Younger.

Drums and Lamp. Drums by Edward Patterson of Kingston, Jamaica.

Snowy Owl, Lyrebird and Birds of Paradise.

Pram and cutaway BMC Engine.

Part of a fountain.

Another part of the fountain.

Edward VII as Prince of Wales, Mathew Davenport Hill

1950's TV and Radio set.