About

Heritage Open Days 2025: 11th -26th September

Heritage Open Days is the largest national festival of heritage giving people the opportunity to enjoy events and activities, talks, walks and tours and to see buildings not usually open or peep behind the scenes. 

Sandwell Museums is hosting a wide variety of heritage activities and open days for you to enjoy this September. 

Heritage Open Days events and activities are FREE but some require booking. 

For those requiring booking via ticketsource visit www.ticketsource.co.uk/sandwell-museums-and-arts 

For more information about our sites click here. 

 

Bromwich Hall Museum, Hall Green Road, West Bromwich, B71 2EA

Medieval Mayhem - Enjoy our annual medieval encampment at Bromwich Hall on 13th and 14th September. See knights and ladies, see weapons demonstrations, music and dance, costumed characters, learn about medicine, play medieval games, have a go at archery and join in with knight school, crafts and trails. Get messy and make your own medieval tile Entry Free. Just drop in

Open day with introductory talks – Tuesday 16 September, 12pm – 4pm. Listen to the introductory talks in the Great Hall at 12.30pm and 2.30pm, then explore the house on your own. Follow the medieval myth busting trail around the museum.  No need to book

Tour and Talk with Dr. Mike Hodder – Wednesday 17, 10.30am start. Join former borough archaeologist Mike Hodder as he dives into the history of Bromwich Hall and medieval West Bromwich then explore! Tickets are free but places must be reserved. Book tickets via Ticketsource. 

 

Oak House Museum, Oak Road, West Bromwich, B70 8HJ

Join us for guided tours as part of national Heritage Open Days and explore the stories of this fantastic 17th century house, the Turton family and West Bromwich in the 1600s. Booking required via ticketsource
Sunday 14th – 11.45-1pm. 
Wednesday 17th – 11.45pm -1pm,  2:30pm-3:45pm

 

Wednesbury Museum

The Extraordinary, Ordinary. Wednesdays and Thursdays 11am-4pm and Saturday 11am-2pm. Explore our exhibition showcasing the decorative and colourful things made in what is now Sandwell in the past and now in our museum collection such as stained glass, pottery, paintings and enamels. Free just pop in.

Challis– local history talk. Thursday 11 September, 11.30am. Discover the life and work of Henry Challis who painted scenes of Oldbury and Smethwick in the 1800s. You can see some of his work in our exhibition showcasing decorative items made in what is now Sandwell such as stained glass, enamels, pottery and paintings. Site open 11am-4pm free entry.

Extraordinary, Ordinary today. The Art of Abigail Villarroel and Simmi Sahota. An exhibition of pieces by two local artists forming part of our Extraordinary Ordinary season which is celebrating the creativity of local artists. When the museum is open
 

Haden Hill House Museum and Old Hall, In Haden Hill Park, entrance via Barrs Rd and Lee Road, B64 7JU (the turn left into Barrs Rd)

Do You Remember – The events of the 1950s? Wednesday 17 September 2-3pm. A talk about aspects of the 1950s and some key events. 
Talk from local historian John Billingham. Please call 01384 569444 to book

Cellar tours of Haden Old Hall– Thursday 18 September 11am and 2pm. Haden Old Hall was the original house on Haden Hill, built in the late 1600s. We are giving visitors a unique opportunity to take a tour of the cellars at Haden Old Hall and discover its secrets!  Haden Old Hall will be open to look around too between. Booking required by calling 01384 569 444 on Thursdays or Fridays.                                                                      

Haden Old Hall open day - Sunday 21 September. 2.30pm-4.30pm. Drop in and explore Haden Old Hall and discover its fascinating stories. Just drop in

Sites Of Memory Project at Haden Hill House
Sites of Memory Exhibition from 12 September. ‘Sites of Memory’ is an exhibition with an accompanying publication and web site. Using both contemporary photographs and archive materials, Brendan Jackson traces the journeys of young soldiers from the Black Country region and Birmingham in the UK who served in the Caucasus in 1918-20 alongside Indian troops protecting an oil pipeline. 

His personal interest in this project was the discovery of the names of young soldiers from his hometown buried in Batumi, Tbilisi and Baku, where they were only commemorated in recent years by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

‘Sites of Memory’ will be on show at Haden Hill House Museum, Sandwell, and at Tbilisi Photography and Multimedia Museum through the autumn of 2025. More information at the artist website: www.brendanjackson.co.uk. Just drop in

Forgotten Fronts Drop-in Workshop Friday 19 September 11am-3pm. Contribute to a 3D piece of artwork with Artist Rich Franks inspired by the stories in the Sites Of Memory Exhibition and enjoy the exhibition. Just drop in

Sites Of Memory Event Day. Sunday 21 September 1pm-4pm. An opportunity to talk to Brendan Jackson about his exhibition - Sites Of Memory 
Join Artist Rich Franks and contribute to the 3D artwork inspired by the stories in the Sites Of Memory Exhibition. Interact with members of a iving History Group who will be present on the day portraying soldiers from the era. drop in 

Peter Chand Performance Friday 26 September 1pm. Join international storyteller Peter Chand for a performance inspired by the Sites Of Memory Exhibition. Please call 01384 569444 to book

Galton Valley Pumping Station Open Day. Off Brasshouse Lane Smethwick, B66 1AQ Open day- Saturday 13 September, 11:00am-3:00pm. Take a walk along the Old Mainline canal off Brasshouse Lane bridge at Smethwick and explore this little pumping station, which operated to regulate the water levels between the two canals. 

Bishop Asbury Cottage OPen Days. Newton Rd, B43 6HN – Friday 12 -9:30am-12:30am and Thursday 18 - 4pm-6pm. Just drop in, last admission 20 mins before closing. Visit this tiny home of Francis Asbury, possibly one of the most famous people you may never have heard of! Bishop Asbury grew up in this labourer's cottage just outside West Bromwich in the mid 1700s. Come along and discover his fascinating story.