Victorian Aston Hall: A Museum of Curiosities

Join us for this guided tour to discover the often-overlooked history of how Aston Hall was saved from destruction and first opened as a museum for the enjoyment of the citizens of Birmingham in the mid-19^th century, being among one of the first historic houses in the country to do so!

As we tour the different rooms of the historic Jacobean mansion, you will learn about the Victorian museum of ‘curiosities’ that was housed here, and how the death of a tightrope walker and a visit from Queen Victoria relate to the Hall’s history.

As we explore the building, we’ll ask you to imagine what it looked like when it was filled with almost a thousand specimens of taxidermy animals, including two giraffes, a hippo, and a rhino that welcomed visitors in the Great Hall!

Come along to find out more about the artefacts that fascinated the Victorian visitors.

Pre-booking is essential, we anticipate that this event will be very popular. Tickets are non-refundable.

Event information

The tour will last approximately 1 hour, 30 minutes. After the tour feel free to explore this magnificent mansion at your leisure. The Hall closes at 4pm. The Stable Yard Café and gardens will be open from 11am until 4pm.

This tour is part of a series of events for Birmingham Heritage Week; please see our What’s On page for other exciting tours and events.

Organised by Birmingham Museums Trust – Aston Hall