Home to heavy metal music, a nationally adored chocolate company, the world’s biggest collection of pre-Raphaelite paintings, and around three million legendarily hospitable Brummies, Birmingham has a bit of everything.
Of the city’s three train stations, Moor Street might be the one with the most character to it. It’s also a major gateway into the city centre.
Bullring & Grand Central
Located in the heart of Birmingham city centre, Bullring & Grand Central is one of the largest shopping centers in the country. With hundreds of stylish stores and attractions like John Lewis, Selfridges & Zara, there’s plenty to keep visitors busy.
Guests looking to refuel after all that shopping can find food at a variety of restaurants and cafes at the mall. Options include a range of popular chains such as Wagamama, Costa Coffee & Five Guys.
Those who want to see the sights of the area can take advantage of the self-guided walking tour available on the GPSmyCity app. The app turns your mobile device into a personal tour guide and is available for download on iOS and Android. The free app is used by over 500 million travellers worldwide.
Thinktank Science Museum
When it comes to exploring Birmingham’s history of science and technology, there’s no better place than Thinktank. This four-floor museum, located inside the Millennium Point complex on Curzon Street in Digbeth, has more than 200 hands-on exhibits.
Learn about Birmingham’s industrial heritage through the impressive collections and discover how scientists are pushing forward the boundaries of modern technology. Then head over to the Changing Planet gallery to discover how humans are transforming the world around us.
Kids of all ages can get their bodies on at the outdoor Discovery Space, which brings themes of engineering, mechanics and transportation to life through fun activities like a clanging titanic-like machine and a giant hamster wheel that demonstrates energy. Also don’t miss the chance to take a seat in the state-of-the-art Planetarium.
Dudley Castle & Zoo
Get up close to some of the world’s favourite animals at Dudley Castle & Zoo. There are daily talks about the animals and the important projects that zoos like Dudley Castle undertake too. Plus, you can take part in Animal Experiences such as feeding Lemurs or tickling Tapirs for 20-30 minutes.
You can also see animals native to the UK or gaze at Bornean Orangutan babies, lions and giraffes at the 40-acre site. There is a tropical Bird House too, home to exotic Amazon, Aracari and Conure colourful birds.
Birmingham Moor Street is a pretty station and it shows what can be done with a bit of imagination (see the 1930’s station flair). It’s a good choice for traveling to local destinations such as Leamington Spa, Warwick or London.
Birmingham Moor Street is one of the three train stations in the city centre and has some 1930’s station flair to it (the other two are New Street and Snow Hill). It is a Chiltern Railways-run station, so the carriages that run here tend to be newer than those at Birmingham New Street or Snow Hill.
If you’re planning on going to an event at the Alabama Theatre, check with Vivid Seats for parking passes and other options to make it easier for you to enjoy upcoming events. Be sure to observe the COVID-19 rules and vaccine policies while there, too.
George Barber Motorcycle Collection
When former race car driver and dairy industrialist George Barber opened this museum off I-20 in 2003, he was hoping to accomplish what no one else had done: put the world’s largest motorcycle collection on display. He did so, and now this five-story, 144,000-square-foot museum is considered a must-see for motorsports fans.
Inside, bikes are displayed as if they were pieces of art, with plenty of open space to examine them from different angles. And for enthusiasts who want to get their hands dirty, the museum has a 2.3-mile-long race track where visitors can try out some of the bikes from the collection.
This is a good station to arrive at for trains to London Marylebone and the like, as it’s got four really spacious platforms. There are also a couple of cosy cafes and a convenience store.
