The Exchange, University of Birmingham

18/06/2026

☀️Visitor advice ahead of Saturday 20 June☀️

If you're visiting The Exchange on Saturday, 20 June, please be aware that there may be increased activity in parts of Birmingham city centre, particularly around New Street Station and Victoria Square, which could affect pedestrian movement and local travel routes. We recommend allowing extra time for your journey and checking travel updates before you set off.

You may notice an increased security presence at The Exchange throughout the day, supporting a safe and welcoming environment for all visitors.

All events at The Exchange will continue as planned, and we look forward to welcoming you.

04/06/2026

☀️ Celestial textiles with Farwa Moledina and The Barber Institute of Fine Arts 🪐

We had a brilliant evening at our first creative workshop of the programme a few weeks ago, as we were inspired by Helios in the Banking Hall to create our very own textiles.

Thank you to everyone who came and to The Barber Institute of Fine Arts and Farwa for leading the session.

Feeling inspired to get creative? Our next workshop is NEXT WEEK:

🌻 Q***r Botanical Drawing with Edward Luke Thrush
📅 Wednesday 10 June
🎟️ £25 / £5 students: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/events/queer-botanical-drawing-workshop

Photos: Ryan Storey

03/06/2026

☀️ What if the Sun started to cool down?

🚀 What if our only hope of finding a solution was sending an 8th-grade biology teacher into space?
..What if he forgot why he was up there?

Join Lyza Lawal at The Exchange Book Club to see what happens next in Andy Weir's Sci-Fi classic-in-the-making, Project Hail Mary.

📅 Wednesday 10 June
⏰ 6 - 7.30 pm
🎟️ £5! Head to our website to book https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/events/the-exchange-book-club-project-hail-mary

01/06/2026

🚨 New Event Launch! University of Birmingham Discovery Club 🔬🎨🌿

We’re excited to announce the launch of the University of Birmingham Discovery Club, our very first Summer School experience for curious young minds!

📅 Wednesday 29 July 2026
📍 The Exchange, Centenary Square
🎟️ £30 per child (ages 8–11)

Join us for a full day of discovery, where children can:
✨ Explore the natural world with leading researchers
🎨 Get creative with nature-inspired art activities
🌳 Learn about plants, trees, and the environment
🔭 Look to the skies with solar telescope sessions led by astrophysicists

Tickets are now on sale - don’t miss out!
👉 Find out more and book here: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/events/university-of-birmingham-discovery-club

29/05/2026

😎 Grab your sunglasses - summer has landed at The Exchange!

Head to our website to explore our jam-packed summer programme of creative workshops, talks, and special Helios events.

☀️ Explore our full listings: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/the-exchange/events/all-events?preventScrollTop=true ☀️

Photo: Angela Grabowska

27/05/2026

🌞✨ Let creativity take flight at The Exchange ✨🌞
Celebrate the summer solstice by flexing those performing muscles with Icarus: A Play in a Day, a fun children's workshop for young creatives, delivered by Sampad South Asian Arts & Heritage.

🎭 Build a performance in just one day
🌟 Explore storytelling, movement & character
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 End with a special showcase for family & friends

📅 Sat 20 June
🕐 12:15–14:30
📍 The Exchange, Birmingham
🎟️ FREE (book via our website) https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/events/icarus-a-play-in-a-day

Perfect for ages 8–11. Come and reimagine the myth of Icarus in your own unique way.

25/05/2026

☀️ Happy Half Term! ☀️

We are closed today for the bank holiday, but don't worry, we will be open as normal tomorrow at 8 am.

Join us on Wednesday for a jam-packed family day full of free half-term activities.

🌇 Building a climate-ready city
11 am - 3 pm
Meet WM-Adapt from the University of Birmingham and learn how our city is experiencing extreme weather and how we can help our fellow Brummies prepare for a changing climate.

🏦 Explore family tours
11 am and 1 pm
Explore the history of the old Birmingham Municipal Bank with our amazing tour guides as they take you to the Vaults, the bank manager's office, and much more in our historic building.

☕ Grab a bite to eat and a drink at our cafe! All made fresh on site and open 8 am - 4 pm.

Photo: Angela Grabowska

22/05/2026

☀️ Sunset Yoga ☀️

Wind down your Wednesday with this special session beneath Helios at The Exchange.

Instructor Manoj Koeri will guide us through a Sun Salutation sequence beneath Luke Jerram's illuminated work in the Banking Hall.

All levels are welcome, including anyone stepping onto the mat for the first time.

📅 Wednesday 3 June
⏰ 6 pm - 7 pm
🎟️ £10, including use of yoga mats and blocks

Wind down your Wednesday with this sunset yoga session beneath Helios at The Exchange.

21/05/2026

🔵🟣 It's a big day for Villa fans! 🎉

As Aston Villa’s victory parade makes its way through the city, finishing right outside The Exchange in Centenary Square, we’re excited to see this historic footballing moment for Birmingham take place right on our front doorstep.

For us, it’s a celebration that connects past and present. Decades before today’s crowds, Graham Bowden, and his fellow colleagues from Birmingham Municipal Bank, was helping fans into Villa Park as a volunteer gatesman in the 1970s and 80s, ensuring matchdays ran smoothly long before digital turnstiles.

His story is a reminder of the deep roots between the city and it's sports teams, and the people who’ve shaped both; from the terraces of the Witton Lane Stand to the historic vaults of The Exchange.

📖 Read Graham’s story from our heritage project Unlocking the Vaults:
https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/the-exchange/unlocking-the-vaults/stories-from-the-vaults-grahams-story

Whether you’re lining the streets today or cheering from afar, here’s to celebrating Birmingham’s footballing history and the stories behind it. 💙

Unlocking the Vaults is supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

📸Photograph by Terry Weir (1971), the official photographer for Aston Villa Football Club.

21/05/2026

Thursday, 21 May. Advice to visitors today.

It's an exciting day in Birmingham as the city celebrates Villa's victory last night!

The Exchange will remain open as usual but will close at 4:00 pm.

However, please be aware that Broad Street and the surrounding areas are expected to be extremely busy throughout the day, with significant disruptions to traffic and public transport services.

If you are planning a visit, we strongly recommend that you:

🦁 Allow extra time for your journey
🦁 Check public transport updates in advance
🦁 Consider alternative routes where possible

Thank you for your understanding. We look forward to welcoming you today!