This week I picked up a key to the city from Birmingham New Street Station and visited some secret historic sites around the city.
‘Key to the City’ is a project in preparation for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, and is run by Fierce Festival. Running between May and August, the free key grants access to 21 locations around Birmingham and the West Midlands that are usually inaccessible to the public. Locations include, The Hawthorns, 103 Colmore Row observation deck and Minworth Green Bridge.
So far, I’ve visited tunnels under New Street that run to the Mailbox, Colmore Row and the Ikon Gallery. And can confirm that the key actually does work.
Interested to learn more? Visit the Fierce Festival website or New Street Station in person.
-
Read more of our stories on the history of Birmingham and the West Midlands, such as the first recorded assassination, how the 500+ Royal Oak pubs got their name, and the Real Peaky Blinders.