The beautiful Elizabethan house – one of Birmingham’s oldest and most historically significant buildings – was built over 430 years ago and now people will be able to visit for the first time since it shut when the pandemic hit in March 2020.

Cared for by Birmingham Museums Trust, visitors can step back in time to discover what life was like for one of Birmingham’s leading merchant families in 1590 – when Elizabeth I was on the throne and Shakespeare was writing his plays. Nestled in a quiet Birmingham street and surrounded by rows of semi-detached suburban homes, a tour of Blakesley Hall gives a unique insight into the lifestyle of a wealthy Tudor family. Visitors can see some of the original features of the typical Tudor architecture while 17th century furnishings and homeware evoke a sense of family life.

And no visit to Blakesley Hall is complete without a wander through the hall’s beautiful orchard and herb garden to enjoy the sights and smells of the typical Tudor-style planting and borders. After seeing the house and gardens, family and friends can catch up on their visit over a hot drink and slice of cake in the hall’s Herb Garden Café.

Laura Cox, Museum Team Manager at Blakesley Hall, says: “Blakesley Hall was built as a family home, and it’s been a long time since we’ve had families round! While travel and holidays might still be limited, we hope that people from across Birmingham and the West Midlands will discover this rich, historic, experience on their doorstep. We can’t wait to give a big, warm Blakesley welcome!”

As well as exploring the fine Tudor house and beautiful gardens, younger visitors can enjoy a range of specially programmed fun activities throughout the summer holidays while outdoor theatre performances can also be enjoyed by all ages thanks to the Crescent Theatre and their staging of the classic tale of cockney flower girl Eliza Doolittle in George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion (24th–25th July).