November 2009, the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery appeared on the news again for an attempt to obtain an immense haul of jewels discovered by a treasure-haunter called Terry Herbert. Terry, 55, unearthed the item using only a metal detector. It is said that the treasure had been buried in a field at Staffordshire, England. The value of Terry’s finding has been estimated more that 3 million British pounds which half of it would go to the hunter and another to the owner of the field. The Birmingham museum is not the only museum who is running a race for the treasure, Potteries Museum in Stoke-on-Trent, is also setting for the same goal.

The Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery was opened in 1885. It was designed by Yeoville Thomason, an architect and a grandson of Edward Thomason a toy maker in Birmingham. At the beginning the museum included only 2 galleries. Later in 1919 a far bigger extension was added to the museum and increased the number of galleries to forty. In 1993 anther extension called Gas Hall was added to the museum and The Waterhall, previously part of water department, also joined in 2001.

The BMAG posses a very large collection of paintings by Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones. Paintings like “Star of Bethlehem”. It also contains works by Edward Burne-Jones and many other famous painters.

The BMAG hosts many events and exhibitions frequently to celebrate different aspects of art. In September 2009, The BMAG and Birmingham Philatelic Society joined to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the society. The aim of the event was to explore the history of stamp collecting. In October 2009 an exhibition of works by painters and photographers was held in the BMAG. The purpose of the exhibition was to examine how artists see the development and changes that have been occurring in the past 180 years in Birmingham as a city.

The entry to the BMAG is free and it opens 7 days a week which leaves no excuses to miss and unforgettable day at the museum. You might even consider supporting the museum on it’s aim to acquire more valuable exhibits.

By: Steve Kevin

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