You might not expect one of the country’s finest collections of art to be found within a rather unassuming building on a university campus, but that speaks to the very nature of Birmingham – a city that has great things, but rarely shouts about them. The Barber Institute of Fine Arts offers an astonishing collection of paintings, fine prints, miniatures and sculptures that features works from some of the most famous artists of all time, with no entry charge to enjoy them.
The inside is a stark change from the outside, an oasis of quiet where visitors can experience more than 500 years of European fine art. Beginning at the 14th century and moving all the way up to the 20th, the collection dips into cubism, post-impressionism, the renaissance and many other artistic styles and eras, with works from Van Gogh, Picasso and Rembrandt, among others. The Barber Institute often loans works to other major galleries in the UK, including London’s National Gallery, and receives celebrated compositions from their collections in return.
Alongside the permanent collection, the gallery offers space for shorter exhibitions from modern artists, while the building also has an impressive art deco hall that hosts concerts from the great and the good of the classical world.