About Us The Birmingham Historical Museum & Park, established in May, 2001, features the 1822 John West Hunter House and the 1928 Allen House. These historic structures are linked by the History Plaza (dedicated in September, 2007), which serves as a gateway to the beautiful John West Hunter Historic Park. A short walk from downtown Birmingham, the Museum is a must-see for out-of-town visitors, as well as residents who want to learn more about the history of their City. The Museum, in partnership with other community organizations, including the Birmingham Historical Society, hosts public tours, lectures and special events.
Contact Us Phone: 248.530.1928 Fax: 248.530.1681 museum@ci.birmingham.mi.us Search for us on Facebook and become a fan!
Admission Members: FREE Adults: $5.00 Seniors (65+) : $3.00 Students (6-18): $3.00 Children 5 & under: FREE
Parking 2 hours of free parking is available across from the Museum, at the Chester Street deck.
Current Exhibits
Holiday Model Trains & Antique Toys November 16 - January 7
Trains: This year, our popular model train display theme is "Birmingham in the 19th Century," when railroads were key to our country's growth and progress. Our display features three steam locomotives with a background of buildings and houses from Birmingham's past.
Antique Toys: We also have a bounty of historic toys on display, including:
Upcoming Events
Saturday, December 3--Model Train Clinic, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM Bring your model train for expert advice and simple on site repairs with expert Stu Shuster and other local model train aficianados. Get ideas and solve problems with your holiday displays, and find out what your train might be worth. Free with regular museum admission.
Saturday, December 10--Holiday Craft for Kids & Magic of Birmingham Parade, 12:00 NOON -- 1:30 PM Children can see the toy and train exhbit and make a parade wand before joining in the Magic of Birmingham Parade, starting at the museum at 1:00. The parade will proceed with police escort to see Santa at Shain Park, and will conclude at 1:30 PM. Craft free with regular museum admission. (Event hosted by Birmingham Historical Museum & Park, the Cultural Council of Birmingham/Bloomfield, and the Birmingham Principal Shopping District.) Sunday, January 22, 2012--A Quilter's Tea and Turning, 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Bring your antique quilt for expert feedback with quilt historian Beth Donaldson from the Michigan State University Museum, who will present a program on antique quilts and their design. Enjoy a banquet-style tea at the museum, and participate in a rare opportunity to inspect and "turn" quilts from our collection. But, most of all, each ticket holder will have a chance a a fabulous door prize--a 58 X 67 vintage fabric quilt in the Variable Star pattern, with a hand quilted top made by museum volunteers! Hurry; tickets are $50 , and registration is very limited for this unique event at the museum. This could be that perfect gift for the quilter in your life!
Announcements
The Birmingham Historical Museum & Park now features an heirloom kitchen garden at the Hunter House, to demonstrate how Birmingham’s founders might have grown some of their own vegetables and herbs. We have also joined the Let’s Move: Museum & Gardens program, a joint initiative of the Institute for Museum & Library Services and First Lady Michelle Obama that emphasizes healthy food and activities to create a generation of healthier kids. The initiative was originally developed though a collaboration among the American Association of Museums, the Association of Children’s Museums, and the American Public Gardens Association, and has now been broadened to include, the Association of African American Museums, the Association of Art Museum Directors, Association of Science-Technology Centers, American Association for State and Local History, Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and the Center for the Future of Museums for children.
Let's Move! Museums and Gardens
For photos, information on past exhibits, online resources etc., follow these links:
Allen House
Hunter House
John West Hunter Park
Volunteer Opportunities
Past Exhibits
Teacher Resources
Historical Resources
Donations
Strategic Plan
Vision Statement The Birmingham Historical Museum & Park shall be recognized as the authority on Birmingham’s history, distinguished by its expanding cultural resources.