The Barber Institute of Fine Arts
The Barber Institute of Fine Arts is housed in one of Birmingham's finest Art Deco buildings, purpose built and opened by Queen Mary in 1939.
The design of the building came as a result of a close collaboration between Atkinson and the Barber's first Director, Professor Thomas Bodkin, and was influenced by new galleries built at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, the Boymans Museum, Rotterdam and the Gemeente museum at the Hague.
The building is laid out around the central music auditorium, surrounded by corridors. On the Ground floor these form offices, lecture halls and libraries for the Departments of Music and History of Art. The galleries occupy the same space on the first floor, approached by a magnificent travertine staircase directly opposite the entrance.
Barber Fine Art Library
The library is a specialist research level collection of over 50,000 books, exhibition catalogues and sale catalogues on Western art covering most of the major European schools of painting from the early Renaissance to twenty-first century, the history of collecting, and also some Byzantine art.
Although many items are available for loan, the majority of items in the Barber Fine Art Library are for reference use only. Books on African art, Ancient art, oriental art, and on the decorative arts are located in the Main Library and the Orchard Learning Resource Centre.
Barber Music Library
The Barber Music Library is located in the Barber Institute of Fine Arts, and houses the University's music collections, including books, journals, scores, audio and video recordings.
VISITORS INFORMATION:
Opening Hours
Monday - Saturday: 10.00 am - 5.00 pm
Sunday: 12 noon - 5.00 pm
Closed: Good Friday, 24-26 December and New Year's Day
Admission Free
Group Visits
If your group numbers twelve people or more, please help us prepare for your visit and avoid overcrowding by booking at least 3 working days before you arrive.
We can provide tea, coffee and biscuits at a cost of £1.50 per head for all group bookings. The University campus has a variety of places to eat, which offer everything from light lunches to three-course meals.
The Barber Institute is just 3 miles from the centre of Birmingham and is easily accessible by Car, Bus and Train.
By Car:
Take the A38 (Bristol Road), turning onto Edgbaston Park Road. Parking is available in the University's South Car Park, with the Barber Institute situated at the top of the hill opposite King Edward's School, two minutes walk from the car park.
By Bus:
Nos 61, 62 and 63 leave the city centre (Corporation Street or Navigation St). The bus stops at the bottom of Navigation Street (ask for the University).
By Train:
University Station is a five minute walk from the Barber Institute on the campus. Trains leave New Street station regularly and take approximately 10 minutes.
Lift
The lift provides access to all floors within the building and, for security reasons, is staff-operated. Visitors wishing to use the lift should seek assistance from staff at the reception desk or in the galleries.
Toilets
There are toilets on the ground floor, close to the main entrance. There is an accessible or adapted toilet on the first floor, in a secure area close to the lift. Visitors wishing to use the accessible toilet, as with the lift, should seek assistance from staff at the reception desk or in the galleries.
Address:
The Barber Institute of Fine Arts
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TS