Pen Museum – Jewellery Quarter

Immerse yourself in the history of the 19th Century Pen Trade. Discover the tough working conditions of women working in the pen factories. Experience writing with feather quills, reeds and steel pen nibs.

The Pen Museum focuses on the important legacy of Birmingham’s 19th Century pen trade and its significant contribution to improving literacy throughout the world. It’s located in a former pen factory, built in 1863, where visitors experience writing with feather quills, reeds and steel nibs and can also make their own nib using traditional methods. The Museum narrates the interesting lives, stories and important expertise of manufacturers, owners and workers that resulted in Birmingham once manufacturing 75% of the world’s pens. Explore the collection of over 5,000 objects related to the Birmingham Pen Trade. Our team is also happy to answer (where possible) general questions about pens.

Telephone: 0121 236 9834 Email: enquiries@penmuseum.org.uk

“A fascinating museum greatly enhanced by the enthusiastic and knowledgeable volunteers”

26th June 2020

Pen Museum Update

As the Government starts to ease the lockdown, and in view of the invaluable financial support we’ve received from both our Crowdfunding Campaign and Arts Council England, our Trustees are proposing to reopen open the Pen Museum at the beginning of November with new Covid safety procedures in place to ensure the safety of our visitors and volunteers. This will include a requirement to pre-book tickets.

Our decision to reopen early November will be kept under review by the Museum’s Trustees and any updates posted via our website and social media channels.

We all look forward to welcoming visitors again later this year and once again thank you to everyone for your brilliant support in helping our small independent Museum to survive.

Andy Munro

Chairman

2020 Fundraising Appeal

Our heartfelt thanks go out to every one of our generous Crowdfunding supporters who helped us raise an amazing £6,163 in just 41 days. We will be in touch in due course as well with all those generous supporters who also selected a reward with their donation.

Whilst we have been fortunate to receive a short term revenue grant from the Arts Council England plus the continued generous responses to our Crowdfunding appeal, we are unfortunately far from out of the woods.

We are awaiting government guidance on the opening of Museums but either way, even when we do reopen (with the necessary safety measures in place) we realise it will be a considerable time before visitor numbers reach pre crisis levels.

However, we are now confident, that given the fantastic response to our appeal, that we will ride the crisis and keep the history of the Steel Pen Trade and its importance to Birmingham alive for future generations to enjoy.

Thank you, once again from everybody at the Pen Museum.

Crowdfunder project page is still available for donations to be made to support our work.