Thinktank is Birmingham’s hands-on science museum, spread across four floors of Millennium Point in the city’s Eastside district. Since opening in 2001, it has drawn families and curious adults with interactive galleries that connect Birmingham’s industrial past with present-day science and technology.
The undisputed star is the Smethwick Engine. Built in 1779 and associated with James Watt and Matthew Boulton, it is widely regarded as the oldest working engine in the world. Nearby, a Spitfire and a Hurricane hang above the galleries, and the hulking City of Birmingham steam locomotive fills its own hall. Younger children head straight for MiniBrum, a child-sized version of the city where they can work shifts, shop and build. Other draws include a 4K planetarium, a wildlife gallery and an outdoor Science Garden packed with giant interactive machines (source: Visit Birmingham).
Visitor Highlights & Practical Info
During term time, Thinktank opens Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm, with last admission at 4.30pm. During the October half-term, from 24 October to 1 November, it opens daily. It also opens on bank holiday Mondays (source: Birmingham Museums). Admission is charged, so book online in advance and reserve planetarium shows early. Weekday afternoons in term time are quietest, because school groups usually leave by around 2pm. Birmingham Moor Street station is a short walk away, and New Street is roughly 15 minutes on foot.
