The Peaky Blinders Experience Part 2 - Industrial but Modern

The Birmingham Canals are incredible, but Birmingham also has an incredibly industrial past, but what the city has really excelled in is turning these formerly grim and grey places into modern versions, full of history but not without a sense of the past. The city is constantly developing and never seems to stop progressing towards modernity and the future.

History and modernity combined

Areas like the Jewellery Quarter are the best places to get a sense of what Birmingham was like in the past, as well as enjoying all the modern comforts that most people want. This area was has been the centre of pretty and gold things for more than 200 years, and even today there are more than 100 shops with incredible heritage. But alongside all this heritage and jewels are some of the best restaurants and pubs in the city, and plenty of creative and interesting businesses also. Many of the buildings in the area have not been updated from the traditional red-brick construction, but have been neatened and tidied.

Old routes with new destinations

One of my absolute favourite features in Birmingham is the way the old and sturdy canals wind through the most modern and flashy parts of the city. In particular the parts of the canal where you can walk along 200 year old locks, next to huge arenas and modern clubs. The mix allows you to feel like you can always get away from the modern and busy life and find a slower pace of life whenever you want. This also means that it is quite hard to get bored of Birmingham, as you constantly have fresh and interesting perspectives, as well as being able to discover all the little hidden and unknown corners.

Actual old history...

If you really want to experience Peaky Blinders-era Birmingham, then the Black Country Living Museum is the best place to go. There was a lot of filming in this location, as it was the scrap yard owned by one of the characters. They were able to film so easily here because much of this canal-side has been preserved over the last few decades. Almost like a ready-made film set, the museum brings together a fantastic modern look at the history of Birmingham and is well worth a visit.

You can see part 1 of this article below

Museum of the Jewellery Quarter

75-80 Vyse St, Birmingham B18 6HA, UK

Walk down the Canals of Birmingham

B15 1AY Broad St, Birmingham B15, UK

Black Country Living Mueum

Tipton Rd, Dudley DY1 4SQ, UK