View the striking interior of this spectacular late 19th century court building

To celebrate Birmingham Heritage Week, step inside one of Birmingham’s most impressive Victorian landmarks. Designed by Aston Webb and Ingress Bell and built between 1887 and 1891, the Victoria Law Courts are nationally important for their richly decorated red-brick and terracotta exterior and their spectacular sandy-yellow terracotta interior.

Organised by the Victorian Society – Birmingham & West Midlands, this guided visit will introduce the building’s civic history, its role in Birmingham’s growth as a great city, and the striking Great Hall, with its stained glass celebrating notable figures and local trades.

Please note that the exterior is currently surrounded by scaffolding, so the tour will focus on the inside of the building. Visitors will see the Great Hall and public corridors. As the courts will be sitting, access to the remaining heritage courtroom cannot be guaranteed; however, if court sessions have finished, the tour will include a courtroom where possible.

Security checks

All visitors must pass through court security on arrival, so please allow extra time. Security checks may include emptying pockets into a tray, walking through an archway detector, and being checked with a handheld scanner. Phones and cameras may be brought into the building, but photography and video recording are strictly forbidden.

For full guidance on what can and cannot be taken into a court building, please read the official information here: https://www.gov.uk/entering-court-or-tribunal-building

Meet up details

The tour is free and runs from 3pm – 4.30pm on Thursday 17 September outside the main entrance to the Victoria Law Courts on Corporation Street, B4 6PH.

Booking

To reserve your place please follow this link to enter the ballot which will close on Wed 26 August at 12pm (midday).

Please note that this tour is not wheelchair accessible.