This Jacobean mansion, built between 1618 and 1635, boasts some impressive pieces and houses some furniture, paintings and textiles from the Birmingham Museum's collections (look for the Romney and Gainsborough in the dining room). There are turrets, gables, plaster ceilings and friezes, and a panelled gallery that's over 40m (130ft) long.

The impressive Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery houses displays of local and natural history, fine archaeology and ethnography exhibits, and a renowned collection of Pre-Raphaelite paintings. Other highlights include works by Degas, Braque, Renoir and Canaletto. Don't miss the charming Edwardian tearoom for a restorative cuppa.

For art lovers, a visit to the Barber Institute is the highlight of a visit to Birmingham. The collection takes in Renaissance masterpieces such as Rubens and Van Dyck, British greats including Gainsborough, Reynolds and Turner, an array of impressionist pieces and modern classics by the likes of Picasso and Schiele.