The Barber ranks among the most popular visitor attractions in Birmingham on TripAdvisor.
Here are some of the great things our visitors have been saying about us on there:
We love the Barber Institute! Great selection of art, friendly staff, cute little gift shop and awesome workshops, for free! Visited several times and will definitely return. Gracie, July 2023.
Delightful little art gallery, with excellent pieces! The Barber Art Institute is an absolute gem of an Art Deco building, and the art collection is superb: Botticelli, Ingres, Reynolds, Elisabeth Vigee-Lebrun, Pre-raphaelites, Post-impressionists, and a few spectacular Asian bronzes. The wall texts are excellent and staff are lovely. Lucky visitors may stumble upon Simon, who goes out of his way to share interesting anecdotes about the artworks. I visit dozens of museums every year, all over the world, and by far the best staff I have found work in the Barber and in Tate Liverpool. This is a small and intimate place to enjoy some wonderful artworks. Chris, April 2023.
An exceptional Art Deco building with treasures on display. This is an exceptionally calm place to view works of art. At the weekend there is very easy free parking less than 5 minutes walk away. The staff are very friendly & open to be asked about the works on display. Anonymous, May 2023.
One of the finest small art galleries anywhere: What an absolutely stunning art gallery with works from Botticelli, Matisse, Monet, Gaugin, Degas, Rodin, Moore, Reynolds, Pissarro, Magritte, Gossaert, Van Eyck, Toulouse- Lautrec- and these are just a few of the treasures within. This small gallery, beautifully lit, is a gem. Highly recommended. J Delaney, October 2022.
Exquisite Art Deco gallery with world-class European art collection: I see a lot of galleries in my work and have not enjoyed a first- time visit somewhere as much as I enjoyed the Barber Institute yesterday. The building itself is an incredible Art Deco, with very elegant detail just right. The collection is a truly world- class display of European art history, with masterpieces from the early Renaissance through to the early 20th century. For me it’s at the very top of the list of things to see in Birmingham and has a curiously low profile given its artistic riches that would be the envy of any national gallery in the world. Jon, September 2022.
Perfect place for pause and reflection: I visited the Barber institute for the first time today, it was an amazing experience. I highly recommend it to students, during a busy lifestyle it is the perfect place to take a step back and pause over some brilliant and historic art. There are some truly amazing pieces with fascinating backstories that the staff are more than happy to explain. Molly L, February 2022.
Fine art to rival any London Gallery: The Barber is a wonderful gallery packed with treasures from every major genre of art. The gallery spaces are beautifully laid out with surprises around every corner. How amazing to find Ford Maddox Brown The Last of England on loan. The staff are so helpful and friendly and keen to share their insight and love of the paintings. The Barber is a true treasure and a highlight of the cultural scene in Birmingham. I could visit every week and never get bored. Sarah, December 2021.
Our visitors also tell us what they think on our questionnaires. Here’s what a few have had to say…
Will recommend and come again: Fascinated by the breadth of collection in the permanent space. Never even knew this was here. Lucy C, September 2022.
Fabulous! One of my favourite galleries in the world. P Barrett, September 2022.
Highly recommend a visit: Staff were very helpful and explained the layout and exhibits when asked. David T, September 2022.
An absolute delight: The quality of the collection is remarkable. Alan H, August 2022.
Excellent collection: Spanning the centuries of styles, Birmingham is fortunate to have this wonderful gallery. Rosemary N, August 2022.
