The Birmingham Museum Trust Photographic Archive

Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery holds an extensive photographic archive of fragile glass plates and monochrome negatives. Dating back to the late 19th century, produced by the many, largely unknown artists and photographers who have worked for Birmingham Museum and Birmingham City Council over the years. There are over 86000 photographs in this rarely seen collection built up over the last 130 years to serve the needs of curators, council planners, exhibition staff and other museum professionals as well as a for a range of council workers and external partners needs.

The intention is to document, digitise, conserve and re-store this valuable photographic collection, before making the contents available for research and study via the internet, new media and catalogues. New ultra high definition scanning and file archival techniques make it possible to produce images with unprecedented levels of detail and exceptional tonal range. Shedding new light and a fresh perspective on thousands of forgotten historical images of Birmingham, its collections, its art, history and people.

Images under the 'BMT Historic Archive' section are the property and copyright 'Birmingham Museums Trust.