A new free exhibition explores the stories and history of Birmingham Municipal Bank, now The Exchange, as part of Birmingham Heritage Week.
The University of Birmingham is inviting visitors to explore the fascinating history of Birmingham Municipal Bank (BMB) in its new free exhibition, Unlocking the Vaults, now open at The Exchange.
The exhibition is featured as part of the University of Birmingham’s events programme for Birmingham Heritage Week, which runs from 11-20 September. It focuses on stories from the Bank’s former safe deposit facility containing more than 4,000 safe deposit boxes.
Set within the building’s historic vaults, the exhibition brings together hidden histories, untold stories and sheds new light on Birmingham Municipal Bank’s legacy and impact on the city and its people.
Drawing on two years of research and more than a century of Birmingham history, Unlocking the Vaults showcases original archives, objects, photographs and first-hand accounts that reveal how the Bank became part of everyday life for generations of Birmingham residents from many walks of life.
Visitors will hear personal memories from former employees and customers, explore contemporary photography created through community collaborations and citizen-historian volunteers, and discover new perspectives on saving, community and economic security.
Unlocking the Vaults was made possible with support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
By unearthing the stories of this unique institution, we've been able to shine a brand-new light on Birmingham's history, and we're delighted to share this with our visitors to The Exchange.
Jane McArdle, who led the project, said: “Unlocking the Vaults has been a truly special journey working with community members to uncover and share the personal histories surrounding the Birmingham Municipal Bank. By unearthing the stories of this unique institution, we've been able to shine a brand-new light on Birmingham's history, and we're delighted to share this with our visitors to The Exchange.”
The team worked with a volunteer group of citizen historians to collect and uncover the stories from BMB’s past. This ranges from the everyday experience of staff, the community that used the bank and some of the more standout moments.
The exhibition creates a rich and thought-provoking portrait of Birmingham’s social and financial history. It features the oral history project Half-Crowns in their Petticoats: Reloaded by artist Elly Clarke, a 10-minute documentary film produced by IDM Media. Visitors can also view Thrift Radiates Happiness, a photography project developed with photographer Jo Gane and a range of local community groups.
The Grade II-listed, former Birmingham Municipal Bank building was bought by the University of Birmingham in 2018. It had been without a permanent tenant for almost two decades. In 2021, The Exchange opened as the University’s civic city centre hub, creating a place for the public to engage with the world-changing research done by its academics.
Free to visit, Unlocking the Vaults offers a unique opportunity to step into the beautifully restored halls of The Exchange and see it through new eyes. Visitors can look back on the building’s past and uncover the stories that continue to shape conversations about money, belonging and everyday life in Birmingham.
A supporting public talk titled The People’s Bank will see Dr Justine Pick, Honorary Research Fellow in the Department of History, explore the Bank’s roots as Britain’s only municipal savings bank.
In addition to Unlocking the Vaults, for Birmingham Heritage Week the University is hosting a guided walk of Metchley Roman Fort on campus. The Barber Institute of Fine Arts will host interactive family workshops at The Exchange. There will also be different walking tours of campus, heritage University of Birmingham buildings, and of the city centre led by University of Birmingham experts.
Unlocking the Vaults is on display now until 7th November 2026.
Step inside The Vaults and discover the people, places, and experiences behind one of Birmingham's most distinctive civic institutions: Birmingham Municipal Bank.
For more information and media inquiries, please contact Ellie Hail (e.hail@bham.ac.uk), Communications Officer, University of Birmingham, on +44 (0)7966 311 409. Out-of-hours, please call +44 (0) 121 414 2772.
