Unlocking the Vaults
Step inside The Vaults and discover the people, places, and experiences behind one of Birmingham's most distinctive civic institutions: Birmingham Municipal Bank.
Unlocking the Vaults brings together the outcomes of a National Lottery Heritage Fund-supported project exploring the Birmingham Municipal Bank and its impact on the city. Set within The Exchange's extraordinary Vaults — a former safe deposit facility containing more than 4,000 safe deposit boxes — the exhibition reconnects the building with its former role as the Bank's head office. Today, The Exchange is the University of Birmingham's city-centre home, creating a unique opportunity to explore the building's past while reflecting on its place in Birmingham today.
Courtesy of Library of Birmingham/Lloyds Banking Group Archive.
Courtesy of Lesley Coley.
Photograph taken by Jo Gane, 2025.
2 years of research, over 100 years of Birmingham history
A dedicated volunteer research group played a central role in the project, working with records held at the Library of Birmingham to uncover new perspectives on the institution and the people connected to it, while developing their own research skills along the way.
Drawing on archives, objects and oral histories, the exhibition reveals how the Bank became woven into everyday life across the city. Visitors can hear from former employees and customers, explore original records and artefacts, and discover personal experiences spanning decades. The exhibition also features Petticoats Reloaded, a project by artist Elly Clarke that brings together oral histories recorded in 2013 with new recordings made in 2025.
Alongside these heritage stories, the exhibition showcases Thrift Radiates Happiness a project developed with photographer Jo Gane through collaborations with community groups including Acocks Green Local History Society, Birmingham City University photography students, Mothers Who Make Coventry, Springfield Project Creative Women's Group, Stories of Hope and Home, and the University of Birmingham Student Public Programmes Panel. Through photography and creative responses, participants explored the Bank's place in city life and considered contemporary perspectives on saving, money and wellbeing.
Together, these projects create a rich portrait of Birmingham's social and financial history, inviting visitors to reflect on how attitudes towards saving, community and economic security continue to shape lives today.
What to expect
- Hear memories from former employees, customers, and community participants
- See original objects, photographs, and archival material
- Experience contemporary photography created through community collaborations
- Explore the social history of the Birmingham Municipal Bank
- Share your own reflections and ideas as part of the exhibition
Come and uncover the stories hidden beneath The Exchange and explore how the experiences of previous generations continue to inform conversations about money, belonging and everyday life in Birmingham.
