The question

Birmingham Museums Trust (BMT) was reinventing itself as a home for the stories of Birmingham’s super-diverse communities, pioneering mass participation and creating hope, belonging and trust. However, challenges, including the multi-year closure of its flagship museum for urgent repair, and the financial distress of Birmingham City Council (BCC), threatened this ambition and the Trust’s future. Could we help BMT develop a visionary strategy and plan to navigate out of turbulent waters and engage with the whole city?

What we did

Supported by The Revels Office, we worked with BMT to help it articulate a radical and sustainable strategy and operating model, refining its vision and setting out a comprehensive five-year plan.

Working as part of a National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF)-funded programme, we toured sites, reviewed plans, interviewed senior leadership and frontline staff, and developed a comprehensive audit report setting out the situation facing BMT. Through workshops with the leadership team and wider employees, we prioritised and winnowed, creating and cohering the strategy and plan, including a sustainable revenue model and a staged approach to refreshing major sites. 

What happened

BMT unveiled their 5-year strategy in September 2025, supported by their board and major funders (BCC, Arts Council England, NLHF). The Trust is now delivering this strategy, creating a brighter future for one of Britain’s most important civic museums.