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Canal basin
Gas Street Basin
Canal basin where the Worcester and Birmingham Canal meets the BCN Main Line, between the Mailbox and Brindleyplace.
A mini guide to
Brindleyplace & the Canals
Gas Street Basin, Centenary Square and the concert halls and canalside squares of Westside
Photos
1 / 8Welcome to the area
Gas Street Basin, Centenary Square and the concert halls and canalside squares of Westside
West of the centre, Centenary Square holds the Library of Birmingham, the Rep theatre, the Hall of Memory and the gilded statue of Boulton, Watt and Murdoch. Behind it, the International Convention Centre contains Symphony Hall, and the Utilita Arena stands across the canal.
Gas Street Basin, where the Worcester and Birmingham Canal meets the BCN Main Line, sits between the Mailbox and Brindleyplace. Brindleyplace has squares of restaurants and bars, the Ikon Gallery and the National Sea Life Centre, and Broad Street is the city's main nightlife strip.
Highlights
Start here
If you only have a few hours, these are good places to begin.
Canalside squares
Brindleyplace
Canalside development begun in 1993, with squares of restaurants and bars, the Ikon Gallery and the Sea Life Centre.
Shops and restaurants
The Mailbox
Canalside development with shops, restaurants and the BBC Birmingham studios.
Art gallery
Ikon Gallery
Contemporary art gallery in the neo-Gothic former Oozells Street Board School of 1877.
Library
Library of Birmingham
Public library on Centenary Square, opened in 2013; closed on Sundays.
Directions Website Report a problem with Library of Birmingham
Concert hall
Symphony Hall
2,262-seat concert hall opened in 1991, home of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.
Find your way
On the map
The map shows Brindleyplace & the Canals and the streets around it. The Getting there page lists nearby stops and stations.
Insider tips
Before you go
1
Follow the towpath
From Gas Street Basin the towpath runs past the ICC and Brindleyplace; the Mailbox is on the other side of the basin.
2
Walk through the ICC
Visit Birmingham notes it is a short walk from the Library through the International Convention Centre to Brindleyplace.
3
Concert nights
Brindleyplace restaurants fill up before concerts at Symphony Hall and the arena; book a table on event nights.
4
Library hours
The Library of Birmingham is closed on Sundays; check the council page for its full-service hours.
Tips from the Britlens editors
Explore this guide
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Open the mini guide →Photo credits
- Brindleyplace & the Canals (area photo): Oosoom at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Gas Street Basin: Oosoom at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Brindleyplace: Reading Tom from Reading, UK, CC BY 2.0, source
- The Mailbox: The wub, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Ikon Gallery: SilentVicinity, Public domain, source
- Library of Birmingham: The wub, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Symphony Hall: Graham Taylor, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Birmingham Rep: Erebus555, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Hall of Memory: Oosoom at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Centenary Square: Bearas, CC BY 4.0, source
- Boulton, Watt and Murdoch: Oosoom at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- National Sea Life Centre: Gp258, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- International Convention Centre: Roger D Kidd, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Utilita Arena Birmingham: The wub, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Roundhouse Birmingham: Elliott Brown, CC BY 2.0, source
- Digbeth & Eastside: Brianboru100, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- City Centre & Bullring: Mutney, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Jewellery Quarter: Brian Clift, CC BY 2.0, source
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under the licences shown. All photo credits
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