National Trust - Birmingham Back to Backs

I did the night tour at the Birmingham Back to Backs and honestly, it was brilliant. Going round in the evening gave it a completely different feel. The courtyard had a real atmosphere and it was much easier to picture what life must have been like. John absolutely made the tour. His stories and little anecdotes brought everything to life and stopped it feeling like a history lecture. It felt personal, interesting and surprisingly moving at times. If you are thinking of going, I would definitely recommend the night tour. And if you get John, you are in for a good one.

The Birmingham Back to Back houses are quite a fascinating place to visit. It is a National Trust site, so is free to members, although booking in advance is a must! Built in 1801 the guide will talk you through all of their history, from time of first occupation, up to the 1970s. The tour takes round about one and a half hours. There are many steep and narrow staircases, so not recommended for anyone who are not too steady on their feet. I was amazed at how people lived back then. So tough, and very hard work on a day to day basis. Incredible when you compare it to todays luxuries we all take for granted. Wasn't all bad though. The community spirit was strong, and something I would certainly savour now. I highly recommend this visit. Our guide John was very knowledgeable, enthusiastic and happy to answer any amount of questions. I loved it!

Excellent! Definitely worth booking in advance and taking the full tour. We had a great morning, lasted at least 2 hours and our very knowledgeable and entertaining guide even apologised for the tour going over, no apology needed. There was so much to see and tge National Trust had dressed the houses to show several time periods, so it really was like travelling though time. The guide even said objects could be touched which made it feel like a real house, rather than a museum. So much to see and so many stories. Interesting to hear how one owner dealt with insects, and where the babies slept. There is a book shop, an exhibition and toilets.

This place is simply exceptional. The best National Trust we have visited, and we have visited many. The thing that made this so special was our tour guide Neil. He gave great passionate knowledgeable descriptions in every single room and made the experience come to life. I was cautious of a 90 minute tour with an eight year-old. However, the information that Neil gave kept her entertained and to be honest it felt like a 45 minute tour at most. Since visiting back to back, I have recommended this to simply everybody I know. This is obviously a sign of how much I enjoyed it, but also how much it’s surpassed all of our expectations. Well done to the National Trust team here, including all of the volunteers.

Wonderful place to go to learn a bit of recent history how our grandparents lived. And there are absolutely amazing volunteers (tour guides). Totally recommend to go but mind that you need to book for a visit in advance. The groups are small but time slots are every 20 min.

Lovely staff and they managed to fit us into a tour (hadn’t realised you needed to book and they only do tours). The tour was extra special as Chris was very informative and made the tour enjoyable and we learnt a lot. Thanks Chris!

We visited the Back to Backs on Saturday 27 September 2025. The tour was very interesting, our guide gave the background to each of the houses that we visited, and the familes who lived in them through the different periods of time. The tour lasted 90 minutes, and was well worth the visit

My visit to the Birmingham Back to Backs was absolutely fantastic and a truly immersive experience! I was completely captivated by the stories and history brought to life in each house. The guides were incredibly knowledgeable and passionate, making the past feel incredibly present and real. It's a truly unique and wonderfully preserved piece of Birmingham's heritage, offering a poignant glimpse into bygone eras. I left with a much deeper appreciation for the lives of those who lived there. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to step back in time and connect with history!"

An atmospheric glimpse into the lives of the ordinary people who helped make Birmingham the city it is today. On a fascinating guided tour, we stepped back in time at Birmingham's last surviving court of back to backs. These houses were built literally back-to-back around a communal courtyard. Moving from the 1840s through to the 1970s, we discovered the lives of some of the former residents who crammed into these small houses to live and work. With fires alight in the grates, and sounds and smells from the past, experience an evocative and intimate insight into life at the Back to Backs I would certainly recommend the guided tour which brings the houses and characters to life. Make yourself at home, warm up by the fire and make sure you visit the adjoining sweet shop for even more nostalgia.

Really facinating!! The tour takes you around these tiny houses and the guide gives you all sorts of info. You can touch the stuff too, so its not so museum like. The yard has the old toilets and wash house and then there is a little discovery centre type thing inside. There is also an old sweet shop which is open to anyone. There are some steep steps and low ceilings. Very interesting and well worth a visit. There is something available for those who cant do the steps.