Booked a guided tour and had Chris as our guide, he was brilliant - a pool of knowledge, humour and full of stories about the factory and people who worked there. The whole place was fascinating, a real slice of manufacturing history in Birmingham mixed with the social history of mourning and how things changed over the decades. Really impressed and thoroughly recommend a visit. Was great to have the guided tour then be able to walk round again and take photos and have a closer look at things and ask other volunteers questions.

We opted for a tour with a guide and we’re really glad we paid the extra. Our guide Mark was excellent - very knowledgeable, engaging and entertaining. Although a museum about the company’s production of coffin and funeral items might not sound interesting it really was, and everything is done respectfully and sensitively throughout. It is like going back in time with lots of items left in situ from when the Coffin Works closed. Mark told us fascinating things we’d not have known if we’d just gone around on our own. Thoroughly recommend visiting.

Two colleagues and I visited whilst in town. We work in funerals ourselves so it was of particular interest. The museum was clean, clear where needed and as accessible as was possible given the age of the building. Whilst the site was smaller than expected, there was lots to see. We were given a very thorough and interesting group tour by Sarah. They spoke clearly and made some quips during which were funny without being cheesy. They answered any questions asked fully and confidently. We were grateful to be shown round by them.

Had a really interesting time at the Coffin Works. Wasn’t sure what to expect but had it on my list for a while, so booked a night in Birmingham to visit. Cornelius in the demonstration room was amazing, he showed us how the machines worked and you could buy some of the stamped RIP labels in the gift shop afterwards. The shroud display was a particular highlight. I would have liked a few more signs around and to learn about how they make the wooden boxes, but this was a cute museum and worth the price. Just prepare to cover your ears when the stamping machines are demonstrated!

What a true hidden gem. We had an exclusive tour with Robin and it was so interesting, you got a real taste of working life in the Jewellery quarter in times past. We had coffee and cake in the lovely cafe afterwards. Please visit t you won't regret it!

Quirky museum but absolutely fascinating! The staff in each room were so knowledgeable and shared such interesting facts and demonstrations, incorporating tales of previous employees. Well worth a visit if you are in the area. Nice little cafe too!

Your first thought is that it will be about carpentry and wooden boxes, but no, it is the handles, plates, shroud and internal fittings. Really fascinating to see how the fittings were pressed and polished, the warehouse where items were inspected, packed, stored and dispatched. And then to to the shroud room which in later years had a line of sewing machines with women busy making the shrouds. The staff were really knowledgeable and were happy to talk, no rush to move on but it was quite quiet when we went. Definitely an education.

I suspect that people who get the most from the visit would be those who had family connections,like me. Others would be social historians and those seeking to find the soul of Birmingham. A city driven by the need to make money,and the work required to achieve that. Effectively the China of it day.After London,Birmingham is still the biggest wealth generator in the UK, a testimony to the drive and grit of its residents. This is what Birmingham was and is about even today. So new arrivals to the City would gain a better understanding of their fellow residents by an early visit to this museum

A thoroughly enjoyable experience. 10/10. Our tour guide Owen was fabulous and made the tour enjoyable and he was very knowledgeable. Would I go again? Most definitely! I recommend guided tours, over the self guided but that's a personal preference!

The Coffin Works is a real gem for anyone interested in social history. We selected the self-guided tour because timings of the guided tour did not fit with our schedule on the day we visited (a Friday). This was still highly informative, thanks to very knowledgeable, friendly staff along the whole route ready to share interesting information and lively stories of the staff who worked there. The very reasonable price for the tour included a high quality guidebook and a bookmark that looks like an old fashioned clocking in card, which we were encouraged to put into the original clocking in machine. There are many hands on opportunities, I enjoyed testing out rusty typewriting skills on an old fashioned typewriter. One of the highlights was a demonstration of die stamping in the original stamping shop, again very informative. There is a small coffee shop, very relaxed and must be the most reasonably priced, good coffee in the Jewellery Quarter. There was also a nicely stocked, reasonably priced gift shop. This place is a must see for Brummies and tourists who want to visit an authentic factory, to learn about how people lived and worked in Birmingham from late Victorian times, and also to get a solid introduction to Birmingham's industrial heritage. A very relaxed atmosphere, brilliant staff, this is a place for Birmingham to be proud of.