Exhibitions

In addition to the permanent exhibits at the Forge Mill Needle Museum and Bordesley Abbey Visitor Centre, we also have a wide variety of interesting and exciting exhibitions throughout the year. These exhibitions are housed on the middle floor of the Mill building.

There is no additional charge to enter the exhibitions, since the cost is included in our normal admission rates.

Exhibition: Wed 3 June to Sun 12 July 2026

STORIES OF THE BOWERBIRD

An exhibition by Stephanie Redfern

Stephanie is a celebrated textile artist who works in textiles and mixed media. Her work is influenced by natural history, museum collections, folk art and its customs and landscapes.

Stephanie chose the Bowerbird as her creative influence as it neatly describes her artistic method of working, collecting ideas and materials from a wide range of sources to produce beautiful textile art.

Bowerbirds are extraordinarily creative engineers – to attract females, the males build and decorate elaborate structures (bowers) with brightly coloured objects.

Stories of the Bowerbird Exhibition at Forge Mill

Exhibition: Fri 17 July to Mon 31 August 2026

OUR FREEDOM AND YOURS

An exhibition by Sean Szmalc

A unique exhibition told through the eyes of a soldier serving in the Polish Army throughout the Second World War, from recruitment and the battlefields of September 1939, through to D-Day and Berlin.

Discover the real stories of heroism and sacrifice and see real artifacts from actual battlefields which bear witness to one of the world’s most famous conflicts.

Our Freedom and Yours Exhibition at Forge Mill

Exhibition: Sat 5 September to Sun 11 October 2026

WANDERING THREADS

This exhibition unites five textile artists – Claire Lundy, Ruth Parkinson‑Johns, Liske Johnson, Grace Parkinson‑Johns and Rachele Dickie – whose practices weave memory, movement and place into cloth.

Through embroidery, print and mixed media, each piece reveals a tactile conversation: every stitch, mark and layer shaped by curiosity and wanderings. Together, the work celebrates textiles as a living language of storytelling.

Wandering Threads Exhibition at Forge Mill

Exhibition: Wed 14 October to Sun 22 November 2026

FREEFORM

An exhibition by the Westhope Lace Group

The group members bring Freeform to life with an inspiring breadth of imagination. Each artist has taken the theme in a distinct direction, showcasing a deep understanding of traditional lacemaking. Their work celebrates the tactile beauty of thread, structure and pattern – often in ways that stretch far beyond what many would immediately recognise as lace.

The exhibition unfolds as a richly textured journey, full of unexpected techniques, sculptural forms and expressive surfaces. It invites viewers to rethink what lace can be, offering a vibrant, modern re‑interpretation of traditional lacemaking.