Wolverhampton Tourist Guide & Travel Information

Wolverhampton is a city based in the West Midlands region of England. Initially, the city was a market town that produced wool and was known for its excellent supply in the woollen trade. However, Wolverhampton then extended into a large industrial centre during the Industrial Revolution and began trading in the mining industries, specialising in coal and limestone. In addition to this, the city began producing steel, predominantly focusing on locks and various vehicles. Wolverhampton is the first place in the world to hold the vehicle land speed record of 200mph.

The city has many attractions for visitors, one of them being Bantock House, a beautiful historical building with a magnificent garden landscape of Bantock Park. The parkland covers 44 acres of land and has spectacular views of nature from every angle. The name of the house originates from its traditional owners named the Bancock family and once you step inside, you are able to uncover Wolverhampton’s local history.

For a more cultural experience of the city, visitors can go to Wolverhampton Art Gallery situated in the heart of the city. Here, you will find various collections of modern art with special emphasis on its well known pop art collection. The art gallery also showcases Georgian and Victorian paintings and has received a number of awards for its superb presentation. It is open every day excluding Sunday’s from 10am to 5pm and enables full access for disabled visitors.

Another great gallery that may be worth a visit is Bilston Craft Gallery which is the largest specialised crafts gallery in all of the West Midlands. Showcasing here are regular permanent exhibitions of contemporary craft work that date back to over three centuries ago and highlight the evolution of all craft making. The gallery focuses on glass, jewellery, woodwork and much more providing stunning evidence of great craftsmanship.

For shopping you can visit The Mander Shopping Centre which houses over 100 popular retailers including Dorothy Perkins, Boots, Holland & Barrett, JD Sports, Wallis, The Perfume Shop, New Look, BHS, Republic and many more exciting high street brands. It can be found in the city centre and has a parking area with a capacity for over 500 cars. The city centre has many stores located outside of the shopping centre and has been awarded with the BCSC award.

If you are looking for entertainment then you can visit The Grand Theatre which is the largest theatre in Wolverhampton. It opened in 1894 and has since remained very popular amongst audiences and has outlived many others constructed before and after its opening. Initially, the theatre had a seating capacity for 2151 people where seating positions were determined by class, it was prestige in its value amongst all classes. In present day the seating area has a capacity for 1200, allowing more room for individuals to relax and enjoy the shows.

The Grand Theatre has been architecturally designed by renowned architects J C Phillips and is not conventional in its functionality, as rather than producing their own shows; the theatre is solely responsible for staging shows. Pantomime season is when the theatre see’s its busiest period, often resulting in over 80 staff members running the operation. The theatre offers a variety of shows ranging from concerts, comedy clubs, kids shows, musicals and much more amazing performances.