Save this place and discover nearby attractions with NextOnTrip
In the app you can add it to your favorites, see what else is worth visiting nearby on the map, and earn a badge for your visit.
The app is available for iPhone and Android.
About this place
Soho House in Birmingham is the former home of the manufacturer Matthew Boulton, set in the suburb of Handsworth. For over four decades it housed the man who, together with James Watt, helped launch the age of the steam engine. Today it is a museum run by Birmingham Museums Trust, telling the story of Boulton's life and of the Midlands Enlightenment.
What is Soho House and why visit?
It is an 18th-century house with Grade II* listed status, a rating reserved for particularly important buildings in England. Boulton lived here from 1766 until he died in 1809. Back then Handsworth belonged to Staffordshire; it only became part of Birmingham in 1911. The museum covers Boulton himself, his partnership with Watt, and the region's role in the Industrial Revolution.
Who were the Lunar Society members?
The house was a regular meeting place of the Lunar Society of Birmingham, an informal circle of industrialists, scientists and thinkers. They swapped ideas about science, technology and philosophy here. Standing in the rooms where those conversations took place makes it easier to see how ideas turned into factories and inventions, which is what draws many visitors interested in the history of technology.
What will you see inside?
The visit moves through rooms arranged to show how a wealthy late-18th-century manufacturer lived and worked. The story weaves family life together with business: the link with Watt, the growth of production at nearby Soho, and the social life of the household. For anyone curious about where England's industrial age began, this is one of the best places in Birmingham to meet it through people rather than machines alone.
How do you get to Soho House?
The museum stands in Handsworth, north-west of Birmingham city centre, on Soho Avenue. You can reach it by public transport or car. Before travelling, check the Birmingham Museums website for current opening hours and ticket prices, as they vary by season. The site lies at roughly 52.4996 N, 1.9229 W.
How much time should you allow?
Plan on an hour to an hour and a half for an unhurried visit. It pairs well with other industrial heritage sites in Birmingham, such as the Museum of Science and Industry in the city centre.
Frequently asked questions
Is Soho House the same as the Soho House members' clubs?
No. This is Matthew Boulton's historic home in Handsworth, run as a museum, not the chain of private members' clubs.
Who runs the museum?
Birmingham Museums Trust.
Why is the house historically important?
It was the home of Matthew Boulton, James Watt's partner, and a gathering place for the Lunar Society. The building is also Grade II* listed.
Has Handsworth always been part of Birmingham?
No. It historically lay in Staffordshire and became part of Birmingham in 1911.
Nearby places
Earn badges for the places you visit
Download NextOnTrip, discover new places and check off your trails.