Illustrating Birmingham: 100 Years Through The Eyes of the Lockwoods arrives at the Bridge Gallery, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, stepping into the space vacated by the popular Ozzy Osbourne display. The museum pivots from rock memorabilia to a century‑long visual diary of the city itself.

The show gathers the work of father and son Frank Lockwood and Arthur Lockwood, whose canvases, sketchbooks and commercial designs trace Birmingham from the roaring 1920s through post‑war reconstruction to the sleek developments of the 2010s. Their eyes capture everything from crumbling factories to gleaming shopping centres, offering a layered portrait of urban change.

Frank, a former design studio leader at Cadbury’s and an associate of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists, brought a technical precision to his cityscapes. Arthur, trained as a graphic designer for Penguin Books, added a graphic sensibility while continuing his father’s habit of documenting streets, markets and the people who animated them.

Curated by the museum’s visitor experience team, the exhibition presents paintings alongside original advertising material and personal sketchbooks, inviting visitors to wander through Birmingham’s shifting skyline as if flipping through a family album.

Opening on Tuesday, 3 November, the exhibition promises a 'fascinating window onto Birmingham across almost a century', reminding us that the city is always in flux and that each generation sees it anew.

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