The Pen Museum

The Pen Museum in Birmingham celebrates one of the city’s most influential yet often overlooked industries: pen nib manufacturing. During the 19th century, Birmingham produced more than half of all the steel pen nibs used worldwide, supplying writers, clerks and students across the globe. The museum occupies a former Victorian pen factory in the Jewellery Quarter, preserving the tools, machinery and atmosphere of this remarkable trade. Inside, visitors can try their hand at traditional pen‑making techniques. Original drop presses, rolling machines and shaping tools demonstrate how skilled workers transformed steel into precise writing instruments. One of the most interesting facts is that women made up much of the workforce, prized for their dexterity in assembling delicate nibs. The museum’s recreated workshop shows their benches, tools and production methods in vivid detail. You can also explore displays of thousands of nibs, from everyday school pens to ornate designs crafted for calligraphers. Exhibits trace the evolution of writing technology, including quills, fountain pens and early typewriters. Interactive stations allow visitors to test different nibs and even create their own.