An exhibition celebrating the solo career and worldwide recognition of Ozzy Osbourne at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery has been extended through September 2026 following sustained public interest.
Ozzy Osbourne: Working Class Hero was officially opened by Sharon Osbourne, Ozzy’s wife and longtime manager, on June 25, 2025. The opening aligned with the rock icon’s final appearance at the Back To The Beginning homecoming concert held at Villa Park.
The free exhibition, created in partnership with Central BID Birmingham, highlights Ozzy Osbourne’s most significant international honors. These include Grammy Awards, Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame recognition, MTV awards, Hollywood Walk Of Fame and Birmingham Walk Of Stars honors, along with a collection of platinum and gold discs. Photography and video content trace his rise from “a working-class kid from Aston” to one of the most recognizable figures in global rock music.
A tribute wall featuring 77 messages was added to the exhibition on December 3, marking what would have been Ozzy Osbourne’s 77th birthday. The messages were selected from more than 50,000 tributes left by fans in books of condolence hosted by the museum and other locations across the city following Ozzy’s death on July 22, 2025. Hundreds of additional messages appear in a film included in the exhibition, which also shows footage of the large crowds who lined Birmingham’s streets as the funeral cortege passed through the city center.
Since opening, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery has welcomed more than 425,000 visitors. The exhibition was originally scheduled to close in September 2025, before being extended to January 18, 2026 due to high attendance. With continued backing from the Osbourne family, it will now remain open until September 27, 2026.
Sharon Osbourne commented: “We are so proud that Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery asked to extend ‘Ozzy Osbourne: Working Class Hero‘, and that more fans will now have the opportunity to go through the exhibit.”
Sam Watson, chair of Central BID Birmingham, said: “Central BID is extremely proud to bring this exhibition to Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery with the kind support of Sharon Osbourne.
“The demand to see the exhibition has been phenomenal and we are very grateful that Sharon and her family have allowed us to extend the exhibition until September 2026, which will give Ozzy’s fans from the UK and around the world an opportunity to celebrate his extraordinary life and achievements.”
Zak Mensah and Sara Wajid, co-chief executives of Birmingham Museums Trust, said: “The public response to the exhibition continues to show the love and affection for Ozzy in Birmingham and beyond and we are very pleased to announce that it will now be on display until September 2026.
We would like to express our thanks to Sharon and the rest of the Osbourne family for allowing us to continue to display this exhibition as a fitting tribute to Ozzy’s life and legacy and to enable as many people as possible to come and see it.”
Ozzy Osbourne: Working Class Hero is presented by Central BID Birmingham, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery and Sharon Osbourne Management. The exhibition is sponsored by Ocean Outdoor and supported by Birmingham City Council and Aston Villa FC.
