A book of condolence has been opened at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery for fans to pay tribute to Ozzy Osbourne following his death on Tuesday, July 22. This coincides with a free-to-enter exhibition, Ozzy Osbourne: Working Class Hero, that was already in place (since Wednesday, June 25).
Marking the historic homecoming concert at Villa Park on Saturday, July 5, the exhibition celebrates the solo achievements and global awards of the rock icon and the album art of the original Black Sabbath line-up. You can find the book of condolence in the museum’s Round Room.
Zak Mensah and Sara Wajid, co-chief executives of Birmingham Museums Trust, said: “We are shocked and saddened to hear of the death of Ozzy Osbourne less than three weeks after he played at Villa Park on 5 July, when he and Black Sabbath said their last goodbye to the stage. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.
“We know that many fans will want to pay tribute to him and we are honoured to be hosting a book of condolence at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, alongside the current exhibition showcasing his solo achievements and global awards. While this is a sad time, we want to continue to celebrate Ozzy, his legacy and what he means to the city and beyond.”
Beyond the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, many Brummies have been paying tribute to the “working-class kid from Aston” by leaving everything from flowers to football shirts at the Black Sabbath Bridge bench on Broad Street and by the new mural on Navigation Street.
This sad news also comes less than a month after the founding members of Black Sabbath were awarded the Freedom of the City of Birmingham. At the time, Ozzy said, “It’s amazing. I think about my dad, who went into debt to buy me a microphone. If only he could be here now. I think he would be very proud. I’m a Brummie and I always will be a Brummie. Birmingham Forever!”