A former coffin works in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter is set to become a visitor attraction.

The first phase of the £3.4m development scheme of the Newman Brothers site will catalogue and conserve artefacts left intact when the grade II-listed building closed in 1999.

Five commercial units will also be built at the rear of the works to house local jewellery companies in a historical and creative environment.

Regional development agency Advantage West Midlands bought and preserved the site in 2002 on behalf of Birmingham Conservation Trust and the site featured on the BBC’s Restoration series in 2003.

A spokesperson for the Trust, Elizabeth Perkins, said: “We look forward to bringing this contaminated and disused factory back to life so that visitors can experience the unique atmosphere of a Victorian factory, while new units will provide places for small businesses.”

Dr Chris Upton, senior lecturer in history at Newman College in Birmingham, added: “The factory is an amazing time capsule of Birmingham metal working and shows how the local manufacturers could turn their skills to anything, even coffin furniture. The museum will be an unusual addition to the list of visitor attractions in the area.”

Newman’s closure was partly brought about by a change in preference for cremations in place of burials, compounded by cheaper overseas manufacturing and new materials.