Ozzy's Throne Displayed
Ozzy Osbourne's Iconic Final Performance Throne Now on Display in Birmingham Exhibition
Key Points
Sharon Osbourne donated the throne to the exhibition, allowing fans to see it “up close and personal” for free.
The throne was the “centrepiece” of Black Sabbath’s Back to the Beginning charity concert at Villa Park on 5 July 2025—17 days before Ozzy Osbourne’s death.
The chair includes specific heavy-metal iconography, with reports noting “bat wing motifs” among the nods to Osbourne’s life and work.
Exhibition context: it has been extended twice since opening, and it is described as charting Ozzy’s journey—from his upbringing in Aston to global rock stardom—alongside personal memorabilia, photographs, and lifetime awards.
The gothic throne that held Ozzy Osbourne during his final ever performance will go on public display in Birmingham from July 1, 2026. Sharon Osbourne donated the chair so fans can see it "up close and personal" — for free — as part of the Ozzy Osbourne: Working Class Hero exhibition at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, according to Hello Rayo.
The throne was the centrepiece of Black Sabbath's Back to the Beginning charity concert at Villa Park on July 5, 2025 — just 17 days before Ozzy died at age 76. The exhibition has now drawn more than 640,000 visitors since opening in June 2025 and runs until September 27, 2026, according to Louder Sound.
A Chair Built for a Rock Legend's Final Stand
The throne was first built for Ozzy's second Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in October 2024 — this time as a solo artist. It was custom-made to help him perform despite advanced Parkinson's disease and multiple spine surgeries. At Villa Park, he sat in it for the entire set in front of 45,000 fans, Express and Star reported.
The chair features heavy-metal iconography, including bat wing motifs — a nod to one of rock's most infamous moments. Ozzy famously bit the head off a bat on stage in 1982. Louder Sound described the throne as "recognisable to fans around the world" and said it "represents a powerful final chapter in Ozzy's career."
Sharon Donates the Throne to Give Fans a Free Look
Sharon Osbourne personally arranged for the throne to go to Birmingham. "It feels fitting that Ozzy's throne would be placed in the museum, where it can be seen by the fans who loved him," she said, according to Hello Rayo. The display is timed to mark the first anniversary of his death on July 22, 2025.
The exhibition was curated by Central BID Birmingham and Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery in partnership with the Osbourne family. It charts Ozzy's journey from his working-class upbringing in the Aston district of Birmingham to global rock stardom. Personal memorabilia, photographs, and lifetime awards are all on show, Express and Star reported.
640,000 Visitors and Counting — Extended Twice by Demand
The exhibition first opened in June 2025 and has been extended twice since then. By January 2026, it had already passed 425,000 visitors, prompting a second extension through September 2026. Total attendance has now topped 640,000, according to Head Topics.
On what would have been Ozzy's 77th birthday on December 3, 2025, a Tribute Wall was added — featuring 77 fan messages selected from over 50,000 condolence entries. The exhibition now closes on September 27, 2026. Admission remains free throughout its run, Louder Sound reported.
A Concert That Raised £140 Million and Made History
The Back to the Beginning concert on July 5, 2025, was more than a farewell. It reunited the original Black Sabbath lineup — Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward — for the first time since 2005. The show raised £140 million for Acorns Children's Hospice, Birmingham Children's Hospital, and Cure Parkinson's, according to Express and Star.
Villa Park sits close to the Aston neighbourhood where Ozzy grew up. His choice to perform there, in the stadium of his beloved Aston Villa F.C., was seen as a deliberate full-circle moment. The throne now carries the weight of that history — and Birmingham plans to hold onto it, Hello Rayo reported.
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