Brunel's SS Great Britain is a former passenger steamship moored in Bristol's Great Western Dockyard, where she was built in 1843. For a time she was the longest passenger ship in the world, and today she is a museum. Restored cabins, the galley, the dining saloon and the doctor's clinic are set up with recreated sounds and smells. Below the waterline, a glass floor lets you look at the hull and the screw propeller in the dry dock. Two museums sit on the site.
Built in Bristol
Isambard Kingdom Brunel designed the ship, and she was built in the Great Western Dockyard in 1843. She was an iron steamship with a screw propeller and a steam engine, and she was made for the Great Western Steamship Company's service between Bristol and New York.
In 1845 she crossed the Atlantic in 14 days, and for a few years she was the longest passenger ship in the world, from 1845 to 1854. Later she carried migrants to Australia. Her career was hard on the ship. A grounding in Ireland and dismasting near the Falkland Islands limited her commercial success.
She was left as a wreck and brought back to Bristol in 1970. The restoration that followed rebuilt her as a museum, and she has been in the dock where she was first built since then.
Inside the ship
The tour moves through the ship by class. You can see the first-class cabins and the top deck, then the cramped steerage areas below. The difference between the levels is the main point of the visit.
The galley, the dining saloon, and the surgeon's quarters have been set up with recreated sounds and smells. A replica steam engine is shown in operation. Dress-up Victorian costumes are available, which children tend to enjoy.
The ship's interior is detailed, so it rewards a slow pace. Allow time to read the displays in each room rather than walking straight through.
Below the waterline
A glass floor, called the glass sea, lets you look down at the underside of the hull from below. The walk beneath the ship is the best place to see the propeller and the iron structure of the hull up close.
The dry dock is the same dock where the ship was built. Standing next to the hull gives a clear sense of her size, and the lower level is where many photographs are taken.
The two museums
Being Brunel covers the life and work of Brunel, with interactive exhibits about his engineering. The exhibit includes a restored drawing office, where Brunel and his team worked on the design of the ship.
The Dockyard Museum tells the history of the ship itself, from her building in Bristol to her later service. Both museums are part of the same visit, so it is worth planning time for each.
Climbing the rigging
The Go Aloft! climb takes you up the ship's rigging to a viewing platform 26 metres above the ground. The view covers Bristol Harbour and the city's waterfront.
The climb gives a sense of what sailors on the ship would have done in rough weather. Photographs from the top deck work well at sunset, and the harbour is a good setting for a group photo.
Facilities and access
The site has a cafe, a restaurant, and a gift shop. The gift shop sells souvenirs at prices that visitors have found reasonable, and the cafe is useful for a break between the decks and the museums.
The entrance, restrooms, seating and parking are wheelchair accessible, and the site is suitable for strollers. There is a changing table and a gender-neutral restroom. The ship also hosts private events.
Perguntas frequentes
Is there an entry fee?
Yes, admission is charged, and the site recommends booking tickets in advance. Tickets are valid for 12 months.
How long do you need?
Plan two to three hours for the ship, the dry dock and one museum. Allow three to four hours to see everything at a slow pace.
Is it accessible for wheelchair users?
Yes. The entrance, restrooms, seating and parking are wheelchair accessible, and the site is suitable for strollers.
Can you climb the rigging?
Yes. The Go Aloft! climb leads to a viewing platform 26 metres above the ground, with views over Bristol Harbour.
Is it suitable for children?
Yes. Kid-friendly activities include dressing up in Victorian clothes and indoor exhibits, which also suit a rainy day.
