Brunel Museum

The Brunel Museum is a place dedicated to the history and achievements of the Brunel family - giants of the 19th century engineering. It has existed since 2016 in the building of the former engine house. An exhibition commemorating Marc Isambard Brunel, the builder of the first tunnel under the Thames, which was built in 1825-1843 is presented here. In the underground part of the former entrance hall to the tunnel, there is a spacious space used as a concert hall, theater and place for company events.

French-born Marc Isambard Brunel (1769-1849) was a multi-talented mechanic and engineer - he modernized sawmills and shipyards, invented the block lift system used today, and also developed a machine for mass production of shoes. However, world fame, recognition and money brought him the construction of the Thames tunnel connecting Rotherhithe and Wapping.

Marc's son, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, has many facilities that still exist today, including suspension bridge over the Avon River or Bristol Railway Station. His most spectacular project turned out to be SS Great Britain, the first steam-powered ship to navigate the Atlantic between Bristol and New York. The passenger ship, hailed as "The Biggest Experiment since Genesis," was launched in 1943 - the year the tunnel under the Thames opened, which both Brunels worked on.