Do you ever wonder what it would be like to go back in time? Visit the ss Great Britain and wonder no longer! Step back in time to Victorian Britain in 1843 when Brunel was launching his great ship.
Exploring the ss Great Britain is so much fun! Here is what some of our young visitors said about their visit:
“Going to the ss Great Britain was like travelling back in time and that was WICKED!!”
“It was so brilliant I wanted to stay a lot longer”
“I do like the way how you did the flickering lights because in Victorian time they didn’t have electricity”
You can read more comments from visitors of all ages in Visitor Review.
Add your own photographs and comments about your visit.
You can explore the huge ship and find out for yourself what it was like being a Victorian passenger on board Brunel’s ship.
At Brunel’s ss Great Britain you and your friends and family can:
- Sniff out the smells of crusty bread rolls, engine oil and vomit on board
- Bump into Brunel as he wanders around checking his ship is Ship Shape and Bristol Fashion! The meaning of phrase ‘Ship Shape and Bristol Fashion is ‘in first-class order’
- Spot Sinbad the Ship’s cat on board. You will have to look hard as we keep the location of Sinbad and his furry friend secret
- Use the free Sinbad audio guides to help you find out what it was like to be a child on board the ship
- Take photographs of your visit, try and find all the different animals on board and upload pictures of you with them to Visitor Review
- Meet during a school holiday at the Dockyard café. It is a lovely spot to sip Victorian lemonade and nibble cake before, after or during your visit
- Choose and photograph your favourite object from the museum and when you get home write a poem or story about it
- Try on a stovepipe hat like Brunel wore, or a bonnet, and talk like a Victorian
- Steer the ship on a giant interactive and lift and turn the propeller
- Get involved with art and craft workshops and trails, see what’s on. These are included in your admission ticket
What you can do now:
- Fans of Brunel’s great ship, download this picture of the ss Great Britain as desktop wallpaper
- If you don’t see Brunel on board, email him with your burning questions about his life or engineering career
- Work out all the places the ss Great Britain travelled to. Listen and watch her sail and find out more facts about the journey
- Discover the ship’s fascinating history in this timeline
- Find out more about Brunel. Compare your personality and talents to Brunel’s using this download. Could you be the next Brunel?
- Download, print and play this game. You can even download and colour and cut out these counters, or design and make your own!
- Download this recipe and make some ship’s biscuits (with permission and supervision from parents of course!) You could even mark your initial in your biscuits
- Don’t forget to tell your big brothers and sisters – the Dockyard Café is a cool place to meet up with your friends
- Can you create a Victorian costume? If you are coming to the ss Great Britain all the staff would love to see you wearing it. Decide if you will be a rich or poor passenger
- Type in ‘International Code of Signals’ into an internet search engine and make your own flags which spell out your name or initials. Decorate your room!
If you fancy yourself as a budding Museum Curator (someone who cares for and shares objects for other people to enjoy) look at our Curator’s favourite object in Curator's Choice. If you have been to the museum, which would your favourite object be and why?
Would you like to be an engineer when you are older?
If so, you could check out one of these websites below for more information on how to get into engineering.
The Royal Academy of Engineering
Rolls Royce