News

Victorian iron steam ship vs world’s biggest jelly art

Victorian steamship the ss Great Britain will ‘float’ on a giant sea of neon lime green jelly – for Museums at Night (May 18 and 19).

The 55,000-litre jelly installation is the latest brainchild of the artists Bompas & Parr, also known as the ‘Jellymongers’. Part of the Museums at Night...

Trust’s Conservation Experts Share Skills and Secrets

Curtorial staff and volunteers behind Brunel’s historic ship are welcoming visitors every Friday lunchtime, between 12.30 and 1.30pm, to witness ‘Conservation in Action’.

These free sessions offer a rare glimpse into how they care for thousands of documents, books and objects held in...

Future Brunels Discover Science Behind Shaun The Sheep

Science and art are the subjects attracting a group of talented schoolchildren – known as the ‘Future Brunels’ – to the Aardman studios on May 8.

It is the latest activity organised by the ss Great Britain Trust for the children, now in their second year of a five-year programme.

The...

Haynes launches ss Great Britain Manual

Haynes’ new ss Great Britain Enthusiast’s Manual has been launched on board Brunel’s ss Great Britain in Bristol.

Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s ss Great Britain was a world first when she was launched in 1843. As the world’s largest ship and the first iron-hulled passenger vessel she was...

Spring back in time this Easter for ‘Flash, Bang, Wallop!’

Visitors to Brunel’s ss Great Britain this Easter can spring back in time to the Victorian era with the launch of new exhibition ‘Flash, Bang, Wallop!’

‘Flash, Bang, Wallop!’ is a Victorian photographic studio and dressing up experience and opens to the public on March 31.

Visitors to...

Ship plans 7000 ship plans scan

Curatrors at the ss Great Britain Trust start a year-long project to digitise one of the UK’s most extensive collections of ship plans on Tuesday (March 27).

Almost 7,000 ship plans, showing detailed draughtsman’s drawings, will be digitally scanned by specialists using a scaffold rig in...

Wibble wobble, wibble wobble… jelly on a (ship’s glass) plate

Artists Bompas and Parr hope to flood the glass plate surrounding the ss Great Britain with jelly. The announcement follows a national competition organised by Museums at Night and involving a public vote.

Brunel’s ss Great Britain received 48% of the votes in its category to win the...

Arty veggie jelly option if ship wins vote

Nationally acclaimed artists Bompas and Parr have offered to create special jellies for Bristol if Brunel’s ss Great Britain wins the Museums at Night competition.

The multi award-winning ship attraction is encouraging people to vote in the ‘Connect10’ initiative which links artists with...

Get a wobble on and vote for Brunel’s ss Great Britain

A ship inspired wobbly jelly installation could be coming to Bristol… if people ‘get a wobble on’ and vote for Brunel’s ss Great Britain.

The Bristol attraction has been shortlisted in the national ‘Museums at Night’ ‘Connect10’ initiative. Brunel’s ss Great Britain is one of three...

Medal success in Tourism Excellence Awards

Judges have announced the order of medal winners, including Brunel’s ss Great Britain, for the South West Tourism Excellence Awards.

Brunel’s ss Great Britain received silver award for ‘Large Visitor Attraction of the Year 2011/12’.

Winners across all categories were announced at a...

Family donates rare collection

A rare collection of papers from the ship’s first historic voyage to Australia almost 160 years ago has been donated to the ss Great Britain Trust’s Brunel Institute.

The two letters and two newspapers come from descendants of passenger William Rance, who travelled on the ss Great...

Flushed with success… ship wins ‘Loo of the Year’

Toilets on board Brunel’s ss Great Britain, have won two national ‘Loo of the Year 2012’ awards.

Brunel’s ss Great Britain has won the national category award for ‘Heritage Loo of the Year’ and a silver award for ‘Four-Star’ toilets across all market sectors in the search for best ‘away...

Corporate Family Day Success

Over 750 employees and their families from businesses across the West, visited Brunel’s ss Great Britain for an exclusive family fun day.

They were treated to a whole host of activities, from storytelling to craft making workshops, at the Trust’s first ever Corporate Partner Family Day;...

Christmas events

Kick off Christmas with a bang this year and join in the festive fun at Brunel’s ss Great Britain; from traditional storytelling sessions to cracking Christmas gifts.

Visitors will be transported back in time to 1875, when the First-Class dining saloon will be transformed for ‘frightful...

Brunel Institute celebrates 1st Birthday

First Birthday celebrations are taking place for the world-class archive, library and education centre – better known as the Brunel Institute – on November 29.

The £6 million Brunel Institute is sited alongside the historic ship and museum attraction Brunel’s ss Great Britain, in...

History students make ship history

Doctoral students are making history, as part of a new joint initiative between the ss Great Britain Trust and the University of Bristol.

The three-year studentships, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), will include up to three months’ study in Australia and the...

Sea Hear tales are tot-tastic!

Over 400 pre-school children and parents have been inspired and entertained with sea-themed storytelling over the last year.

Sea Hear storytelling educates and entertains youngsters, and is held at 11am on the first Tuesday of every month in the Brunel Institute, next to Brunel’s ss...

I’m a first class passenger get me out of here!

Visitors this October half term are invited on board to take part in their very own bushtucker trial, in a Victorian variation of TV’s ‘I’m a celebrity get me out of here!’

Visitors can sample some of the “disgusting” delicacies that would have been eaten on board by first-class...

Ship’s patron to see developments

Patron of the ss Great Britain Trust, HRH The Duke of York, is visiting Brunel’s ss Great Britain and the Brunel Institute on October 18.

The Duke last visited the iconic landmark and historic ship, Brunel’s ss Great Britain in Bristol, in July 2005 following the completion of a £11.3...

Foodie-themed fun this autumn!

There is plenty to do to keep the family entertained throughout the autumn break at Brunel’s ss Great Britain!

This half term visitors are invited to try our foodie themed events on board.

Events on board include:

Tantalise your taste buds with some deliciously disgusting...

150th anniversary cricket dinner…book now!

Cricket fans need to act fast to catch the remaining tickets for the 150th anniversary dinner celebrating the ‘First All England Cricket Team’ to tour Australia – on Brunel’s ss Great Britain.

The event on October 20 is being organised by Gloucestershire County Cricket Club and will...

Ship-shape fashionistas

Secretaries, executive assistants and marketers are stepping onboard Brunel’s ss Great Britain for a showcase and fashion workshop event on Tuesday (October 4).

These Bristol fashionistas are invited to indulge themselves with an evening of fine wine and food in a stunning setting. They...

Archive vault open for rare glimpse inside

Delve into the past with a rare opportunity to go ‘behind the scenes’ in the Brunel Institute next to Brunel’s ss Great Britain.

As part of Bristol’s Open Doors Day, the Archive Vault, which is usually sealed off to the members of the public, will be open for the first time for guided tours...

Archive in Five

Objects which have been hidden away for more than a century, will be on display in the ss Great Britain Trust’s new Brunel Institute for just one hour.

Curators will select one object for each of the ‘Archive in Five’ events which will be on Tuesdays (12.30pm to 1.30pm), Wednesdays (2pm to...

Ship pushes boat out for Bristol Harbour Festival

Musicians, Wallace and Gromit, exotic foods, plus a full-scale model of a supersonic car, take centre stage for ‘Overboard’ next to Brunel’s ss Great Britain on July 30 and 31.

‘Overboard’, on Brunel Square close to the Dockyard Café Bar, is the ss Great Britain Trust’s contribution to the...

Ship’s star rats mean no stars for historic galley’s hygiene

Squeaking rats, a hissing animatronic cat, and an overworked cook take starring roles in the ss Great Britain’s new historic galley.

The kitchen space, which has taken £60,000 and six weeks to transform and is packed with hidden state-of-the-art technology, opens in time for the summer...

Ship to push boat out for Bristol Harbour Festival

A taster ‘flash fest’ is being held at 11am on July 13, for Brunel’s ss Great Britain to showcase some of the highlights for its contribution to the 40th Bristol Harbour Festival later this month.

The Brunel Square Stage, next to Brunel’s ss Great Britain and the Dockyard Café Bar, will host...

Trust’s ‘Future Brunels’, aged 11 & 12, line up to be inspired

A mega-talented group of 12 pupils has been selected to become the ss Great Britain Trust’s ‘Future Brunels’.

It is the most ambitious educational programme ever developed by the independent museum and part of the charity’s Brunel Institute work. The ‘Future Brunels’ project is seen as a...

Dads behaving badly

Victorian ‘peelers’ – or policemen – will keep visitors to Brunel’s ss Great Britain in check as they watch passengers wait to board ship on June 18 and 19.

The re-enactors ‘Seven Dials Rapscallions’ will bring history to life with fights, gambling, and petty squabbles from the 1850s,...

‘Mrs Brunel’ becomes ship’s domestic goddess ‘Mrs Beeton’

Actress Theresa Roche will be dishing up a treat during this half-term as she becomes Mrs Beeton on board Brunel’s ss Great Britain (at 11.30am, 1.30pm and 3pm, May 30 to June 3).

‘Mrs Beeton bakes’ is part of a series of events and trails for the historic ship attraction’s ‘Let’s dine!’...

Mr Brunel with ‘x factor’, boards ship

Brunel’s ss Great Britain is announcing its new ‘Mr Brunel’ (April 28) – following a gruelling selection process.

Actor Simon Strain has demonstrated he has the ‘x-factor’, impressing judges at all stages from the initial audition, to his ability to get inside the mind of the great engineer,...

Ship to create bridal love heart

Brides are helping Brunel’s ss Great Britain to help create a giant heart shape on board ship on April 23 (St George’s Day), to celebrate the royal wedding.

A photographer will capture the event, with the best image used to make a unique ‘ship-made’ wedding card for Prince William and Kate...

The Brunels at Cribbs for ship’s voting challenge

Finalists for the role of ‘Mr Brunel’ are performing for votes at Cribbs Causeway on Wednesday (April 13).

‘The challenge’ is taking place at The Mall, on the Upper Floor, facing the café and restaurant area, from 11am, and could turn into a Victorian-styled battle of the sexes.

It...

Could ship’s next Mr Brunel be a Ms?

Brunel’s ss Great Britain is ‘auditioning’ seven men for the acting role of ‘Mr Brunel’… and one woman.

Recruitment materials state that the Brunel ‘x-factor’ was more important than strict authenticity, stressing there would be no height restrictions (the engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel...

Do you have the Mr Brunel x-factor?

Multi-awarding winning visitor attraction Brunel’s ss Great Britain is launching its search for a new Mr Brunel – and asking for the public’s help.

It follows the last scheduled appearance of actor Martin Williamson as ‘Mr Brunel’ on board Brunel’s ss Great Britain during February half-term....

Martin Williamson bows out as Mr Brunel

Actor Martin Williamson is bowing out after five years as ‘Mr Brunel’ at Brunel’s ss Great Britain in Bristol. He joined Brunel’s ss Great Britain in 2006 for the Brunel 200 bicentenary celebrations. The contract was initially for a few weeks only. He has since become a massively popular...

Brunel Institute officially opens its doors

A world-class library, archive and education centre – known as the Brunel Institute – opened it doors for the first time. The Brunel Institute sits alongside Brunel’s ss Great Britain, the great Victorian engineer’s masterpiece and only surviving ship. Admission to the Brunel Institute,...

Ship’s book charts ‘The Incredible Journey’ from 1970

Captain Chris Young has charted the ss Great Britain’s story, from 1970 to the present day, in his book ‘The Incredible Journey’. It makes for the ideal present for those fascinated by the events which transformed the ss Great Britain from a rusting, barnacle-covered, hulk to the...