Discovery Talks

Enhance your experience by adding a private Discovery Talk to your group visit. Discovery Talks explore a rich variety of topics relating to Brunel, his ships, and the people who travelled and worked onboard.

Please get in touch if you’re interested in booking a Discovery Talk. We may have some flexibility on the days that they can be delivered:

• The Golden Voyage (Saturday)
  Gold was discovered in Australia in the early 1850s and many decided to journey to Australia to make their fortune. In 1852 the SS Great Britain made its first journey to Australia, passengers taking their chance to find gold on the world’s fastest ship. Discover their experience on board, their arrival in Melbourne and of the gold fields themselves!
• Dining on Board (Tuesday afternoon, Saturday)
  With no stops on the SS Great Britain’s journey all the food necessary for the trip had to be carried on board. Find out how different classes would have been catered for and compare their experience on board to at home.
• Botany on Board (Wednesday, Thursday, Friday)
  The SS Great Britain was involved not just with the migration of people, but of plants! Uncover the ship’s role in the movement of plants, such as ferns and orchids, across the world. Hear about those who were transporting these plants and the Wardian cases which made this possible.
• Women of the SSGB (Wednesday)
  In Women of the SSGB the stories of women who travelled on the ship, from First class to crew, are highlighted. Hear what they had in common and how their experiences differed.
• Brunel’s Great Western Steamship (Tuesday, Friday afternoon)
  Isambard Kingdom Brunel was involved in the building of three ships, the first of these was the PS Great Western, also built in Bristol in 1838. Learn about its success and the company that built it.
• Brunel’s Three Steamships (Tuesday, Friday afternoon)
  Brunel was involved with building three ships in his lifetime: the PS Great Western, SS Great Britain and SS Great Eastern. Uncover their successes, failures and impact on the world in this talk.
• The Incredible Journey (Tuesday afternoon, Thursday, Saturday)
  The SS Great Britain’s final journey in 1970 from the Falklands back to Bristol was an astounding and fraught voyage. Discover how the ship came to be in the Falklands. Then hear how it was recovered, brought back home to Bristol and who made this possible.
• Brunel in a Changing World (Friday)
  Journey back to the 1800’s, a period of change and innovation. Railways, steamships and telegraphs changed the way people travelled and communicated. Uncover how this period shaped Brunel and in turn how he shaped the world around him.
• Brunel and his Friends (Friday)
  Brunel revolutionised ship building and changed much of Great Britain’s landscape with his bridges and railways. However, much of this would not have been possible without the other engineers he worked with. Meet these engineers and uncover their impact.
• The Steerage Story (Tuesday, Saturday)
  Many people travelled on board the SS Great Britain seeking new lives in the United States or Australia. Some were born and others sadly died. Hear the realities of passage on board, from cost, food and accommodation through four passenger’s stories.

Details: 

• £30 per talk 
• 30 minutes in a private space, given by a knowledgeable volunteer 
• Maximum of 50 people, depending on space availability 
• Does not include admission cost 

For more information, or to add a Discovery Talk to an existing booking, please contact our Bookings Team on 0117 926 0680 or email groups@ssgreatbritain.org.