Superhero Engineers Assemble at the SS Great Britain! This February half-term, uncover the real superheroes who have or continue to shape our world. They may not wear capes (though you can make one if you fancy!), but they do wear hard hats, carry notebooks, sketch bold ideas and dare to dream BIG.

From space‑pioneering scientists to code‑cracking computer innovators, from masters of electricity to fearless Victorian shipbuilders, our Superhero Engineers used their remarkable powers to change the course of history. Their ideas help us travel further, communicate faster, explore deeper and imagine more. As you journey through the ship, you’ll encounter extraordinary Hidden Heroes, each with a super skill:

⚡ The Rust Buster protecting Brunel’s masterpiece

⚡ The Barrier Breaker who helped launch humans into space

⚡ The Web Weaver who connected the world

⚡ The First Computer Programmer who envisioned the future

⚡ The Master of Electricity who lit up our lives

⚡ The Big Thinker who built Britain Together

They show that engineering isn’t just nuts and bolts, it’s courage, creativity, resilience and imagination. So pick up your activity sheet, track down the Hidden Heroes, design your own Marvellous Mask and Crazy Cape and discover your inner superpower. Because every great superhero story starts somewhere… Why not take some inspiration from our Superhero Engineers aboard the SS Great Britain?

Nicola Grahamslaw | Superpower = Rust Buster ⚡

Nicola is the SS Great Britain’s Ship’s Conservation Engineer. By combning science and innovations, she protects Brunel’s masterpiece so it can future generations.

Her mission is to help us fight corrosion in a more sustainable way, using our custom-built dehumidifiers to create air that is very dry in and around the ship, so the delicate Victorian iron hull doesn’t rust.

Fun Fact: Because of Nicola’s custom-built dehumidifiers, the air on the Dry Dock is as dry as the Arizona Desert.

Isambard Kingdom Brunel | Superpower = Big Thinker & Builder of Britain ⚡

Isambard Kingdom Brunel was one of the world’s greatest engineers. He invented bridges, tunnels, railways, and ships, which transformed how we travel in Bristol, Britain, and across the world. He designed the Great Western Railway and the mighty Clifton Suspension Bridge, which still soars over the Avon Gorge today.

Brunel’s ideas were bold and daring and he never gave up, even when things went wrong. He reminds us that big dreams, hard work, and courage can turn imagination into engineering marvels!

Fun Fact: Brunel designed the Great Western Railway, Clifton Suspension Bridge and of course, the SS Great Britain.

Mary Jackson | Superpower = NASA’s Barrier Breaker ⚡

Mary Jackson was NASA’s first Black female engineer. She worked behind the scenes during the Space Race, helping to design rockets and spacecraft that carried humans into space. Mary overcame discrimination through determination and brilliance, mentoring other women to follow in her footsteps. Her work and courage were celebrated in the film Hidden Figures (2016). Mary Jackson proved that talent and perseverance can break barriers – and that teamwork on Earth can help reach the stars!

Fun Fact: In 2020, NASA’s HQ was renamed ‘Mary Jackson NASA HQ’ in honour of Mary’s achievements.

Sir Tim Berners-Lee | Superpower = Web Weaver ⚡

Sir Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web, the part of the internet that can be accessed through websites. In the 1980s, he created the first website and the idea of hyperlinks, allowing people everywhere to share and access knowledge instantly. Tim gave his invention to the world
for free, believing information should be open to everyone

His inventions transformed how we learn, communicate, and explore. Thanks to his curiosity and generosity, the web links billions of people, making the world more connected than ever.

Fun Fact: The world’s first website launched on 6 August 1991. It explained the World Wide Web and how readers could set up their own.

Ada Lovelace | Superpower = First Computer Programmer ⚡

Ada Lovelace was a brilliant mathematician and one of the first people to imagine what computers could do. Working with inventor Charles Babbage, she wrote notes describing how his “Analytical Engine” could follow instructions – which has been called the world’s first computer program!

Ada believed machines could even create art and music. Her mix of maths and imagination, which she called “poetical science,” inspired the technology we use today.
Ada shows that creativity and logic together can make magic – and that great ideas can change the future!

Fun Fact: The University of Bristol has a building named after Ada Lovelace, celebrating Women in Science.

Nikola Tesla | Superpower = Master of Electricity ⚡

Nikola Tesla was a brilliant inventor whose ideas power the modern world. He created Alternating Current (AC) electricity – the system we use today to light our homes and cities. Tesla dreamed of sending power wirelessly through the air and imagined
technology that only became real many years later.

Although others often took credit for his work, Tesla’s creativity and curiosity never stopped. His inventions sparked the age of electricity and proved that daring to think differently can truly light up the world!

Fun Fact: Tesla Motors, which makes Electric cars, was named after Nikola Tesla as a tribute to his brilliance!

Illustrations by Ailsa Burrows Children’s Illustrator