SS Great Britain Experience
Propelled by ideas since 1843
Revered across the Avon.
Renowned across the Atlantic.
Sitting proudly on a glass ‘sea’, the steamship Great Britain is the crowning moment on Bristol’s historic harbourside. When she was launched in 1843, there was nothing else like her - the largest ship in the world, and the blueprint for every ocean liner that followed.
Together - our new museum, ship and Dry Dock - tell the full story of Brunel’s feat of engineering which transformed travel, migration and culture forever.
Today, a ticket to Bristol Dockyards unlocks the full SS Great Britain Experience, best explored in three stages:
10am-5pm
Your entry (and a year’s access) is included in the admission for Bristol Dockyards.
1. New Museum
Uncover stories from decades of research and the Brunel Institute's archive of more than 75,000 original drawings, letters and artefacts. Developed with local community groups and researchers, it brings fresh perspectives and new voices to the story of this extraordinary ship.
Step aboard the ultimate boarding experience: meet the people who built the ship, follow the journeys of migrants sailing to new lives in Australia, and explore voyages to Crimea and India. Discover the Bristol communities whose histories remain intertwined with the Great Britain's story today.
Opens 18 July 2026
2. Aboard the ship
Sights, smells and sounds of Victorian life at sea. It's time to step aboard: scrub the deck, dress up in your finery for a stroll along the Promenade, scale the rigging (if you're brave enough!) and climb into a steerage bunk.
Returned to Bristol in 1970 after decades abandoned in the Falkland Islands, the carefully restored SS Great Britain offers a unique glimpse into Victorian life at sea.
Steerage
Life on a 60-day voyage to Australia would’ve been full of sounds, smells and incredible stories. Experience all three in Steerage class.
Galley
Listen out for bubbling pots and the singing chef feeding over 600 people a day. What's that squeaking noise?
Prom Deck
From the ship’s surgeon to a makeshift salon, every cabin on the Prom Deck has its tale to tell. Don't forget to visit the dressing up box.
Engine Room
Get hands-on with a working replica of Brunel’s original 1,000 horsepower engine, and the three boilers fuelling it on the deck below.
First-Class Dining Saloon
It wasn’t just food shared over dinner. Eavesdrop on the gossip between passengers as you feast your eyes on some traditional cooking.
Weather Deck
What would it be like for a first-class passenger on the virgin journey to New York? If you squint, Castlemead looks just like the Empire State Building!
3. Down in the Dry Dock
Venture beneath the glass sea and discover engineering old and new. Suspended in her original Dry Dock, the SS Great Britain's vast iron hull is revealed in full, offering a rare chance to appreciate the scale of Brunel's revolutionary design. Beneath the waterline, cutting-edge conservation technology works around the clock to protect this pioneering ship, ensuring future generations can experience her story.
Beneath the glass sea
Suspended in her original Dry Dock, the ship's vast iron hull is revealed in full. A rare chance to come face-to-face with the innovation that changed the world, and to truly appreciate the sheer scale of it all.
Conservation
Suspended in her original Dry Dock, the ship's vast iron hull is revealed in full. A rare chance to come face-to-face with the innovation that changed the world, and to truly appreciate the sheer scale of it all.
Salvage Story
Just how did the ship get home? Follow the amazing salvage story - from abandoned coal store in the Falkland Islands to the jewel in the crown of Bristol's historic harbour.
1. New SS Great Britain Experience Museum
Uncover stories from decades of research and the Brunel Institute's archive of more than 75,000 original drawings, letters and artefacts. Developed with local community groups and researchers, it brings fresh perspectives and new voices to the story of this extraordinary ship.
Step aboard the ultimate boarding experience: meet the people who built the ship, follow the journeys of migrants sailing to new lives in Australia, and explore voyages to Crimea and India. Discover the Bristol communities whose histories remain intertwined with the Great Britain's story today.
Opens 18 July 2026
2. SS GREAT BRITAIN
Sights, smells and sounds of Victorian life at sea. It's time to step aboard: scrub the deck, dress up in your finery for a stroll along the Promenade, scale the rigging (if you're brave enough!) and climb into a steerage bunk.
Returned to Bristol in 1970 after decades abandoned in the Falkland Islands, the carefully restored SS Great Britain offers a unique glimpse into Victorian life at sea.
3. The Dry Dock
Venture beneath the glass sea and discover engineering old and new. Suspended in her original Dry Dock, the SS Great Britain's vast iron hull is revealed in full, offering a rare chance to appreciate the scale of Brunel's revolutionary design. Beneath the waterline, cutting-edge conservation technology works around the clock to protect this pioneering ship, ensuring future generations can experience her story.
