The Museum

Located in historic Rotherhithe the Brunel Museum is on the site of the Thames Tunnel, the first tunnel under a river anywhere in the world, and the only project which both Brunels (father Marc and son Isambard ) worked on together .

London has strong associations with the Brunels. Near Rotherhithe is the slipway down which the Great Eastern was launched, and upriver from the Museum are Isambard’s Hungerford Bridge and also Tower Bridge which Isambard’s son Henry worked on as a structural engineer. A little further south is Crystal Palace where Isambard built the water towers and in West London is Isambard’s most famous creation – Paddington, the start of the Great Western Railway.

The Brunel Museum is housed in Marc Brunel’s original Engine House, and features a fascinating exhibition on the Thames Tunnel’s construction and history. The museum has a bookshop and its own café serving coffee and home-made cakes.

The Museum is open from 10:00 to 17:00 seven days a week with frequent special events held throughout the year, such as tours of the tunnel shaft (formerly the Grand Entrance Hall) and guided tours in the Rotherhithe area. The Museum also hosts corporate events including book launches, company Awaydays and other functions.

The Museum is a significant resource for the local community, running playschemes in the summer holiday, welcoming schools throughout the year as part of Key Stage 2 history and hosting community events in the evening. The Museum also provides visiting speakers to organisations throughout London.