Brunel Museum image

Brunel Museum

Tourist attraction Museum Historical place museum

Exploring Brunel's projects in an engine house above his Thames Tunnel, plus tunnel shaft tours. People often mention museum, tunnel, Brunel, small, visit, interesting, shaft, tour, great, Thames,


Address

Railway Ave, London SE16 4LF, United Kingdom

Website

www.thebrunelmuseum.com

Contact

+44 20 7231 3840

Rating on Google Maps

4.20 (786 reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Wednesday: Closed
  • Thursday: Closed
  • Friday: (Good Friday), 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM, Hours might differ
  • Saturday: 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM
  • Sunday: 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM
  • Monday: 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM
  • Tuesday: Closed

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: museum (68) tunnel (46) Brunel (39) small (29) visit (28) interesting (26) shaft (25) tour (24) great (22) Thames (20)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 4/5 Oliver M. 9 months ago on Google • 199 reviews
    One of London's hidden gems! Set around the corner from Rotherhide station is this quirky little venue. While we didn't visit the actual museum we attended DEBUT, a really impressive music venue set in one of the vertical tunnels that link the Tunnel under the Thames. Before you head in though, explore the bar garden. Serving unique cocktails, good beers and lovely wine and fizz (Disclaimer: non alcoholic drinks are available!). We ordered a deliveroo and sat in the wild garden eating and drinking and mingling with guests befor reading down to the tunnel. Here we saw a gorgeous, intimate venue where we heard some beautiful music by local performers. A really treat!
    8 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Jnib 4 months ago on Google • 548 reviews
    Excellent, small but perfectly formed museum detailing Brunel's achievement in building the first tunnel under a navigable waterway in the world. The museum comprises two parts: the pumphouse in which you'll find the ticket office, shop, displays and gallery and the other building is the top of the shaft that led to the tunnels under the Thames. We were greeted enthusiastically by the person selling tickets. She explained what was included in the museum and advised us to visit the top of the tunnel shaft first before coming back to see the displays and gallery. The top of the shaft is just a few steps away and you enter through a doorway that has been cut through the brickwork that forms the shaft. The wall of the shaft is very thick and the brickwork is reinforced with chains that circle the shaft and are set into the brickwork and held in place and bonded to the structure with mortar. The shaft has been 'capped' a few meters below ground level and you reach this space via a modern, well lit staircase. The top of the tunnel was covered during WW2 to prevent light from below escaping and also protect the shaft and tunnels from possible bomb damage. There was a guide giving an explanation of what you see around you, how it was constructed and used throughout its life. This was followed by a short video (projected on the wall of the shaft) that provided a little more information about the site. The brick construction, location of the original steps (that were used to access the tunnels when they were open to pedestrians) and the soot from steam trains are all clearly visible. The displays in the ticket office building provide information about the construction and challenges that were encountered and overcome by Brunel. The tunnel's use has changed greatly over time and the displays show how the tunnel was used and experienced by visitors, business and railways alike. The ticket office area sells some really nice items all of which relate to Brunel and the tunnel, from books, posters and greeting cards to London Brick vases, scarves and activity books for children plus a lot more. The museum is probably good for a 30 to 45 minute visit if you really make the most of it. For young visitors it will be interesting for a much shorter time. Make the museum the turn around point when walking the Riverside path along the Southbank. There are a couple of pubs (The Mayflower and also The Angel) just a short distance away along the Riverside path (towards town) and they both serve food. Combining a walk to the Brunel museum with lunch or dinner in the area would make an enjoyable outing that offers some perfect views of the river looking back towards the city. Given the small size of the museum, we won't be returning very soon, but as part of a day long walk of the south bank next summer, we'll definitely visit again.
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Janet H. 2 years ago on Google
    A fantastic experience with a most informative and interesting guide who spoke to us and pointed out features in the tunnel shaft. All safe and socially distanced. Our grandsons loved the interactive display on the top floor, and also the items for sale in the little shop space! The adults loved the prices of the items!
    7 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 AUGUSTINE G. 5 months ago on Google • 32 reviews
    Have you ever wondered, how the British built the underground tunnels in the 1800’s like me. Then head down to the Brunel Museum which explains the engineering and construction techniques behind the world’s first underground tunnel. This is a small museum where an enthusiast can spend a couple of hours. Open only 4 days a week. I would recommend to visit their website before actually going there. They got guided tours in the museum and walking toaurs around Rotherite village. The staff and the volunteers were very friendly and helpful. Note this museum is not wheelchair accessible.
    5 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Adam K. 1 year ago on Google
    Visited on Sunday afternoon - took advantage of our Art Passes (free of charge entry). Very welcoming and knowledgeable staff, displays laid out in a logical way, decent gift shop. Definitely enjoyed our visit. Allow 35-45 minutes.
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 roger b. 2 years ago on Google
    Fascinating little museum regarding the Brunel's pioneering work in building the first tunnel under a stretch of water anywhere in the world. Very welcoming staff and a knowledgeable guide. Some interesting exhibits and good instructional videos. Overall very interesting and good value. ....and at the end of the day thank goodness there are people with the commitment and energy to save our heritage and open it to the public.
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 martin b. 1 year ago on Google
    Small museum with some pictorial history and steps down tunnel shaft. Supported by friendly volunteer staff. Good clean toilet facilities. A must if you are a Brunel admirer. Happy to pay a small fee which supports development of the museum.
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Casey A. 2 years ago on Google
    Really interesting place and a lot more information about Marc Brunel, father of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, who was the brilliant forerunner of his ultimately more famous son.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 Alan S. 1 month ago on Google • 411 reviews New
    Disappointing. Not much to see so highly reliant on the quality of the guide who wasn't great. They should use an actual engineer for the guided tour to improve the quality of the experience. I did a tour of a suspension bridge where they used former maintenance engineers who shared fantastic stories and experiences in addition to their technical knowledge.

  • 5/5 Hello N. 3 months ago on Google • 55 reviews New
    It was a nice visit to the Brunel Museum, a small museum that goes through the history of the Thames Tunnel and how the building the Museum currently in played a huge role in the construction and function of the tunnel. Plus, we got a 37.5% discount thanks to the Hidden London Thames Tunnel Tour, which was a great bonus to the visit.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Kristina P. 9 months ago on Google • 22 reviews
    A small yet lovely museum. Mike, one of the volunteers, was amazing. He told many stories related to Brunels' personal lives and the construction of the tunnel. My top tip, make the most of volunteers and the guides. This will definitely make visiting the Brunel museum a 5 star experience.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Greta W. 4 years ago on Google
    The Brunel Museum is south of the river Thames in London where Marc Brunel and his son Isambard began tunneling underneath the river thames to establish a tunnel for trains to run through. The Museum has a comprehensive video show to explain the intricacies of the undertaking as well as several photos. There are cafe facilities here and a gift shop and the opportunity to descend the original tunnel shaft
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Noel M. 1 year ago on Google
    Attended a wedding at the Brunel Museum, which was a fantastic and somewhat different venue. The ceremony took place at the bottom of the shaft with drinks and finger food on the ground level outside. Would really recommend it for someone seeking an event space that is unique and has an interesting history.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Julie Le B. 1 year ago on Google
    Very interesting building and little museum. An amazing gentleman (volunteer) talked us through the history of Brunel and the tunnel for free. Well worth a visit!
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 C 2 years ago on Google
    I had a free visit of this place, the museum is super tiny, u could finish in 5 minutes, then the "shaft" was basically just a tiny circular basement, I thought it would be more impressive like at least with some mechanical parts. I would not recommend visiting this place if you have to pay.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Carrie K. 4 months ago on Google • 16 reviews
    My daughter and I happened upon this gem while on a walk in Rotherhithe on a lovely warm July day. The museum was closed but an exceptionally lovely volunteer offered to show us into the tunnel shaft. He told us all about the history of how it was built and used, including some of the planning mishaps - like not being able to get a horse and cart in! It was fascinating to learn about, and a cool and serene environment when you go down inside. We greatly appreciated the time given to us. I would highly recommend a visit here.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Ben C. 2 years ago on Google
    A great little museum with very friendly staff - would recommend if you have 30-45 minutes spare!
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Chris H. 5 years ago on Google
    My second visit to this small museum to take a friend. It's a very small museum for the price but it's well worth it if you're interested in Brunel or engineering etc. You get to visit and learn about the first ever tunnel under a river. There is a small display, a video on his life and I formation on some of his other projects. We were luck enough to be there as a walking tour of the area concluded in the shaft and we were allowed to tag along for the explanation of Brunel's endeavour from a charming local guide inside the shaft. The lady that worked the museum was excellent: friendly, knowledgeable and full of passion which is great to see. It's a little off the beaten track but an important structure that has helped develop London and tunneling technology worldwide!
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Festus Ifiti j. 7 months ago on Google • 103 reviews
    I went to Brunel university so I have a soft spot for all things isambard kingdom Brunel. I didn't go into the museum because it was closed but I did spend time walking around the museum. Outside the museum there are a few Brunel facts which will amaze and astound the masses. Brunel was a fascinating engineer who pushed the boundaries of what was possible at that time. I can't wait to actually go into the museum and learn more about this tiny intellectual.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Dave O. 4 months ago on Google • 174 reviews
    A must for anyone who loves isambard kingdom Brunel, museum is quite small but it’s on 3 levels. There’s also a guided tour of the shaft which is very interesting 🤔 plus 1/2 hours tour and insight into the history of the building and the Thames tunnel

  • 5/5 Juliana M. 2 years ago on Google
    One of the best kept secrets of Rotherhite , a museum dedicated to the world's oldest tunnel under a river. Make sure you book a tour with the excellent in-house guide. The tunnel shaft is available for hire for functions and even for weddings.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Neville M. 10 months ago on Google
    Fascinating experience for engineers and Brunel fans but probably not so interesting for people who are less bothered about Victorian engineering. Really good tour which is more of an on site lecture really, so if you go it’s worth going for the tour ticket
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Nathan 1 year ago on Google
    We were here for the Midnight Apothecary- basically garden drinks on the terrace with a tour into the hole (not the tunnel). The charcoal cocktail was fun and I’m glad I had it. The tour guide was a character, once upon a time an actor, but he tells a good story and definitely has a man-crush on Brunel Jr.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Mark F. 1 year ago on Google
    This was good. Quite small but there was plenty of detail to learn about and it was quiet, so the six pound entry fee felt right. Tour guide knew a lot but they could make better use of the projector screen to show what he was showing on cards, would have been a lot clearer
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Tony N. 1 year ago on Google
    Lovely historical museum with a great supportive team and quality customer service. The Brunel Museum hosts a number of tours, usually hosted by the very outgoing Tim! Highly recommend going on the tour at least once as you'll also be accommodated by the Midnight Apothecary cocktail where you can grab a drink or two whilst waiting for your tour.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Marko D. 3 years ago on Google
    At the Midnight Apothecary event, we picnicked in the roof garden between the herbs. There was a very serene and idyllic atsmosphere. We were served tasty fish & chips from the nearby gastro pub, which came in a takeaway box while we sat on a bench (it's a picnic after all). When we asked about a herb, we had the pleasure to meet Lotte, the gardener; she obviously loves her work and we really enjoyed her stories about some of the plants.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Trevor R. 3 years ago on Google
    If your interested in the 8th wonder if the world the Thames tunnel and learn about Brunel then this is the museum for you small museum not free entry
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Jo D. 2 years ago on Google
    Really interesting history of the first passenger tunnel under the Thames. Very knowledgeable guide. Tucked away round the corner from Rotherhithe station but worth the visit and then a walk along the Thames Path
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Dick M. 3 months ago on Google • 28 reviews New
    A have-to-see for Brunelophiles. The museum allows a visit almost to the beginning of the beginning for the venerable IKB. You can gaze up at the window, but for which we might not have had any of his magnificent engineering achievements. A portal from a watery world with a grave marked with the drowning of a young unknown engineer, to the world we know of mechanical magnificence. Combine a visit to the Brunel museum with a stroll onto the northbound platform at Rotherhithe Station and a journey to Wapping and you have the soup to nuts of an eighth wonder of the world. Truly a forerunner to Crossrail, the nearby tunnel set the benchmark for pretty much every tunnel dug since. And you can ride (we walked) through it for next to nothing. Raise a glass in the nearby Mayflower to IKB, and indeed to his father Marc who was at the kick off meeting, but sadly wasn't around for the ribbon cutting.

  • 5/5 John H. 2 months ago on Google • 21 reviews New
    Lovely little find, small but most importantly dog friendly. There is a Thames landing at low tide you can mudlark in too close by. The museum itself was very interesting. Very close to the Thames path so easy reach by foot from London Bridge

  • 4/5 Akiko T. 1 year ago on Google
    Interesting little museum on the Brunel family (three generations were civil engineers) which appears to be entirely staffed by volunteers (impressive). You visit the tunnel shaft - imagine how all that was reinforced by brick and early concrete. An interesting activity for the afternoon if you’re in the area. Certain artifacts are displayed at the Science Museum in South Kensington - they point these out so you can look for these on your visits there.

  • 5/5 Christian D. 3 years ago on Google
    Brunel museum is welcoming place

  • 5/5 duartes07 3 years ago on Google
    Lovely small museum with a rich and varied display. The staff is very friendly and very well informed. Makes for a lovely quick visit that you should attend

  • 5/5 Sarah K. 1 year ago on Google
    A small museum about Marc and Isambard Kingdom Brunel, with really friendly staff. When you visit, don't forget to ask to see the 'shaft' - it's in a separate building, and was renovated in 2016. Excellent gift shop. Definitely worth a visit! Check the website for opening times and to book tickets, though you can usually get tickets on the door too.

  • 5/5 Sophia J. 1 year ago on Google
    Great piece of British history getting to see down the tunnel shaft. Learning all about the first under river tunnel in the world

  • 5/5 Diego C. 3 years ago on Google
    Quite small, visit definitely too short, but impressive accomplishment as this 1825 tunnel is still in use today!

  • 5/5 Mick P. 1 year ago on Google
    A small museum dedicated to Marc and Isambard Brunel, whose genius at engineering resulted in the construction of the first tunnel under the Thames. Plenty of information is on hand to explain all £6.00 entry fee is good value to experience this historic site.

  • 5/5 Julia B. 3 years ago on Google
    The eighth wonder of the world as it was called when the tunnel was built. Still an amazing place.

  • 5/5 Emily F. 4 years ago on Google
    Visited for a special Midnight Apothecary evening with friends. Tom Carradine’s cockney sing-a-long was a good laugh and worked well with the lyrics projected on the walls, and he was generally very talented! The night was fully booked but it wasn’t over cramped, and we were able to enjoy ourselves comfortably and visit the museum upstairs in between acts. Cocktails were tasty and infused with herbs grown on the rooftop garden.

  • 5/5 Rachel C. 3 years ago on Google
    I was very impressed with my visit to this place. I didnt have the best expectations, but they were definitely passed. I would recommend this place if you are around the area!

  • 4/5 Stephanie N. 1 year ago on Google
    Lovely little museum with a great little tour for further info on the Brunels and the shaft. It's a nice add on to a day trip, as it's quite small so wouldn't take very long to go around (less than an hour including the tour). But definitely worth a visit.

  • 4/5 Fabrizio B. 3 years ago on Google
    it's nice.

  • 3/5 Dmitry P. 3 years ago on Google
    (Translated by Google) Did not impress (Original) Не впечатлило

  • 5/5 Dolly P. 1 year ago on Google
    Fascinating museum. A guide gave a very interesting talk. It is such good value for money and the staff are so friendly. There's lots of information about the site and I learnt a lot. The area is very interesting generally with lots of history and historic buildings including the Watch House, which overlooked a graveyard, and was used to spot grave robbers and is now a cafe!

  • 5/5 Free T. 1 year ago on Google
    A historical landmark that should be protected at all costs like other museums around London :) This is where the underground first began! My first visit here was many many years ago before they had a staircase & we crawled through a hatch to watch an orchestra perform, a very memorable experience. Revisited recently and happy to see more visitors here and the tour guide Tim is super entertaining.

  • 4/5 Colin T. 10 months ago on Google
    Great to celebrate one of Britain's greatest and his Dad, Marc too. Museum ready for an upgrade. Stephen our guide was great and helpful too.

  • 3/5 Roy S. 4 years ago on Google
    Nice little museum to a great family. Combine it with the London Walk to get there. Makes it a really interesting day out.

  • 5/5 Aneta A. 3 years ago on Google
    Amazing place love the event idea.

  • 5/5 Bob P. 9 months ago on Google
    A very small museum, but a very long history starting 1825. Good background on how London and the river were such busy places even back in these times. Good to hear that congestion even back in these times forced some thinking in terms of Engineering solutions.

  • 5/5 Andrew B. 9 months ago on Google
    Intriguing small museum. Information panels on the Engine House tell the story of the tunnel, with some fascinating details - miners paid a flat rate, brickies paid by the quantity of bricks laid...not at all to M. Brunel's taste! The Tunnel Shaft is atmospheric, and you can hear the London Overground trains running just below your feet!

  • 4/5 Chrissie C. 3 years ago on Google
    Interesting guided tour

  • 5/5 susan m. 7 months ago on Google
    Lovely museum. Staff really helpful and fully involved. Guided tour a must. It's right on the Thames Path so easy to get further down the Thames or into Tower Bridge area. Very peaceful near the museum. Nice coffee shop 2 minutes away and a couple of old pubs.

  • 5/5 Lian C. 7 months ago on Google
    It is at its best if you can get a tour while you're there otherwise there's not so much to see. It's a very interesting piece of history either way though. The volunteers are very friendly and knowledgeable. The area is nice for a stroll too.

  • 4/5 Ola S. 3 years ago on Google
    A very good but small museum dedicated to Isambad Kingdom Brunel and his works. A very educational institution which I am happy to recommend to all.

  • 5/5 Pamela P. 3 years ago on Google
    A real gem of a place! Found on this particular part of our Thames walk. Concentrating on Marc rather than his famous son. The staff are so helpful. It was a real treat with our group of 5 having an almost personal tour. Highly recommend 👍

  • 4/5 lintzip 3 years ago on Google
    Small, but pretty cool to see. If your walking along the river though, do drop by

  • 5/5 Aleksandra K. 3 years ago on Google
    Wonderful place for constructions fans and everyone interested in history of London. I had great time there and can recommend this place to anyone. Place run by local people who put heart in it and you can feel it. Real hidden gem!

  • 5/5 rachael g. 3 years ago on Google
    Visited for the Midnight Apothecary pop up bar, and it was brilliant. The bar was great with really lovely, very helpful staff and everything felt incredibly safe and socially distanced but still welcoming and fun. However, the best part of the evening was without a doubt the tour with Tim! He was absolutely brilliant and totally captivating — could have listened to him talk for hours! A really brilliant night out, which has inspired us to go back and visit the museum when it’s possible to do so and also to recommend the night tour to just about everyone we know. What a gem!

  • 5/5 hs6114 3 years ago on Google
    Really quaint museum with a lovely outside area. The service from Khal was great!

  • 3/5 Gina D. 2 years ago on Google
    Fascinating to be able to go into the famed shaft and learn of the marvelous method for digging the first underwater tunnel. Be sure to go and listen to the guide (not just walk around on your own). It is a very small museum, but hopefully will continue its development over time and with support.

  • 4/5 Said L. 4 years ago on Google
    (Translated by Google) Very small museum but you can see or hear the history behind the building of the tunnel and even the course of Brunel's life there You will also receive a whole story from the museum (Original) Heel klein museum maar de historie achter het bouwen van de tunnel en zelfs het verloop van het leven van Brunel krijg je daar te zien of te horen Je krijgt ook een heel verhaal van de museum bediend

  • 5/5 Kandee M. 4 years ago on Google
    Loved it! Great museum hidden near the bank. The shaft was amazing. The histroy will amaze you. Its the first tunnel ever built in the world. How fourtunate are we to have this in london.

  • 5/5 Benn 4 years ago on Google
    So interesting!

  • 5/5 Pat L. 4 years ago on Google
    Little museum covering all things Brunel, with the Thames tunnel access shaft, which stops 2/3 way down before the live 'overground' tunnel between wapping and rotherhithe.

  • 4/5 Ciaran B. 4 years ago on Google
    An interesting and unusual place to visit, though the tunnel now is sealed.

  • 3/5 Anthony B. 4 years ago on Google
    Very interesting and learnt a lot

  • 5/5 George S. 4 years ago on Google
    Great tour guide

  • 5/5 J L. 4 years ago on Google
    Thoroughly enjoyable

  • 4/5 Uncle F. 4 years ago on Google
    Nice here

  • 5/5 Antonio Manuel Sanz M. 4 years ago on Google
    (Translated by Google) It is small. But it explains a great story. (Original) Es pequeño. Pero en él se explica una gran historia.

  • 1/5 Graham B. 4 years ago on Google
    Dissapointing, one pound would have been quite enough entrance fee for this museum, not worth the visit !

  • 1/5 Mar M. 4 years ago on Google
    VERY LITTLE & EXPENSIVE

  • 5/5 peter r. 4 years ago on Google
    A small but very interesting museum, with polite informative staff.

  • 5/5 Vytautas D. 3 years ago on Google
    Is one of the biggest projects of London's great past , but suddenly forgotten these days...

  • 5/5 Scarlett B. 2 years ago on Google
    A fantastic little hidden gem of a museum. We went on a whim and it was So worth the trip. The tour guide was hugely knowledgeable about Marc Brunel and it was fascinating - so much we didn't know about the tunnel under the Thames and the man who built it. A great way to spend an hour, would really recommend

  • 4/5 George A. 4 years ago on Google
    Interesting and unusual. Kept me talking for a while!

  • 4/5 Anti A. 2 years ago on Google
    Interesting little museum featuring an amazing feat of engineering. Great story but the explanation could have been more succinct -- after a while it started to feel like a history lecture especially when we were just sitting there listening. I wanted more time to explore the museum myself, and felt like I had to nudge in order for the tour to get moving.

  • 5/5 Adam C. 3 years ago on Google
    A small museum, but worth visiting to learn more about two great British engineers: Marc Brunel and Isambard Brunel.

  • 2/5 Paul S. 2 years ago on Google
    Pretty poor, don't bother, you can see more on the net via a quick Google search or better still come to Bristol, the Bridge the Ship, two of his best achievements, much better than a couple of tunnel pictures and a model or two

  • 4/5 john r. 4 years ago on Google
    Surprising little find

  • 5/5 Ed J. 2 years ago on Google
    A great guide and very interesting. Definitely a hidden gem. Small but excellent

  • 5/5 Chris G. 2 years ago on Google
    I expected to be disappointed as it's years since I last visited and there's been many changes. The changes are all for the better, and having a clear focus on the Home with all its connotations finally makes sense of the very static room displays.

  • 5/5 Flemming H. 3 years ago on Google
    Fire pits make for real nice spot in the cold

  • 5/5 He Z. 3 years ago on Google
    (Translated by Google) Once the entrance to the Thames Tunnel, the world's first underwater tunnel. The Mayflower also set sail from here, via Plymouth to the New World of America. A good place to learn about history. (Original) 曾经泰晤士隧道的入口,世界第一个水底隧道。五月花号也是曾从这里启航,途径普利茅斯前往美洲新大陆。一个了解历史的好地方。

  • 5/5 Conor B. 4 years ago on Google
    Really interesting Museum with lovely volunteer staff showing us around.

  • 3/5 Kritt N. 5 years ago on Google
    Nice to have a snoop around if you are passing by but there isn't much else to it. Museum is very small and there isn't many food options available. The garden is pretty cool though especially when Night Falls and fairy lights turn on. the tunnel itself would make for a great event space so if you're organising something this is a good option.

  • 3/5 Matthew P. 5 years ago on Google
    Short preview- an interesting little place but not worth the admission. Brunel was a great engineer with an excellent story to tell and it's great that this location has such a connection to the man. But, £6 is simply not good value for what you get: access to a single room with a small gallery and a viewing of a dull video (and I mean dull- interesting in places but disorganised with no focus, and consisting mostly of filler shots of bridges!). What's more, when we were there they were setting up for an event and making a considerable racket, not good when paying customers are trying to watch a video! When there, you also get a look at one of the original access shafts to the Thames tunnel which was nice. All in all, £6 is a pretty outrageous charge, something like £2-3 would be more reasonable. It's a shame because Isambard Kingdom Brunel would be a fantastic subject for a detailed gallery but here there's simply not the space. They've tried and I applaud them for that. But honestly, it's only worth it if you've a particular interest in the man or the historic Thames tunnel itself. Incidentally, they also regularly hold events in the space, and they do seem good! Drinks, music, comedy nights etc. Maybe more of a draw than the museum itself!

  • 5/5 Jason S. 1 year ago on Google
    There's not much to it. Just a little museum and a big hole in the ground. But Being that this place is yet another great Brunel achievement, then of course it's much more than that. You can feel the history, the engineering and bloody hard work it took. And nearby there's plenty of other great history, like where The Mayflower ship set sail. Also there's some nice old pubs, like The Brunel and Mayflower.

  • 4/5 Stephen B. 1 year ago on Google
    We found the museum interesting and the talk ok. Considering what the brunel represents there wasn't that much history available to look at. You had a choice of books to buy of course but sometimes you want to look into the past through your own eyes. The booking system is good , they use your email and know its you when you walk in and mention your Christian name. The air tunnel or ex-stairwell was bland. Its a shame they had to remove the stairs it would've been great to of seen then for real not on paper.

  • 4/5 Jacqueline W. 3 years ago on Google
    Interesting enough but very small. Visited as part of the Brunel Walk (which itself was very interesting).


Call +44 20 7231 3840 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible entrance
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible restroom
    • ✗ Wheelchair accessible parking lot

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