Brunel's SS Great Britain

The luxury liner is now a major visitor attraction. Visits are self-guided, and tickets—which can be bought in advance or at the door—include access to the original dry dock, Dockyard Museum, Being Brunel exhibit, and the ship itself. On the ship, peek into the luxury dining room, view cramped third-class cabins, and walk the deck. Upgrade to try the Go Aloft! experience, which involves climbing the rigging like the crew of the past would have done.

• If you don’t see everything you want on your visit, come back another day—tickets are valid for a year.
• Allow three to four hours to properly explore.
• Much of the site, including the dry dock, Dockyard Museum, and ship itself, is wheelchair accessible.
• Two cafés at the site sell hot and cold drinks, as well as snacks and meals.
• In honor of the ship’s designer, visitors by the name of Isambard get free entry.

The SS Great Britain sits in the Great Western Dockyard in Bristol’s historic harbor. It’s about a 20-minute walk from Bristol city center and a 30-minute walk from Bristol Temple Meads station. The Metrobus m2 route—which runs between Long Ashton and the city center—also stops nearby.

The museum ship is busiest on weekends and over school vacations. Visit midweek during school term time for a quieter experience.

Originally built to serve as a passenger liner, the SS Great Britain made several transatlantic voyages between Bristol and New York. Due to the high costs of this crossing, the ship was sold to another buyer who used it to carry emigrants to Australia. In the 1880s, it was transformed into a cargo ship and eventually abandoned in the Falklands, only to be rescued in the 1970s and towed back to Bristol for restoration.