Technological innovation, inspirational design and some truly revolutionary features lie behind the development of the SS Great Britain, the world's first iron-hulled, steam-powered ocean-going ship. Designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the ship was built in 1843 at the Great Western Dockyard in Bristol. From the outset, the SS Great Britain was unique. Widely regarded as one of Brunel's finest works, she was built to serve the burgeoning transatlantic passenger trade. On 26 July 1845, the ship undertook her maiden voyage to New York, a journey completed in an astounding 14 days.

Having carried passengers to New York, emigrants to Australia, troops to India and the Crimea, and coal to San Francisco, SS Great Britain ended her

working life as recently as 1934 in the Falkland Islands.  In 1970, she was salvaged and returned across the Atlantic to her birthplace, Bristol’s Great Western Dockyard. 

Historic ships are notoriously difficult to preserve and maintain.  Too large to be housed indoors, soaked in salt and exposed to the elements, they are very biodegradable.   By 1998, the SS Great Britain’s condition was extremely poor. A project team was charged with preserving the great ship in a sustainable way for future generations to enjoy and with making the SS Great Britain a truly exciting and accessible museum.   After eight years’ work, she was ‘re-launched’ in July 2005, and now stands resplendent in her dockyard home. The glass ‘sea’ on which she sits acts as the roof of a giant dehumidification system, the secret to the ship’s long-term survival, and a stunning visual effect.

The ship herself provides a wonderful experience for the visiting public. Cabins and decks are enlivened with sounds and smells, and personal audio companion guides give visitors a choice of how to travel – First Class or Steerage, or with a maritime archaeologist, or, for children, with Sinbad, the ship’s cat.  Original dockyard buildings alongside the ship have become the new Dockyard Museum and Medlock Education Centre.

The restoration of the SS Great Britain cost £11.3 million and was met by an £8.8 million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and £2.6 million from supporters and members.  Just over £200,000 remains to be raised.  Visitor admissions (77,000 since opening last July) and venue hire will meet running costs and routine maintenance.

A selection of your comments

What a fantastic museum and series of exhibits! I have not been to see the Great Britain for some time. The change in the whole presentation is sensational. I knew about the glass roof to protect the hull but the effect is simply marvellous as well as obviously being critical for the protection of the ship. The whole experience is excellent and caters for all ages together really well. My two children of 15 and 12 were kept highly engaged for the whole time and really enjoyed themselves. Well done SS Great Britain Trust - the transformation of the site and the ship is brilliant and the whole effect captivating.
David Langley, Bishopston, Bristol – 23 April

My wife and I visited this great ship on 25 April.  It was quite the most enthralling experience we have had in many years.  We were so impressed by the quality of the restoration, the brilliant audio system, the access to the hull and the propeller, the 'hands on' features such steering to the compass etc. It was highly informative and at the same time entertaining and interesting.  Finally it left us with a sense of pride in the great achievement that was the SS Great Britain by our most famous engineer. We plan to go back again before the year is out.
John Prince, Dogmersfield, Hook, Hampshire – 1 May

We visited the S.S. Great Britain this week and thought it was wonderful.  The museum, the special Brunel exhibition and, of course, the ship itself were so well presented and interesting to people of all ages.  We returned in the evening - luckily the weather was perfect - and had drinks on the top deck followed by  a black tie dinner in the lovely saloon. It was a marvellous day and we feel the S.S. Great Britain would be a worthy winner of this year's Gulbenkian Prize.
Alan and Sheila Phillips – 6 May

I (almost!) remember the ship coming back to Bristol in 1970, when, aged 4 I stood on the bank of the Avon to watch it come up the gorge. I certainly remember visiting the cavernous interior later as a birthday treat. The recent reinvestment in the ship and the reinterpretations in the museum are magnificent, and I think Brunel would have been impressed with the ingenuity and virtuosity of the solution to its preservation. The most striking thing remains the transformation of technical brilliance into something that is at once brutal and monumental, yet also beautiful and graceful.
Brian Glasson, Bristol – 7 May

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