Forum: travel.stackexchange.com
Tags: <museums><england><geek-travel><science>
Title: Are there any museums or sites in England honouring Isambard Kingdom Brunel?
Question: I'm travelling to the UK from Australia and wanted to visit a number of sites of scientific history.  One at the top of my list is Isambard Kingdom Brunel.  I understand there are  10 surviving structures  you can visit. I know you can visit  his ship in Bristol  - the SS Great Britain.   But can you visit a museum with a display about his life and works?  My question is:  Are there any museums or sites in England honouring Isambard Kingdom Brunel?

Answers:
sents: text: Very near the site of the "Oldest Tunnel in the Oldest Underground in the World", in Rotherhithe in south east London, you can find the Brunel Museum , which, well, is not just 'a display' about his life and works, but an entire museum about his life and works.
text: The Brunel Museum is open every day 10:00 until 17:00.
text: [...] Entry to the Brunel Museum is £6 and £4 for concessions.
text: Children under 16 accompanied by parent or carer enter free of charge.
text: Entry to Great Eastern launch ramps is free.
text: Brunel Museum Railway Avenue Rotherhithe London, SE16 4LF
text: Telephone:
text: +44 20 7231
text: 3840 Email: info@brunel-museum.org.uk
answer_details: author: travel.stackexchange.com/users/3884/AakashM
score: 37
sents: text: In terms of a comprehensive museum, not yet.
text: However, if you are travelling in 2018 (or reading this reply in the future) then there will be a new museum called 'Being Brunel: the national Brunel project' opening in Bristol in a year's time.
text: The ss Great Britain Trust has today been awarded £4.78m by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for Being Brunel: the national Brunel project.
text: The new museum, set to open in Bristol early 2018, will celebrate and explore Brunel, one of the world’s greatest engineers and designers.
text: The attraction will feature galleries and interactive experiences set in reconstructed buildings that reflect the original Victorian waterfront panorama.
text: Brunel’s Drawing Office, a Grade II listed building, will be restored to become part of the new museum.
text: Link
text: You can read more about the project here:
text: http://www.ssgreatbritain.org/about-us/being-brunel
answer_details: author: travel.stackexchange.com/users/59542/Phlyk
score: 15
sents: text: @jl6's point in the comments is a good one, but deserves to be expanded upon
text: (Brunel has been adopted as a local hero in Bristol).
text: He's one of the few historical figures we've got who didn't directly get rich from the slave trade).
text: See for example Isambard Kingdom Brunel, famous engineer and his work at Bristol (local tourism/history site) for a few more things to spot on the way between the main sites.
text: The bridge has a visitor centre/small museum and tours , but unfortunately the limited tours of the vaults below the tower are mostly sold out this year.
text: Some of the best views of the bridge are from the western tip of Spike Island, only a mile on foot from the SS Great Britain.
text: Trains from London via Bath bring you into Brunel's Temple Meads station along Brunel's GWR , but you may want to take stopping services to see some of the key features along the way.
answer_details: author: travel.stackexchange.com/users/18491/Chris H
score: 7
sents: text: You can see what items of the Science Museum's collection are on display, and in which museums, using their collection search.
text: Putting in "Brunel" gets a few results, presumably as part of exhibits that discuss the man further. http://collection.sciencemuseum.org.uk/search?q=brunel
answer_details: author: travel.stackexchange.com/users/26433/CMaster
score: 5
sents: text: In Swindon, you can find the museum of the Great Western Railway of whom Brunel was a chief engineer.
text: As well as the story of the railway itself, it tells the story of how society thanks to the railway, and of Brunel's key role in the whole enterprise.
answer_details: author: travel.stackexchange.com/users/30484/WelshGandalf
score: 4
sents: text: There's also the worlds oldest Wrought Iron railway bridge still in use: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windsor_Railway_Bridge
answer_details: author: travel.stackexchange.com/users/59578/Fred
score: 1

Summary of the answers:
Brunel Museum in London Is dedicated to his life and works.
The Brunel museum seems to be the best place to learn about Brunels work and life