In June 2022, The National Lottery Heritage Fund supported The Brunel Museum Reinvented with a £2,102,400 grant for both a public engagement programme and capital works to create a new home for our Museum. As part of this funding, we are also required to match fund in order for the project to proceed.
We had originally planned to close the Museum in autumn 2024 to allow works to begin ahead of reopening in spring 2025. Some concerns about the impact to Transport for London’s (TfL) railway assets beneath the Museum led us to investigate the proposals further, and in parallel, to consider alternative options which avoided these impacts altogether. This has meant unexpected delays for the project while we worked to find a solution.
We requested an extension from The National Lottery Heritage Fund in order to carry out detailed designs and establish accurate cost estimates, while ensuring they represent real value for money for both the museum and our funders, and meet the project objectives.
Due to the length of time that had passed since the original award, the changes in scope for the project and the match funding commitments, the decision has been made by the Heritage Fund to withdraw the funding for the capital works aspect of the project. The Heritage Fund still remain the funders of the public engagement aspect of the project that have taken place and commended us for the delivery of a successful public engagement programme.
In their feedback, they highlighted everyone who has worked so hard to make this project work, and they understand the issues (many of which are beyond the Museum’s control) that have brought us to the current situation.
Throughout this project, we have delivered a huge number and variety of different activities that have helped share the story of the Brunel’s Thames Tunnel with a much wider audience. In 2025, we saw over 7,000 people through our doors, the highest number since we reopened after Covid. We launched our brand new schools programme last Autumn and already have bookings into the summer. We have a fantastic family and community programme, made up of our Tunnellers Club, Wild Things Gardening club, plus free community events like National Play Day and Open House weekend.
In March 2026, we opened Groundbreakers, our new display based on the research conducted through our Workers Project. The diplay is open until 31 August.
We remain focused on delivering the objectives of the original project to restore the Engine House building, improve our accessibility, facilities, and the overall visitor experience to the Museum. We are also committed to taking forward the public engagement programmes that we have developed as part of this project, as part of our core programme.
I would also like to extend my thanks to all our supporters for their continued support of both the Brunel Museum Reinvented project in particular, and of the Museum in general.