Christmas at the Brunel Museum
Christmas at The Brunel Museum Museum Shop Sunday – Get your Christmas Shopping Done Early Socks printed with Isambard Kingdom Brunel? A tea towel representing the Grand Opening of the Thames Tunnel? If you’re looking for something unusual for the engineer in your life, then head to the Brunel Museum on Sunday 28 November …
Guest Blog: Learning through Play with ALom Shaha
We love learning through play at the Brunel Museum! So we thought we’d get our good friend and science teacher Alom Shaha to help explain why its so beneficial! Learning Through Play My eldest daughter started in reception at primary school in September, and in a “getting to know you” type of exercise, …
Brunel Volunteers recognised at London Heritage Volunteer Awards
We were delighted to be shortlisted in not one, not two, but THREE categories in the London Volunteer Heritage Awards today. These awards recognise the best of the best of the amazingly dedicated and loyal volunteers that help London’s Museums run. Highly Commended – Best Team The entire Brunel Museum team were recognised for …
In defence of pests – Terredo Navalis
It is often suggested that Marc’s inspiration for his tunnelling shield was the humble shipworm, Terredo Navalis. This tiny creature bores into ships’ timbers. Marc saw first hand the impact of Terredo Navalis up close when he worked in Chatham Dockyard. It does its damage by using shell-like protrusions on either side of is head …
Henry Marc Brunel (Mechanical Engineer and Naval Architect) 27 June 1842 to 7 October 1903
Second son of the great civil engineer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, and grandson of the great mechanical engineer, Sir Marc Isambard Brunel, it would have been surprising if Henry Marc had not become an engineer. Henry Marc evaded the name ‘Isambard’, unusual in England; the name going to his older brother, who entered the law. Educated …
Director’s Blog – September 2021
September’s been a very transitional month – and not just because the weather can’t seem to make up its mind! We’re looking ahead to being able to do more over the next couple of months, and we’re excited to share what we’ve got planned for you. October Half-Term We’ve got lots of fun activities for …
Memorials: #IKBAndMe
It’s the time of year where we honour the anniversary of the death of Isambard Kingdom Brunel by celebrating his life. He achieved many impressive feats of engineering and developed significant portions of England’s infrastructure (some of his structures are still in use today, 162 years after his death). Isambard died at 10:30pm on Thursday …
Director’s Blog – August 2021
It felt amazing to open our doors an extra day of the week in August – the first time we’ve been open more than 2 days a week since last year! We hosted an exhibition by Accelerate students, who visited us in December as part of their course. It was wonderful to see the students …
Slavery Remembrance Day at the Brunel Museum
Today, 23 August, marks the UNESCO International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade. Below, our Director Katherine McAlpine, outlines how the museum is seeking to understand the impact of the slave trade on the construction of the tunnel, so we might better respond to its legacies today: International slavery Remembrance day marks …
Brunel Museum shortlisted for Southwark Business Award
We are delighted to share that our online escape room, Tunnelling through Time, has been shortlisted for a Southwark Business Award! The game, which invites players to complete a number of tasks, has been shortlisted for the Business Pivot Award. This category recognises the remarkable efforts some businesses have gone to diversify or adapt their …