General Information
SS Great Britain is a museum ship that is located in Bristol, England. The ship was formerly a passenger steamship that was built in 1845 and turned into a museum in the late 20th century. The ship was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and its purpose was to be a transatlantic passenger ship, travelling between Bristol and New York; it made its maiden voyage in 1845, taking 14 days. The ship was the longest in the world on its completion, stretching for 332 metres, it was powered by two cylinder engines. In 1852 the ship was used to carry immigrants to Australia. The ship became all-sail for a short period before being retired to the Falkland Islands where it was used as a warehouse. In 1937 the ship sunk. It remained at the bottom of the sea until 1970 when Jack Arnold Hayward paid for the vessel to be raised and towed back to Bristol, where it was restored and turned into a ship museum.
Getting there
The ship museum is situated at Bristol Harbour. If travelling by car, parking is available at the ‘Maritime Heritage Centre Car Park. The A1 and M2 buses stop close by to the museum.
Opening Times and Admission
The museum is open daily, 10am-4.30pm. Admission to the museum costs £16.50 for adults, £14.50 for seniors and students and £9.50 for children.