Bristol Dockyards

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Bristol Dockyards Home of SS Great Britain
Propelled by ideas since 1843 Step back in time when you board Brunel’s SS Great Britain and discover the ship that changed the world.
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Experience the sights, sounds and smells of life on board for Victorian passengers and crew. Descend under water below the glass ‘sea’ to touch the world’s first great ocean liner. This iconic steam ship, and national treasure, was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, and lies at the heart of a multi award-winning visitor attraction.

17/10/2026

An important update on our lost bear...

Lost + found soft toys are well taken care of and have all sorts of adventures at Bristol Dockyards, do get in touch if you ever lose a fluffy friend on site!

A big thank you to J from who helped our Social Media Officer being Bear to life as part of a work experience day!

08/10/2026

Meet George Moses and James W. Jones, two men whose lives were entwined with the SS Great Britain's 41 years of service: one, a Jamaican cook who loved spicing up the crew's meals, the other a gifted wordsmith and barber who charmed his way into First Class.

Their stories have been brought to light through community-led research by Shani Whyte. Shani has been working with the Bristol Dockyards team since 2021, and shaped some of the content in the new museum - just like on this shoot day with earlier in the year. You can meet George and James in the museum, now open.

Want to learn more about Shani's research? Pick up a copy of her book, 'Tying the Tides: The Colour Within the SS Great Britain' at the Bristol Dockyards gift shop.

The DeLorean dropped by the Dockyards on its way to Bristol Hippodrome. Break a leg to the cast and crew of Back to the ...
08/10/2026

The DeLorean dropped by the Dockyards on its way to Bristol Hippodrome. Break a leg to the cast and crew of Back to the Future: The Musical on their opening night tonight!

Performances run until 21 November. Tickets: atgtickets.com

Back To The Future - Musical

There’s room on our Board. Do you want to help decide what happens next? This year we’ve unveiled a new name, a new muse...
07/10/2026

There’s room on our Board. Do you want to help decide what happens next?

This year we’ve unveiled a new name, a new museum, and plans to develop our site into cultural and learning campus. We're looking for two Trustees: one to guide our work in education, skills and community, and one to bring cultural leadership experience.

We want fresh perspectives, and people who'll challenge us – but everyone's welcome to apply. Find out more at bristoldockyards.org/work-with-us

Baa-rilliant news! Shaun the Sheep has arrived at Bristol Dockyards and brought plenty of Mossy Bottom goodies with him....
06/10/2026

Baa-rilliant news! Shaun the Sheep has arrived at Bristol Dockyards and brought plenty of Mossy Bottom goodies with him. Visit our gift shop to explore the range, free to browse during normal opening hours.

You can find Shaun and friends around site until 2 November. Can you complete Shaun's Ma-Ad Science Mayhem challenges, and help him power up the SS Great Britain? There's only one way to find out...

Thanks to J from 1625 Independent People for snapping a selection of gift shop photos for us!

Now hiring: Sous Chef and Chef de PartieOur catering partner Elior UK is looking for two full-time chefs to join the tea...
04/10/2026

Now hiring: Sous Chef and Chef de Partie

Our catering partner Elior UK is looking for two full-time chefs to join the team at Bristol Dockyards. You'll be cooking in The Board Walk restaurant, and for weddings, private celebrations and corporate events onboard the iconic SS Great Britain ship and in our conference spaces.

Sous Chef: £33,000–£36,000
Chef de Partie: £30,000–£32,000

To apply, please visit elior.co.uk/our-vacancies.

03/10/2026

We recently caught up with community researcher Soumia who told us all about her favourite piece from the Brunel Institute collection.

This stunning shell is a replica of an original artefact belonging to the SS Great Britain Trust. Both items commemorate the Crimean War which began in 1853. As a result, the SS Great Britain was converted into a trooping ship, carrying many soldiers and horses.

The stunning shell, in all its many colours, evokes so many questions. Who was Omar Pasha? Why has he been engraved alongside the SS Great Britain? What does the hidden message say? And why does this artefact resonate so deeply with members of Bristol's communities today?

See the shell on display in the new SS Great Britain Experience Museum as part of our Crimea Zone - now open.

The second series of Celebrity Traitors debuted last night, and Bristol-born Maya Jama is one of the players. Read our l...
02/10/2026

The second series of Celebrity Traitors debuted last night, and Bristol-born Maya Jama is one of the players. Read our latest blog about the real traitors and faithful aboard the SS Great Britain. On a ship full of strangers, all travelling, living and eating together in close quarters for 60 days, who was to be trusted?

Read more: www.bristoldockyards.org/blog/traitors

"One of the most magical festive days out in the UK" - The TimesThis Christmas, chart a course to festive wonder at Bris...
29/09/2026

"One of the most magical festive days out in the UK" - The Times

This Christmas, chart a course to festive wonder at Bristol Dockyards. From 25 Nov to 10 Jan, the site will become a living map of the night sky, inspired by the stars that guided the SS Great Britain across the globe.

From the Plough illuminating the dockyard, to a shimmering aurora in the Promenade Deck, follow the stars that sailors used to find their way home - and discover the true stories of passengers and crew who encountered them from the very deck you stand on.

Also on sale: Spend a magical evening with our Lates sessions: 25 Nov or 5, 16, 23 Dec. Book before 11 November to enjoy our Early Bird offer!

Plot your journey at bristoldockyards.org

Address

Gas Ferry Road
Bristol
BS16TY

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
Sunday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+44 (0) 117 926 0680

Website

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