Brunel Museum facts for kids
The Brunel Museum is a small museum in Rotherhithe, London Borough of Southwark. It is located at the Brunel Engine House. This building was designed by Sir Marc Isambard Brunel. It was part of the Thames Tunnel, which opened in 1843. This tunnel was the very first tunnel ever built under a river that ships could sail on!
The museum includes the Engine House and the Tunnel Shaft. The Tunnel Shaft even has a garden on its roof. Isambard Kingdom Brunel, a famous engineer, worked with his father Marc on this huge project. He started in 1823 and became the main engineer in 1827 when he was only 20 years old.
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What is the Brunel Museum?
The Brunel Museum tells the story of the amazing Thames Tunnel. This tunnel was a huge engineering challenge. It was the first time anyone had built a tunnel under a busy river. The museum shows how the tunnel was built. It also highlights other projects by the Brunel family.
The Brunel Engine House
The Engine House was a key part of the Thames Tunnel. It held powerful steam pumps. These pumps were used to remove water from the tunnel during its construction. This was very important to keep the digging safe and dry. The building was first used as a boiler house from 1825 to 1843.
Since 1961, the building has been a museum. It shows how the tunnel was made. You can also learn about other projects by Marc and Isambard Kingdom Brunel. The museum has a model of the special tunnelling shield. This shield helped protect the workers. There are also pictures and items from when the tunnel was used by people walking between Rotherhithe and Wapping.
The Engine House and its chimney are important historic buildings. They have been protected since 1974. A charity helped restore the building in 1979. In 2006, the museum changed its name to the Brunel Museum. It added new exhibits, like a mural showing the tunnel shield. It also has benches that look like famous Brunel bridges.
In 2018, the museum bought a special collection of drawings. These drawings show how the Thames Tunnel was designed. They were made or watched over by Marc Isambard Brunel himself.
The Tunnel Shaft: A Grand Entrance
The museum site also has the Tunnel Shaft. This shaft was the world's first "caisson." A caisson is like a giant, strong box. It is built above ground and then slowly sunk into the earth.
For the Thames Tunnel, a brick tower was built. It was 3 feet thick and 50 feet wide. It was built 42 feet high above the ground. Then, it slowly sank into the earth under its own weight. It went down 40 feet. The last 20 feet were dug out from underneath it.
Miners dug the tunnel itself. They worked inside a special iron shield. This shield was like a moving protective box. Sir Marc Isambard Brunel designed and patented this amazing invention. It kept the miners safe as they dug through the soft ground.
Visiting the Museum
The Brunel Museum often takes part in the Open House Weekend event. This lets visitors explore special buildings. Before 2007, you could even take a guided tour through the tunnel on Underground trains!
The museum also hosts many other events. These are especially fun during school holidays. You can join walks and tours, both in person and online.
Improvements and New Spaces
The museum had big changes in 2007. A large steam engine was moved to make more space for exhibits. They also added a cafe and better toilets.
In 2011, a concrete floor was built at the bottom of the shaft. This sealed off the shaft from the train tunnels below. Now, people can visit this amazing space. Sometimes, special tours are given.
The roof of the shaft was also improved in 2012. It became a beautiful Roof Garden. Since 2012, a cocktail bar called The Midnight Apothecary has been there. It serves drinks made with plants from the garden.
The shaft was greatly improved in 2016. A new staircase was added to make it easier to access. This staircase was built carefully. It does not touch the old shaft walls. This means the walls still show their history. You can see where old staircases were. You can also see soot from steam trains that used the shaft for air.
The shaft is now used for events and performances. It is an exciting part of the Brunel Museum's exhibits.
- Thames Tunnel Shaft interior
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Roof structure to support the rooftop garden
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The new access staircase
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Barred entrance passage
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Remnants of original staircase and locomotive soot
Future Plans for the Museum
In 2019, the museum received money to plan new changes. They hope to get more funding from the Heritage Fund. If they do, they will fix up the historic building even more. They will also improve visitor areas. The museum wants to display Marc Brunel's original tunnel designs. They also plan to offer more events and activities for everyone.
See also
In Spanish: Museo Brunel para niños
