What is it?
Nearly 200 years ago, Isambard Kingdom Brunel started work on the Thames Tunnel – the oldest underwater tunnel in the world. It opened in 1843, gathered a crowd of 50,000 Londoners on its first day, and has been a hugely popular attraction ever since. At the Brunel Museum, on the Rotherhithe side of the river (that’s south), you can delve into the story behind this spectacular feat of Victorian engineering. Watercolours, engravings and models are deployed to explain this epic feat of engineering and tell the story of the men who worked in the dark, dodging flames and raw sewage every day.
Why go?
The Brunel Museum is small but mighty. You’ll leave with a new-found appreciation of the immense grind that went into building a core structure of our city.
Don’t miss
The tunnel is now used, ironically, for the Overground, but guided tours will still take you into the humongous Tunnel Shaft, which served as the entrance chamber for Victorian passengers. The in-depth sessios take place once a month and last around 40 minutes. Also keep an eye out for the variety of events that go on in the shaft, from chamber concerts to waissailing.
When to visit
Saturdays and Sundays from 10.30am to 3.30pm. Last admission is 3pm. In winter the museum only opens on alternate weekends. Check site for exact dates.
Ticket info
Adult £15, concessions (children, students and over-65s) £10, family of up to two adults and four children £20. If you book online rather than buying on the day, you’ll get a discount.
Time Out tip
Continue your time-travelling trip through Rotherithe with a visit to the ruins of King Edward III’s medieval manor house, a stop by Prince Lee Boo’s tomb and a pint at the olde worlde Mayflower Pub (named after the pilgrims who set off from the docks towards New England in 1620).