Brunel Museum to close for £1.85m refurbishment

The Brunel Museum in Southwark is to close in September for a £1.85m refurbishment project.

Located at the site of Marc Brunel’s Thames Tunnel, the project is set to complete as it celebrates 200 years since the tunnels creation.

The Brunel Museum Reinvented project will use the grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to restore its Engine House and Grade II* listed Tunnel Shaft.

The museum said the major project will allow it to be “a more inclusive and accessible space to tell the fascinating stories of Marc and Isambard Kingdom Brunel”.

A new Welcome Pavilion and gallery are to be introduced, and a collection of 30 watercolours known as the Thames Tunnel Archive will be on display for the first time, following their acquisition in 2017.

Produced during the construction of the Thames Tunnel, many of the watercolours were drawn and painted by the Brunels themselves.

A programme of free community events and an educational programme are being developed, and the existing Tunnel Shaft Garden and the adjacent Piazza will be retained as an open space for community activities and free events during the project.

The museum’s Director Katherine McAlpine said: “Having this new space means that we can engage more with everyone and involve them in what the next 200 years will look like for us.

“We’re hoping by enabling more people to learn about the amazing story of the Brunels, we can inspire the next generation of engineers.”

Stuart McLeod from The National Lottery Heritage Fund said the project will “not only… restore two historic buildings, but it will also create an accessible space where people can come to discover the stories of one of the most important historic families to revolutionise our cities.

“Thanks to National Lottery players, this new space will enable the Brunel Museum to have greater flexibility and futureproof its offer.”