Brunel Museum Reviews Summary

Staff and Volunteers

Pros:

• "The staff and the volunteers were very friendly and helpful."
• "Great little museum run mainly by knowledgeable volunteers, giving great insight into the advanced engineering skills of Brunel."
• "Great atmosphere and friendly people."
• "Enthusiastic staff. Very little to actually see but interesting."
• "The staff were very welcoming and knowledgable! Would definitely recommend!"
• "Excellent volunteer staff who have enthusiasm and knowledge."
• "A fascinating little museum with well-interpreted exhibits and helpful, knowledgeable volunteers on hand."

Cons:

• "The gentleman hosting the place is nice, but there is not much to see in the museum itself."

Value for Money

Pros:

• "Happy to pay a small fee which supports development of the museum."
• "£6.00 entry fee is good value to experience this historic site."
• "It is such good value for money and the staff are so friendly."
• "Great value for money, the tour of the world heritage site was brilliant."

Cons:

• "The museum is super tiny, u could finish in 5 minutes."
• "Interesting museum, but definitely not worth the admission price."
• "The only downside is the price - it's quite expensive for such a small place."
• "£6 is simply not good value for what you get."
• "For the prices they charge to visit you'll easily find more worthwhile things to spend your money on."

Exhibits and Content

Pros:

• "Interesting little museum featuring an amazing feat of engineering."
• "You'll understand why no-one had successfully tunnelled under the Thames before this."
• "Brunel and his son were extraordinarily engineers who transformed our modern world through tunnels, trains, ships and bridges."
• "There's a fascinating section about the construction of the tunnel under the Thames."
• "This was a massive advance in engineering and the fact that the tunnel is still used as part of the Tube speaks for itself."
• "Really interesting history of the first passenger tunnel under the Thames. Very knowledgeable guide."
• "Very small but interesting museum featuring descriptions of the engineering feats accomplished by Marc Brunel and his son Isambard."

Cons:

• "Great story but the explanation could have been more succinct -- after a while it started to feel like a history lecture."
• "Some mockups, information plates, quite boring film in the basement."
• "Pretty poor, don't bother, you can see more on the net via a quick Google search."
• "There's not much to it. Just a little museum and a big hole in the ground."
• "Viewing a much restored engine-room and drum shaft, a small garden and some historical 'titbits' represent thin gruel and slim pickings for the admission price."
• "Considering what the brunel represents there wasn't that much history available to look at."
• "Its hardly a 'museum'; it consists of a few display cases of artifacts and tunnel memorabilia."

Accessibility and Facilities

Pros:

• "What a wonderful adventure. Fantastic cocktails, an open fire, roasted marshmellows and a little bit of theater."
• "Midnight apothecary... fabulous rooftop garden experience. Lethal but yummy cocktails, fun toasting marshmallows around the fire."
• "The Shaft is a cool venue for performance art."
• "It was fascinating to learn about, and a cool and serene environment when you go down inside."
• "What a fantastic hidden gem. Visiting from Bristol, I am very impressed with this museum and the Volunteers there."
• "Very peaceful near the museum."
• "Attended a wedding at the Brunel Museum, which was a fantastic and somewhat different venue."

Cons:

• "Note this museum is not wheelchair accessible."
• "Tried to get in. Notice saying pay the attendant in the cafe... Which was closed..."
• "Only criticism is the poor signage to get to the Museum fine if you know the area well but not if you don't."
• "It gets cold, so wear a coat, and be aware the toilets are in a separate part of the site."