Bristol Dockyards - Travel Trade

About

We exist to conserve the steam ship Great Britain – the world’s first great ocean liner - as well as the Brunel’s Institute’s world-class maritime collection and the historic dockyards. 

Bristol Dockyards brings the radical spirit of our city and Brunel to life, through all-year-round cultural programming, charitable work and experiences that inspire new generations to expand their horizons.

SS Great Britain Experience
Revered across the Avon and renowned across the Atlantic: Sitting proudly on a glass ‘sea’, the SS Great Britain is the crowning moment on Bristol’s historic harborside. When she was launched in 1843, there was nothing else like her - the largest ship in the world, and the blueprint for every ocean liner that followed. Today, a ticket to Bristol Dockyards unlocks the full SS Great Britain Experience. Together - the museum, ship and Dry Dock - tell the full story of Brunel’s feat of engineering which transformed travel, migration and culture forever.

New for 2026

New to the groups offer are private Discover talks with knowledgeable volunteers. Talks cover a variety of topics, enabling your group to encounter more about what it was like on board the ship and Brunel’s other ships and feats of engineering. For instance, Botany on Board, Brunel in a Changing World and the Steerage Story are among the talks available. Talks are 30 minutes in length, with a capacity of 50 people and are £30.00 per talk.

Travel Trade Information

Name of trade contact: Group Bookings

Trade email address: groups@ssgreatbritain.org

Trade Tel: 0117 926 0680

Opening Dates: Tuesday-Sunday and on Mondays during Bank holidays and Bristol school holidays

Travel Trade Group Discounts: up to 20% are available

Min group size: 15

Languages: English (Bloomberg Connects offers text translation into Google translate enabled languages.)

Duration of visit: 3-4 hours

Coach Parking: 4 coach spaces in the Maritime Heritage Car Park 

Suitable for Education / Corporate / Incentive visits.

Sustainable info: The SS Great Britain Trust declared a Climate Emergency in October 2019. We recognise environmental breakdown, based on scientific evidence, and believe that heritage and cultural organisations must both make a difference directly as well as inspire and advocate for change. As a leading maritime museum which undertakes major ongoing conservation, we pledge to pioneer energy efficiencies and share new best practice globally.

This work is already underway, having recruited a Ship’s Conservation Engineer in 2018 who is pivotal to continually optimising the ship’s conservation in the most efficient and environmentally responsible way and sharing new best practice so that global maritime museums and curators can implement similar efficiencies.

Accessible for all info: Companions and assistants are given free entry when accompanying a paying visitor who is disabled. Due to the nature of the site some areas may be difficult to reach, or may involve cobblestones, so where possible alternative access points are provided. Our Access Map gives detailed plans of the ship to help you plan your visit. Printed copies are available at our ticket desk.