Sailing The Stars at Bristol Dockyards

About

This Christmas, chart a course to festive wonder at Bristol Dockyards. 

Created in collaboration with artists Squidsoup, the ship and dockyards become a living map of the night sky, inspired by the stars that guided SS Great Britain's journeys across the globe.

From the familiar shape of the Plough illuminating the dockyard, to a shimmering aurora in the Promenade Deck, follow the same stars sailors once used to find their way home - and discover the true stories of passengers and crew who encountered them from the very deck you stand on.

What’s included?

Five installations, one epic journey across the hemispheres. Wander through, pause beneath or lie among some of the installations, as every celestial phenomenon is brought to life through its own unique visual and audio experience.

Looking to explore further? Recreate constellations with torches, discover hidden details through binoculars, and share your own stories beneath the stars as you journey through the trail together with family and friends.

• The Plough: the shape that points to the North Star, and the first pattern sailors learned to recognise.
• Polaris: the constant, guiding North Star, glowing above the ship.
• Orion: The Dry Dock sets the scene for Orion - one of Greek Mythology’s greatest hunters. Discover his downfall and legacy amongst the stars.
• The Southern Cross: the constellation pointing to the south celestial pole, that told passengers they'd truly left home behind.
• Aurora: the show-stopping centrepiece, rippling curtains of colour illuminating the ship’s Promenade Deck