The Brunel Museum in South London has announced it is closing for major refurbishments from September.
The Southwark-based museum received a £1.85million grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for the renovations.
Renovations are to be completed by summer 2025, in time to celebrate 200 years since construction began by at the site on Marc Brunel’s ground-breaking Thames Tunnel, the first ever tunnel dug beneath a river. It runs from Rotherhithe to Wapping.
It’s hoped renovations will create “a more inclusive and accessible space” to tell his stories, along with his son Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s, an engineer famed for his work on the tunnel.
Isambard was also appointed as chief engineer of the Great Western Railway in 1833.
While the museum celebrates engineering projects, it will continue its celebration of culture and art, specifically with a collection of images known as the Thames Tunnel watercolours.
The images, produced during the construction of the Thames Tunnel, will go on display for the first time. They are said to offer an insight into its creation, especially as many were drawn and painted by the Brunels.Of further changes under the refurbishment, Director of Brunel Museum Katherine McAlpine said: “The project will conserve our two historic buildings from our tunnel shaft to our engine house [but] a new visitor welcome pavilion will transform the visitor experience.
“We’ll have brand new accessible facilities … [which will allow] even more people to learn about the incredible story of the Thames Tunnel.”
She added that four guided tour weekends are to be held ahead of closure this summer.
Before the revamp begins, the museum will remain open on every Monday, Friday and Sunday as usual.
