The ss Great Britain is one of the last remaining ship designed by Brunel, and was the biggest ship in the world when launched. She was in service for nearly 100 years and her combination of iron hull and screw propeller made her the forerunner of all modern shipping, transforming international passenger travel and paving the way for mass emigration.
She originally served as an ocean liner, later becoming a cargo ship, troop transporter and finally a floating warehouse in the Falkland Islands, from where she was salvaged and returned to Bristol in 1970.
Visitors will now be able to find out more about the ship’s life at the new Dockyard Museum, even climbing above the rigging into the ‘crow’s nest’. There will be a series of celebration events there to celebrate the ‘re-launch’, from July 16-21 2005.
“The dry dock holds the secret to the ss Great Britain’s future conservation," added Matthew. "From mid July the ss Great Britain will be one of the most important, and exciting, historic ships to visit in the world.”
