Visit the Brunel Museum for Open House Festival 2026, with free guided tours throughout the weekend and a special exhibition exploring a lesser-known chapter in Marc Brunel’s story.

Visitors will be able to explore the Museum, including the historic Engine House and Grand Entrance Hall, and learn more about the Thames Tunnel and the Brunels.

Throughout the weekend, our volunteer guides will be running free 30-minute guided tours of the Museum and historic site.

Your Open House visit lasts approximately one hour, including the 30-minute guided tour, with additional time to explore the Museum, gallery and special exhibition independently.

This Open House weekend, visitors will also have the opportunity to see a special exhibition by Peter Jones, exploring a lesser-known chapter in the life of Marc Brunel.

St Marcinique 1790 ±3 – Past, Present & Future is a metaphorical map centred around Martinique and Marc Brunel’s time on the island between approximately 1787 and 1793.

Designed as a circular timeline following the coastline of Martinique, the work explores places, events and connections beginning in the late seventeenth century and continuing through Brunel’s story to the Brunel Museum today.

The map is accompanied by a specially created gazetteer, structured around the themes of Past, Present and Future. Together, the map and gazetteer invite visitors to encounter Brunel’s story through an imaginative combination of history, geography, cartography and visual storytelling.

Spaces on each tour are limited, so advance booking is recommended.

Find out more about the Brunel Museum’s participation in Open House Festival 2026.