STEAM - Museum of the Great Western Railway
STEAM - Museum of the Great Western Railway
STEAM - Museum of the Great Western Railway
4.5
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
About
Get up close to magnificent locomotives, try out the interactive GWR Signal Box and drive the steam train simulator as you travel through our story-telling displays! STEAM tells the story of the men and women who built, operated and travelled on the Great Western Railway - a railway network that, through the pioneering vision and genius of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, was regarded as the most advanced in the world. Our museum is housed in a beautifully restored Grade II railway building in the heart of the former Swindon railway works.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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See what travelers are saying
- ChanC15 contributionsBrilliant Steam train museumVisited this museum whilst staying in Swindon overnight. This was a spontaneous visit. We enjoyed our visit very much. We were greeted by a friendly man at reception desk on arrival ( 28th April in the afternoon). The museum was brilliantly displayed with interactive, concise information boards, artefacts and huge trains. I think it would suit all ages including children ( as child friendly interactive games). The museum was a good size and we enjoyed a couple of hours there. My only criticism would be the coffees we had in the cafe. The coffees were extremely weak, like drinking a hot milk with a dash of coffee. They were awful and a waste £6:50. Wished we had gone into the outlet centre for drinks.Visited April 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten April 28, 2023
- WorldTravellerUK99169 contributionsGreat well laid out museumGreat museum. Well laid out charting the history of the GWR and the Swindon works. Lots of great exhibits where you can get up close. The signal box was great to try. Ample parkng at the outlet centre which is next door. You don't have to pay parking if you visit the museum.Visited May 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten May 31, 2023
- Fairycakes69 contributionsGreat rainy day activityWhat a fantastic thing to do on a rainy day. We visited with three young kids, 9,7 and 2. We spent about 2.5hrs here. There are little activities for the kids in lots of rooms. The info boards were really intresting and gave a great human perspective to the works. We really enjoyed our visit and all the kids were entertained.Visited August 2023Traveled with familyWritten August 5, 2023
- Andrea M2 contributionsOn the whole a great experience.Museum excellent. Accessible with scooter hire and helpful staff. Loads to see and do. Reasonably priced. Good parking. Café let it down badly. Ran out of everything except cake and sweets by 1.15pm! Dirty broken china, etc. Definitely plan to eat elsewhere! But over all a great day out and disabled parents really enjoyed it.Visited August 2023Traveled with familyWritten August 6, 2023
- Conrad D4 contributionsComplements YorkAt the outset, a bit doubtful that it could match York. Delighted to find it was different and equally absorbing. It has some magnificently preserved rolling stock. I particularly liked the pit under the Caerphilly Castle where one could see important parts underneath the locomotive not otherwise visible.. But it concentrates particularly on the manufacture, bringing the noise, the dirt and the sweat of the engineering shops and the pride and the enthusiasm of the workers to life. Some excellent exhibits of the part that women played, particularly during the war years, and the downstream effects that this had. Complements York, and demonstrates the excellence of the GWRVisited August 2023Written August 18, 2023
- Wymroyal5 contributionsExcellent museum misleadingly namedThis is a spacious and well-designed museum of the Great Western Railway on the site of the previous Works. It is in good order with lots of information presented in small chunks (most films are about 2mins) so that they are easily 'digested'. It is great to be able to go onto the footplates and even under one locomotive. The slant towards information of women employed on the railways is to be commended. Many aspects of railway life are included, not only the rolling stock side. All was great - except this museum is wrongly named: there isn't any steam!!Visited September 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten September 3, 2023
- Steve FWinchester, United Kingdom2 contributionsGood museum, not easy to find, poor cafe, parking distant.On a rainy day it was a long walk to the museum, having first gone into the shopping centre to have to ask directions. Sign posting on the way into Swindon and then walking from the car park could be better. On arrival we first grabbed a bite to eat to warm up and dry off. Prices ok, but the 'hot' food from the cabinet was barely warm and the service a bit lack lustre. On arrival at the ticket desk there was an apology that the interactive screens were not working that day. The museum itself was good though and enough space to appreciate the size of the locomotives. Sadly the route 'underneath' the main loco was roped off for some reason. Overall the museum exhibits were great, but sort the cafe, and improve the signage (better still get your own car park ) and the place could be excellent.Visited September 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten September 20, 2023
- John H36 contributionsWonderful museum stupid name.Really terrific museum not badly priced and really good evocation or the old works. Highly education with some stunning historic locomotives. Only quibble is the name STEAM strikes me as bit trite, why don’t they stick with the GWR Historical Museum which is exactly what it is.Visited December 2023Traveled with friendsWritten December 1, 2023
- MAXINEOxford208 contributionsWonderful for adults and children alike.Wonderful value - 2 adults and 2 grandchildren £58 for an annual ticket. The staff are friendly and helpful. The museum is huge with many full size steam trains, plenty of space and wonderful for children and adult enthusiasts alike. In the room with the wall of names there are windows that look out onto the main railway line which is another bonus. The only downside was the cafe which is quite small and not particularly welcoming when we went.Visited November 2023Traveled with familyWritten December 5, 2023
- Catherine LNewbury, United Kingdom47 contributionsGreat interactive museum - don’t bother with the cafe!Visited today with my 4 year old grandson after checking reviews and activity suitability. We had a great visit at the museum and the staff were really helpful with interactive activities for him. It’s a great interactive display and was really informative for me and also for him! We both particularly enjoyed the Caerphilly Castle display. There were a few things that made it difficult with a young one - the toilets didn’t have a sink low enough or any steps so that he could wash his hands and we got half way around the exhibition and he needed the loo and there was no signage to find our way to a toilet without going all the way back to the beginning. But the main disappointment was the cafe which was really not a good experience. We arrived hungry after a long trip on a cold day and as it was lunchtime were hoping for some hot food. The only thing on offer was a sausage roll (no use for a veggie) so I had an egg sandwich which was a bit dry. The cafe was overpriced and when I queried the total as it seemed high, the waitress (who said I couldn’t have a receipt) showed me what she had entered into the till and I noticed she had charged me for 2 sausage rolls but we only had one. She tried to refund me and just took the money out of my card again which I realised when I checked my bank online. She had to give me a cash refund. Seriously I’d suggest eating in one of the food outlets nearby before going to the museum. It really put a dampener on the day sadly.Visited January 2024Traveled with familyWritten January 5, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Popular mentions
4.5
1,610 reviews
Excellent
1,079
Very good
439
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67
Poor
15
Terrible
11
Aysia Stephens
Bristol, UK87 contributions
Jun 2021 • Family
Was a good experience 😊
Very informative and great features.
Took approx 1hour to get through.
I think admission fees are a bit pricey for the size of the museum, but that’s just my opinion.
You park in the outlets car park and walk your way (not far at all) to the museum.
Will visit again but probably when there are deals on!
Very informative and great features.
Took approx 1hour to get through.
I think admission fees are a bit pricey for the size of the museum, but that’s just my opinion.
You park in the outlets car park and walk your way (not far at all) to the museum.
Will visit again but probably when there are deals on!
Written July 22, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Iain F
Rochford, UK275 contributions
Oct 2020 • Couples
Had a lovely couple of hours here inclusive of reading all the various signs and watching some of the mini tele docus.
The museum itself is very corona aware and is lucky enough to find itself in a large space.
Booking of time slots is done through the website which is dated and clumsy.
The museum itself is beautiful and fascinating, I personally found the exhibits well explained and I know nothing about Steam technology or Great Western railways, great run through history.
There are a couple of interactive exhibits which are very fun and there is hand sanitiser after.
Really enjoyed the visit here, would recommend to others it is also located next to the shopping centre.
Staff were incredibly friendly and approachable.
The museum itself is very corona aware and is lucky enough to find itself in a large space.
Booking of time slots is done through the website which is dated and clumsy.
The museum itself is beautiful and fascinating, I personally found the exhibits well explained and I know nothing about Steam technology or Great Western railways, great run through history.
There are a couple of interactive exhibits which are very fun and there is hand sanitiser after.
Really enjoyed the visit here, would recommend to others it is also located next to the shopping centre.
Staff were incredibly friendly and approachable.
Written October 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brian C
Basildon, UK3 contributions
Jan 2020
The museum turned back the years to a time when steam travel was ‘king’. Exhibits, informative films, interactive displays and, of course, the magnificent locomotives themselves brought to life a bygone era. A fantastic way to spend a morning therefore.
Written January 30, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Busymummymoo
Wiltshire, UK118 contributions
Feb 2020
This is a nice find and I can imagine if you’re a local or really into trains, a must. You can take your time around this museum and easily spend a morning or afternoon here. There is a nice little shop and restaurant, it is also right next to the outlet.
Written March 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alistair H
St. Albans, UK128 contributions
Oct 2020
This is well worth a couple of hours. Fascinating history and to think that they built steam engines from scratch. No bought in parts- everything fabricated at GWR Swindon. We visited in mid afternoon on a Thursday and it was very quiet, so easy to watch all the displays and films.
Written October 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sue Tiley
Ramsgate, UK4 contributions
Sep 2020
Booked on line before we went and was well worth it. Very well presented history of steam engines. Great exhibits and information when walking round. Staggered entry so social distancing was not a problem. Understandably the cafe was closed but an area with seating was available to eat and drink what we had brought with us. Parking ticket was no problem as it was free if validated after our visit in the near by McCarther Glenn outlet .
Written September 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nick Robinson
London, UK17 contributions
Feb 2022 • Family
I’ve always felt what makes a good museum is not always the quality of the exhibits, but the way they are presented and their ability to tell a story.
This museum has both. It’s beautifully presented, well looked after and tells the story of the railway works and GWR from a really human perspective; there’s lots of focus on the workers who plied their skills here, not just the technical aspects of the trains.
There is plenty here to keep children interested including different treasure hunts based on age and interactive displays. My 11 yr old train mad boy loved it. I’d recommend to anyone with an interest in the history of railways.
This museum has both. It’s beautifully presented, well looked after and tells the story of the railway works and GWR from a really human perspective; there’s lots of focus on the workers who plied their skills here, not just the technical aspects of the trains.
There is plenty here to keep children interested including different treasure hunts based on age and interactive displays. My 11 yr old train mad boy loved it. I’d recommend to anyone with an interest in the history of railways.
Written February 27, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Linders83
Salford, UK25 contributions
Dec 2021
I was really impressed. The museum is set out beautifully and tells the story not just of the GWR but also about the growth of Swindon as a railway town. There isn't the sheer volume of exhibits that (say) the National Railway Museum has, but what they do have, they've presented beautifully - and to the point where even someone with limited interest in railways should be able to enjoy the story for an hour or so.
Written December 7, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Karen L
Bigastro, Spain4 contributions
Feb 2022
A really interesting museum. I love the fact that you can get up into the cab & play around with the levers, my grandsons loved it.
It was pricy to get in though, there is a good cafe and the museum hosts other events so worth checking out the calendar for special events.
It was pricy to get in though, there is a good cafe and the museum hosts other events so worth checking out the calendar for special events.
Written December 22, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mark B
Newport, UK492 contributions
Mar 2022
My wife and I have a link to the railways, her father and grandfather worked for GWR and my grandfather for LNER. we have wanted to visit here for a long time.
The museum is housed in one of the old 'sheds' on the site of Swindon works in fact this is one of the first things you see when you enter the museum the size of the works was amazing.
You follow the history of the works and how locomotives and carriages were made, from the foundry to the finished train, plus history of the GWR.
Even if you have little or no interest in trains or the GWR I'm sure you will still find things to pique your curiosity.
We took about 3 hours to walk round but we were really following and reading all the information available.
The work under a steam train was incredible.
This would have been five star review but the café/restaurant is still not open after covid. However, there are cafes in the retail outlet which is nearby.
The museum is housed in one of the old 'sheds' on the site of Swindon works in fact this is one of the first things you see when you enter the museum the size of the works was amazing.
You follow the history of the works and how locomotives and carriages were made, from the foundry to the finished train, plus history of the GWR.
Even if you have little or no interest in trains or the GWR I'm sure you will still find things to pique your curiosity.
We took about 3 hours to walk round but we were really following and reading all the information available.
The work under a steam train was incredible.
This would have been five star review but the café/restaurant is still not open after covid. However, there are cafes in the retail outlet which is nearby.
Written April 3, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
f1debs2014
Dudley, UK167 contributions
How long is it advisable to allow for a trip here?
Robarke
Guildford, UK26 contributions
At least two or three hours if you want to see and absorb everything that's available.
purplesmiler82
Staffordshire38 contributions
Hi, are there height barriers on the carpark or will we be able to get access with our motorhome???
Buddapies
Bedfordshire, UK152 contributions
Hi
You have to use the Designer Outlet Car park to visit the STEAM Museum. And I am afraid I do not remember if there were height restriction barriers. I have tried to Google for you but cannot find the information for you.
If you do go, the charge is £1.00 0-5 hrs and £12.00 5-10 hours. However you claim this back at the Helpdesk in the Designer outlet, just to your left as you enter the main entrance.
Sorry I could not be more help.
Helenlouise3
Llanelli, UK817 contributions
How much is the entry fee please?
Landorhope
Cirencester, UK70 contributions
Check the web site I have a yearly pass
is thereany disabled parking spaces
Edna P
Shoreham-by-Sea, UK28 contributions
Hi, only just seen your question, yes there are disabled parking spaces and also wheelchairs available.
KWHWoottonBassett
United Kingdom6 contributions
Is there any blue badge parking ?
Hellsbells305
14 contributions
They will open the gate outside Steam . Give them a ring. Reception are very helpful
Christopher C
Marlborough, UK
how much does cost to get in.
Robin W
Paignton, UK96 contributions
In July 2015, a consessionary cost us £6.80. According to the web site adult tickets are £8.50 and there are varoius family tickets available. Children (3-16) are chaged £6.30.
Christopher C
Marlborough, UK
how much does it cost to get in to the steam museum.
alanp145
Pontypool, UK10 contributions
£ 8.50 Feb 2017
Ali
5 contributions
Is there any ticket to go there or its free ?.
M J S
Oxford, UK2 contributions
Admission is charged. Adults are £8.50, children £6.30, Family tickets (in various combinations of adults and children) provide a small discount. Children under 3 are free. Students and Senior Citizens £6.80. Season tickets are good value = to cost of two visits as at time of writing.
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Claim your listingSTEAM - Museum of the Great Western Railway - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)
Frequently Asked Questions about STEAM - Museum of the Great Western Railway
- STEAM - Museum of the Great Western Railway is open:
- Sun - Sun 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
- Mon - Sat 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- Hotels near STEAM - Museum of the Great Western Railway:
- (0.30 mi) Holiday Inn Express Swindon City Centre, an IHG Hotel
- (0.61 mi) Travelodge Swindon West
- (0.30 mi) The Locomotive
- (0.29 mi) Town Centre Apartments
- (0.29 mi) Guild House
- Restaurants near STEAM - Museum of the Great Western Railway:
- (0.10 mi) wagamama swindon
- (0.07 mi) Platform One Cafe
- (0.11 mi) Pizza Express
- (0.09 mi) El Mexicana
- (0.11 mi) The Best Ever Brownie Outlet