The Museum ship "great Britain" was an ocean liner that plied between new York and Bristol. This passenger ship, one of the most advanced for its time. His project has created Isambard Kingdom Brunel, a talented engineer, author of the famous suspension bridge in Bristol. At that time there were ships with a metal case, there were steamers with screw engine – great Britain first possessed both. This is the first metal boat, which crossed the ocean in 1845 it took only 14 days.

Great Britain was launched in 1843 at the shipyards of Bristol. British shipbuilders at the time, appreciated all the advantages of the metal body of the ship – he was not afraid of rot or bugs-beetles, the body was lighter and more maneuverable. Besides wood in Britain was becoming more expensive, and metal, on the contrary, became cheaper. At the solemn descent ship on the water was attended by Prince albert.

The top two decks of the ship were a passenger, the lower cargo. The length of the ship is 98 meters, a displacement of 3,400 tons.

The boat made several trips to new York, but every voyage was accompanied by a succession of failures. In 1846 due to a navigation error, the ship ran aground off the coast of Ireland. Steamship company suffered major losses, and the ship was sold. Since 1851 great Britain made regular flights to Australia, carrying on Board thousands and thousands of immigrants.

She then served as a floating warehouse of coal in the Falkland Islands.

In 1970 the ship on the pontoon returned to Bristol, where, after the restoration and became a Museum. The ship is now in dry dock, the level of the waterline, the hull is glass, under which humidity is kept to a minimum to avoid further corrosion.