London Museum of Water and Steam

The London Museum of Water and Steam is an independent museum in a former waterworks facility with steam engines and water pumping equipment housed in Victorian-era buildings. The structures date back to the historic Kew Bridge Waterworks and contain various machinery and equipment on display.

The Grand Junction Waterworks Company founded the pumping station in 1838 to supply London with water. It later became a museum in 1975 to preserve the story of steam technology.

The site holds the world's largest collection of working Cornish engines and shows how London's water was pumped long ago. Visitors can see how people operated massive steam machines over a century ago.

The museum is generally open Thursday through Sunday, allowing visitors to watch the machines in operation. Summer school holidays bring additional Wednesday openings, offering more flexibility for planning your visit.

The site operates a narrow-gauge railway with a steam locomotive named after engineer Thomas Wicksteed. This small railway complements the exhibits and gives visitors a hands-on experience with historical transport.

Location: Brentford

Inception: 1975

Accessibility: Wheelchair limited access

Address: Green Dragon Lane, Brentford TW8 0EN

Opening Hours: Thursday-Sunday 10:00-16:00; July 22-August 28 Wednesday 10:00-16:00; SH 10:00-16:00

Website: https://waterandsteam.org.uk

GPS coordinates: 51.48900,-0.29040

Latest update: December 8, 2025 19:53