Name: Bursledon Brickworks Industrial Museum
Rating: 5.0

Bursledon Brickworks Industrial Museum

The Brickworks Museum, Swanwick Lane, Swanwick, Southampton SO31 7HB, UK

1-99 Years

Paid

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Description

The Brickworks Museum is a unique piece of British history located in Swanwick, between Southampton and Portsmouth. It is one of the best things to do with kids in Hampshire because it is an industrial museum category attraction that occupies the only remaining steam-driven brickworks in the country. Families can explore the massive kilns, see heavy machinery in action, and discover how the very bricks that built our cities were made.

Planning a visit is easy and affordable for a family afternoon out. Prices start from £5.00 for children, and the museum offers a special family ticket to help keep costs down. While the museum is open on specific days during the week, the real excitement happens during their monthly steam events when the whole site comes to life.

If you are looking for the best place for a day out with family and kids that combines gritty history with hands-on fun, this museum is a top choice. It provides an educational day out where children can get stuck into brick-making and learn about the Victorian steam age in an authentic setting. It is a fantastic spot for those who don't mind a little bit of dust in exchange for a lot of discovery.

Features

Paid
Host birthday parties: Yes

Features

Key Features

Hands-on Brick Making: A highlight of an educational day out where kids can actually mold their own brick using traditional methods.
Working Steam Engines: During special event days, families can witness interactive exhibits as the massive Victorian machinery huffs and puffs into life.
The Narrow Gauge Railway: Offers sensory play for train lovers with small-scale locomotives typically running during the big steam events.
Indoor Trail: An educational day out activity that keeps younger children engaged by hunting for specific items hidden around the massive drying sheds.

Top 5 Highlights

The Big Steam Engine: This is a "Helpful Peer" favourite because it’s the heart of the factory. Seeing the giant wheels turn and feeling the heat from the boiler helps kids understand how power worked before electricity.
The Brick-Making Bench: A major highlight for anyone who likes getting their hands dirty. Children can use real clay to make a miniature brick to take home, showing them that building things takes real effort.
The Drying Sheds: These highlights are enormous and feel like a giant maze. Walking through the endless rows of bricks waiting to be fired gives kids a real sense of the scale of the old industry.
The Pan Mill: A highlight where the clay was crushed. It’s loud and impressive, perfect for children who love heavy construction machinery and seeing how raw earth is turned into a building material.
The Resident Traction Engines: Often appearing at events, these "road locomotives" are a highlight because they look like something out of a storybook and show how bricks were moved before modern lorries.

Facilities

Toilets: Available on-site, including accessible facilities and baby changing.
Buggy Parking: The site is largely accessible, but the ground can be uneven, so sturdy prams are best.
Food & Drink: The Steam Pump Café serves homemade cakes, light lunches, and refreshments.

Pro-Tips for Parents

Steam Days are Best: Check the calendar for "Steam Up" events. The museum is much more exciting for kids when the engines are actually running.
Dress for Dust: This is a real Victorian factory. Don't wear your best clothes, as clay and dust are part of the fun.
Arrival Timing: On event days, arrive early to catch the first train rides, as the narrow gauge railway can get busy by midday.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it worth it for toddlers? While older kids get more from the machinery, toddlers enjoy the open spaces, the small trains on event days, and the novelty of playing with clay.
How long does a visit take? A standard visit takes about 2 hours, but on a "Steam Up" day with train rides and café stops, you can easily stay for 4 hours.
Where is the best place to park? There is plenty of free parking directly on-site, so you don't need to worry about city centre fees or long walks.
Are there cheap indoor activities in Hampshire? At £20 for a family ticket on standard days, this is one of the most affordable ways to keep kids entertained and learning indoors.

The Visitor Verdict: What Parents Really Think
What Visitors Love

Parents love how enthusiastic the volunteers are; they are always ready to explain how the machines work in a way kids understand.
The "Steam Up" days are frequently praised for being excellent value for money because of the extra activities like train rides.
Many mention the cafe's prices are very reasonable compared to larger commercial theme parks.

What Visitors Don't Like

Some visitors find the site a bit chilly in the winter, as the drying sheds are very large and open to the air.
A few parents noted that the ground can be a bit muddy after rain, so wellies are often a good idea.

What to see

Detailed Inventory

The Scotch Kiln: One of the original specific kilns used to bake thousands of bricks at once.
The Tangye Steam Engine: The specific stationary engine that once powered the entire site.
The Clay Pit: An outdoor area where the raw material for the bricks was originally dug.
The Pug Mill: A specific piece of machinery used for mixing clay to the right consistency.
Wagons and Carts: A collection of original transport vehicles used around the works.
The 'Brick Library': A specific exhibit featuring thousands of stamped bricks from all over the UK.
Miniature Traction Engines: Often on display during "Steam Up" Sundays.
The Chimney: A towering local landmark that kids can spot from far away.
The Engine House: The specific building housing the boilers and steam equipment.
Narrow Gauge Tracks: The rails that run through the site for the small internal trains.

Beyond the Main Attraction

Swanwick Lakes Nature Reserve: Located right next door, this is perfect for a woodland walk or a picnic after the museum.
The Old Ship Launch: A nearby spot in Bursledon for views of the River Hamble.
Whiteley Shopping Centre: A 5-minute drive away for family dining and more high-street shops.

New for 2026

The 2026 'Brick-Tech' Interactive: A brand-new digital display for 2026 that uses augmented reality to show the kilns "glowing" as they would have at full temperature.
Steam Power Workshop 2026: A newly launched activity station where kids can build simple wooden models of the machinery they’ve seen.

Events: For more upcoming events please visit here.

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Price

Price: Paid

Price Details

Admission Charges 2026

Adult: £8.00 with Gift Aid / £7.00 standard
Child (5–16): £6.00 with Gift Aid / £5.00 standard
Over 65 / Student: £7.00 with Gift Aid / £6.00 standard
Family (2 adults / 3 children): £23.50 with Gift Aid / £21.00 standard

Event Day Admission Charges 2026

Adult: £10.50 with Gift Aid / £9.50 standard
Child (5–16): £7.50 with Gift Aid / £6.50 standard
Over 65 / Student: £9.50 with Gift Aid / £8.50 standard
Family (2 adults / 3 children): £32.00 with Gift Aid / £29.00 standard

Pricing URL: https://thebrickworksmuseum.org/visit/tickets-admission/

Birthday Parties

Offer Birthday Parties: Yes

Birthday Party Details

The museum does not list specific "ready-to-book" birthday packages on the website. For private hire and event inquiries: Contact Email: [email protected]

11th March – 1st November 2026: Wednesdays, Thursdays & Sundays only
Opening Hours: 11:00am – 4:00pm
Last Entry: 3:00pm

Address: The Brickworks Museum, Swanwick Lane, Swanwick, Southampton SO31 7HB, UK

Post Code: SO31 7HB

Council: Swanwick

County: Hampshire

By Car: Located off Swanwick Lane. Use postcode SO31 7GW. It is easily reached from Junction 8 or 9 of the M27.
By Train: Swanwick Station is about a 20-minute walk away.
Parking: Large FREE car park available on-site.