Enjoy the festivities at Swindon’s STEAM Museum this Christmas

STEAM – Museum of the Great Western Railway has been beautifully decorated for the festive season and online bookings are now open for the rest of the year.

Visitors are invited to take part in a special Christmas adventure through the museum with a new Christmas card trail. The activity is included with standard admission to STEAM and participants will help the postman find the seven vintage railway Christmas cards that have been lost in the museum as people walk round. Trails are suitable for all ages, with different versions available for adults and older children, plus younger children.

STEAM is open every day except Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

To limit overall visitor numbers, all visitors and season ticket holders need to book online in advance through the STEAM website: www.steam-museum.org.uk

STEAM’s award-winning displays offer a great day out with something for everyone to enjoy. Housed in a restored grade II listed railway building, the Swindon Borough Council-owned museum takes visitors on a journey into the heart of the Great Western Railway. Exhibition areas celebrate the men and women who built, travelled on and operated the GWR, under the direction of renowned Victorian engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

Councillor Robert Jandy, Cabinet Member for Culture, Heritage, Leisure and Town Centre Experience, said: “STEAM is a great place for all of the family to explore and spend quality time together over the festive period.

“Swindon’s rich industrial history is brought to life with immersive reconstructions and museum interactives, so you can have a go at driving the steam-train simulator, get up close to iconic Swindon-built locomotives, or take part in the new Christmas Card trail.”

Visitors to STEAM will also be able to view the museum’s new special exhibitions for 2021, exploring the social life and comprehensive health services offered to Swindon Works employees. ‘The Doctor Will See You Now’ looks at the cradle to grave healthcare service introduced by the GWR’s Medical Fund Society. ‘Work, Rest and Play’ shows how the GWR supported the town’s growth through the construction of new facilities and institutions.

The STEAM shop also has a great range of gifts for anyone looking for any last-minute Christmas gifts or ideas for spending Christmas money on, from mounted prints by internationally-acclaimed artist and muralist, Ken White, to books, stocking fillers and GWR clothing. Visitors are requested to pay by card in the STEAM shop.

Follow the museum on Facebook and Instagram (@SteamMuseum), or Twitter (@Steam_Museum).