EducationEducation at Kew Bridge Steam Museum
Schools Learning
During the reign of Queen Victoria the population of London rapidly grew beyond the capabilities of the wells and pumps that traditionally had supplied Londoners with their water. Steam engines, the driving force behind the Industrial Revolution, provided the solution to the question of how to meet the growinf demans for water.
Kew Bridge Steam Museum's education programmes are designed to explore the technology and insustry behind the Victorian water supply system and how it affected people's lives.
The various options detailed in this brochuire allow teachers to build a bespoke visit that meets their specific needs.
All of the sessions detailed on this website are suitable for Key Stage 2 requirements. if you wish to discuss alternative options, please contact our Education Officer at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Adult & Extended Learning
Kew Bridge Steam Museum has an extensive archive covering steam pumping engines and the water supply industry, focusing largely on the history of London's water supply.
The Museum has tried to collect material directly relating to water supply and it’s associated technologies, and in particular steam power. Much of the material in the archive is of a technical nature, documents which can give detailed insights into the engineering standards and practices of the times. However oral history interviews with former employees give more personal impressions of what life was like at the waterworks, and historic staff lists and staff magazines are increasingly accessed by researchers interested in local and family history.
More details of our archive collection are available in our Archive Guide.
We welcome researchers and will be happy to arrange a session with one of our archivists.
