British Sign Language Tour: Inside the Bridge
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Have you ever wanted to know what is inside the Clifton Suspension Bridge? Explore the vaults of Clifton Suspension Bridge that were only discovered 20 years ago with a British Sign Language (BSL) tour inside the bridge itself.
Join Lisa Lloyd-Flach (BSL Interpreter) and Laura Hilton (Bridge Historian) as they guide you through the hidden chambers underneath the bridge tower. Your adventure begins as you climb down a ladder and into a man-made cavern lost for 160 years!
This tour is delivered in British Sign Language (BSL). A video about the tour is available here.
If you do not use BSL or lip read, details of tours in spoken English are available here.
About the Tours
Your hosts Lisa and Laura will both wear orange high-vis vests with ‘Tour Guide’ on the back and orange hard hats with their names on. Lisa will wear a yellow lanyard with ‘BSL Interpreter’ written on it. Everyone must wear a white hard hat and a blue high-vis vest. You may wish to bring a beanie hat to wear under your hard hat for comfort.
Access
This tour involves walking along a woodland path with steps and climbing up and down a ladder. Inside the vaults, there is a short passage with a low ceiling. An Access Guide can be found here.
- Tours are suitable for age 7+ and under 18s must be accompanied by an adult
- There is a minimum height limit of 1.2m
- You will not be allowed to join the tour in heels, open-toed shoes, sandals or flip-flops
- It might be muddy inside the vaults, so wear clothes and shoes you do not mind getting dirty
- Please wear comfortable clothes suitable for climbing up and down a ladder
Arriving at the Museum:
The Education Workshop at the Museum is upstairs, on the left. There will be signs from the Museum entrance to the room.
The room will open 15 minutes before the start of the tour. If you would like Lisa to help complete the Safety Declaration, please arrive during this time.
Age restrictions: 7+
| Adult (General Admission) | £15 |
| Child (General Admission) | £15 |
What people are saying
Jul 2024
Thoroughly enjoyed the tour which was really interesting and very informative of how the bridge c...
Nov 2023
I really enjoyed going down the vaults and learning about how Brunel created them. So interestin...
Oct 2023
Really very absorbing living history lesson of the clifton suspension bridge and isambard brunel ...
How to get there
Facilities
- Baby changing
- Experience takes place outdoors
- Family friendly
- Toilets
On the day
The Museum does not have a car park. There are two spaces for blue badge holders. The closest pay & display parking is Burwalls Road.
It costs £1 to cross the bridge with a contactless card. Press and hold your card on the silver box at the top of the machine.
The No. 8 bus runs from Temple Meads to Clifton Village. Get off just after Tesco Express, Waterstones & The Quadrant Bar.
Changes happen, don't worry
You'll be hosted by
Clifton Supension Bridge
Clifton Suspension Bridge is an icon of human ingenuity, British engineering and Bristolian identity. The Clifton Suspension Bridge Trust is a not-for-profit charity that acts as a custodian for this iconic landmark. Their mission is to converse and maintain the bridge to the highest possible standards. Join them in celebrating this unique cultural site and source of inspiration.
With the help of dedicated volunteers, uncover the history behind this unique iron chain suspension bridge - now one of Europe's few remaining - in one of the Trust's historical tours. Enrich your understanding and appreciation for this site.
Clifton Suspension Bridge's multi award-winning free-entry Visitor Centre attracts 80,000 visitors each year. Sharing the story of the ‘ornament of Bristol’, unravelling the lost techniques and engineering secrets used to construct this bridge in an engaging way.
Any questions?
Ask your question directly to Clifton Suspension Bridge.