Volunteers crew Pyronaut for real-life response for first time in over 50 years
Posted on by Saffron Smolka.
This Volunteers’ Week, we’re recognising the contribution volunteers make across Bristol Museums with a particularly special story!
On Tuesday 26 May that contribution extended beyond the museum.
As temperatures rose, Plimsoll Bridge on Bristol Harbour became stuck open after expanding in the heat, causing disruption to traffic. The Bristol Harbour Authority called Avon Fire and Rescue Service to come and hose the surface to cool it down. But what to do about the underneath of the bridge?
This is where volunteers joined our Working Exhibits team and rushed to hop on board Pyronaut, the historic fireboat from Bristol Museums’ collection. This was the first time in over 50 years that the boat has been used for a real life ‘shout’.
Pyronaut displaying its water cannons
A working exhibit in use
Pyronaut is usually moored outside M Shed as part of our working exhibits. Built in Bristol in 1934, it was designed to fight fires in the docks and served the city for nearly 40 years. The vessel celebrated its 90th birthday in 2024, and its powerful water cannons are still used for demonstrations at events such as the Bristol Harbour Festival.
The trained volunteer crew operated the boat’s water cannons to help cool the bridge from below, supporting the response on top of the bridge.
You can see a short clip of Pyronaut in action under Plimsoll Bridge on Bristol Museums Instagram
Volunteers’ Week 1-7 June
Thanks to the dedication of our volunteers, Pyronaut is still a working vessel. That means it can take part in demonstrations, offer trips around the harbour, and, when needed, step in to help in real situations.
Moments like this show the unique role museums can play in city life. We don’t just preserve objects, we keep skills, knowledge and stories alive.
And none of that would be possible without our volunteers.
This Volunteers’ Week, we want to say a huge thank you to all our volunteers across our museums, from supporting annual events such as Lunar New Year, to helping with school groups learning at our museums, to greeting the public at our historic houses and so much more! Your time, enthusiasm and expertise make a real difference, sometimes in ways no one could predict!
Find out more about volunteering with Bristol Museums