Slide 1
The British Balloon Museum & Library
Help save the past for the future
Slide 2
The British Balloon Museum & Library
Help save the past for the future
Slide 3
The British Balloon Museum & Library
Help save the past for the future

Welcome to the British Balloon Museum and Library

The British Balloon Museum and Library (BBM&L) is the official museum of the British Balloon and Airship Club. A small group of balloonists formed the BBM&L in 1979; we are a registered charity with the objective of preserving the many different items associated with, and used in, hot air and gas ballooning, and other forms of lighter-than-air flight. We have no physical museum to house our collection but, thanks to the National Lottery Heritage Fund, you can now explore many items in our collection for the first time online. The process of adding collection items to the website will be a gradual one, as more items are catalogued and photographed.

Explore the Collection

The BBM&L holds a large collection of artefacts from the sport of ballooning, both hot air and gas, plus a good number of items from the world of airships. Click on the links below to navigate to the category you want, where you can view images of these items along with their descriptions.

Search the Collection

Use the search box below to find a particular item, person or event.

Featured Object from the Collection

This is an engraving from one of the finest balloon paintings of all time, the water-colour by J. Dighton which is part of the Norman Collection in the Patent Office Library, and at present on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum. It shows Lunardi in his second balloon in which he ascended, on May 13th, 1785, from the Artillery ground at Moorfields, London, the scene of his first take-off.

Latest News and Events

We will post news items of interest here concerning people, balloons and airships. There will also be details of events as they become available.

View a selection of articles from our member magazine
As a thank you, we are offering you the chance to peak inside our quarterly membership magazine, Trailrope, to get a taste of the fascinating history of ballooning.

  In 1958 the Atlantic Ocean had yet to be conquered by balloon so it was big news
The annual BBM&L AGM lunch was a great success with a healthy number of people joining us at
The British Balloon Museum & Library are holding their AGM and Annual Luncheon on Sunday 27 October 2024, 12.00 for
The county’s first hydrogen balloon flight has been recreated by aviation enthusiasts on its 240th anniversary. Father of immunology Edward
A busy period came to an end for the BBM&L crews over the weekend of 17 August, with the most

Will you help preserve the history of ballooning?

Become a friend of the BBM&L now.

UK Friends of the British Balloon Museum & Library pay an annual subscription of £15, and it is £18 for Friends overseas. You will receive regular issues of our journal, Trailrope, and one of the much-prized BBM&L lapel badges. There are Inflation Days when historic balloons are given an airing and a great Annual Luncheon. Most important is the knowledge that you are helping to save what could so easily be lost.

This Day in History

6 February 1994
French pilot Vincent Dupuis came 1st in the 4th World Hot Air Balloon Championships held at Chateau d'Oex in Switzerland. Source: Result list

Educational resources for everyone

How does a balloon work?
How do you land?

Hot air balloons are colourful and inspiring, great to fire the imagination and create an enthusiasm for learning. Visit our Education section to learn more about them and to access teacher resources.

0
    0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyReturn to Shop
    Scroll to Top