Visit us
Kirkaldy’s Testing Works is a unique place to visit and to learn, where you can get up close and hands on with working, historic machines — right in the heart of London — and break something!
“How is this amazing piece of engineering history still here — and right opposite Tate Modern?! It’s the perfect visit for technically-minded and non-specialists alike — thank you Jane for including us all. It made us look at London’s bridges in a whole new light!” May 2025 visitor
Whether you are bringing the class, or the team, booking a bespoke event or private tour or joining us for a regular Premium tour* (which includes a live test run on the Universal Testing Machine) we love helping visitors of all ages experience this original and atmospheric 19th century workshop, within sight of some of London’s newest skyscrapers.
*We also offer a shorter, and slightly cheaper tour once a month without a demonstration of the ‘big’ Kirkaldy testing machine — all available dates and prices are on our booking page.
Kirkaldy’s Testing Works is a registered charity. We receive no funding and rely on the support of our visitors and partners to stay open. Find out how you can help.
Visiting Kirkaldy's Testing Works
We offer pre-booked visits both for our schools workshops and our visitor tours — please see info below We also offer bespoke experiences and events for groups, and exclusive individual tours. Please follow us on social media for updates.
What to expect
We now offer two Premium tours a month when you can see the Universal Testing Machine live in action, or ask about booking a bespoke visit (see below or get in touch). All visits include our video showing the story of the Testing Works and you may also have the chance to see some of our smaller machines in action.
Schools & Colleges — see the fundamentals of physics in action
Kirkaldy’s Testing Works is a unique STEM learning space for older students. We specialise in hands-on workshops for school and college Physics and D&T students in Year 12 and above, using our historic working machines to understand materials testing, take measurements and collect data, and bring principles of physics, such as Hooke’s Law and Young’s modulus, to life.
Our Materials Testing Workshop developed in partnership with teachers from Dulwich College, City of London School and Whitgift School specifically to support the A Level Physics syllabus. We can demonstrate tensile, impact and hardness testing and students conduct experiments themselves under supervision of our volunteers.
"We simply can't give our students this experience anywhere else" — London physics teacher
Contact us for prices and to arrange your school or college tour
Help us do more!
Help us develop other learning activities at the Testing Works. We love working with teachers and college lecturers who see other ways for these working machines in their authentic setting to inspire — e.g. in sculpture practice, or product development and design — but currently we can only welcome Year 12 students and above. In future, with the help of more volunteers, we would like to develop engaging activities in STEM, the arts or Victorian history for all year groups. If you are a teacher or education provider and would enjoy helping our volunteer team develop stimulating on-site and digital resources for all stages of education please get in touch
Private Tours and Kirkaldy Experiences
As well as our regular weekend public tours, we offer bespoke, private tours for pre-booked group visits. Please get in touch to discuss what you would like to do and find out about pricing — here are some suggestions:
Private group visits can start at 11am or 2pm — please reach out to us using links below for pricing
Group Workshop Visit
Discover the history of the Testing Works guided by one of our knowledgeable volunteers, just for your group.
The Workshop Visit reveals how and why David Kirkaldy opened his Testing Works here in 1874, with explanations of the machines, as well as a video on the history of the works showing a filmed test run on the ‘big', Universal Testing Machine. It can also include a demonstration of one of our smaller working historic machines — please discuss this when booking.
Talk and private group tour NOT including live test run of Universal Testing Machine: up to 2 hours up to 25 people
Live Test Run
Experience the mighty Grade II* Universal Testing Machine, live in action!
In addition to a general guided tour led by our volunteers, including the context of the Testing Works and explanations of the machines, plus our video, this visit will also include a live demonstration of David Kirkaldy’s massive Universal Testing Machine itself.
We can also offer your group a hands on demonstration of one of the smaller testing machines — please discuss this when booking.
Talk and private group tour including live run on the Universal Testing Machine: up to 2 hours up to 25 people
Please note, private group visits usually start at either 11am or 2pm. If you need a different time please reach out to discuss with our volunteer coordinator
Corporate Events
Are you, like David Kirkaldy, all about ‘Facts not Opinions’, innovation and individuality? Kirkaldy’s Testing Works is the quirkiest, yet well-located, venue you can find for your off-site team get-together, celebration or launch. See Hire for more information.
As well as offering the most fascinating, informal London venue we can also, if you would like, include a bespoke short introduction to the Testing Works, and let you break something on one of our machines, or you can just enjoy music, a drink and a catch up alongside the mighty Universal Testing Machine!
Bespoke events with or without a full tour, for up to 25 people
“These days engineering students rarely get to see huge machines break things. Here they can get hands on with the fundamental challenges they’ll face in their future work.”
University lecturer, London
Creative and cultural – your next event could be here!
Kirkaldy’s Testing Works and the Universal Testing Machine provide a unique creative venue for new experimentation and collaboration – inspiring future generations of scientists and artists alike to continue enquiring into the properties of the materials on which we build our lives.
We have hosted residencies by artists including James Capper, Bompas & Parr, Oscillatorial Binnage. In partnership with Illuminate Productions we are also experienced at developing cultural and educational productions that animate and interpret Kirkaldy’s Testing Works, bringing them to new audiences.
For more information please email us, or get in touch on social media.
Find us
Kirkaldy’s Testing Works
99 Southwark Street
London
SE1 0JF
Tube
Southwark | London Bridge | Borough | Waterloo
all within ten minutes walk