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The Watermans Centre is one of West London's finest arts and cultural venues. Watermans is especially noted for its promotion of Asian arts, particularly in the fields of visual arts, theatre and comedy. It also houses a leading independent cinema, gallery spaces and a noted Indian restaurant.
Watermans Arts Centre, commonly known as Watermans, is a cultural organisation based in the London Borough of Hounslow, England. Formed in the 1970s, it operated a physical arts centre on the River Thames in Brentford from the mid-1980s until its closure in April 2024. The organisation continues to curate outdoor performances, digital art projects, and community programs across the borough while working toward securing a new permanent facility."About Watermans". Watermans. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
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Something of an undiscovered gem. It houses a vast collection of working automatic musical instruments, from barrel organs to player pianos and beyond. Tours with knowledgeable and highly enthusiastic guides are highly recommended, as is the opportunity to listen to the Mighty Wurlitzer (which rises from the floor in the main auditorium). In addition to its function as a museum, the venue also hosts occasional cinema screenings of classic films (preceded by music from the Mighty Wurlitzer, or - in the case of silent film - accompanied by it) and houses a popular cafe with Thames views. Among the unusual (and hard-to-find) items usually available in the gift shop are clocks made from 78 rpm shellac discs, and original player piano rolls.
Fans of British TV may be interested to know that the riverside area to the south of Brentford High Street is frequently used for outdoor filming by popular series such as ITV's The Bill. The backdrop of the estate (sited on the former Brentford Dock, the terminus for GWR trains transferring goods to the Thames) appears frequently in shows requiring a 'gritty', urban atmosphere. The northern aspect of the Brentford Dock estate belies its extremely picturesque marina (filled with a variety of narrowboats, Dutch barges and pleasure craft) and waterside views, however. Indeed, for connoisseurs of post-war architecture, Brentford Dock is often cited as an example of a successful and aesthetically-pleasing social housing development from a period most commonly characterised by its failures.
formerly known as 'Kew Bridge Steam Museum'
This museum of London's water supply is well worth a visit for anyone with an interest in the industrial revolution. Housed in the former Kew Bridge Pumping Station (a fascinating building in its own right), the Steam Museum possesses the finest collection of steam-pumping engines in the world. Different engines are to be seen working on different days, so it is worth checking the website before visiting if a particular engine is of interest. Themed days are a feature of the Steam Museum's calendar, and the purchase of an entry ticket permits limitless further visits throughout the following year.
"The Bees" play soccer in the Premier League, the game's top tier. They play at Brentford Community Stadium, capacity of 17,250. In 2022 the stadium hosted games in the UEFA Women's Euro Finals, postponed from 2021.
The stately home of the Dukes of Northumberland for 400 years, Syon House and its 200-acre estate are located between Brentford and Isleworth. The main house was built to a design by the English architect Robert Adams, the grounds laid out by Capability Brown. The Great Conservatory, commissioned to be built in 1826, was featured in the Peter Cook and Dudley Moore film Bedazzled, and is a popular local wedding venue; Syon House itself has appeared in a vast number of period dramas. Well worth a visit.
Attractive riverside area, with many imposing listed buildings (including several pubs) alongside the River Thames. Be careful though, as the riverside path is liable to flooding at high tide.