The ss Great Britain Trust has received a £250,000 donation towards the building of the Brunel Institute learning centre.

The money will help pay for fitting out and running the institute, which will open next year as an educational centre and home to a national Brunel archive.

The trust has secured £3.9 million towards its £6m target so far.

This latest grant – one of the biggest – came from Viridor Credits Environmental Company, which funds community and environmental improvement projects.

Trust fundraiser Vanessa Edwards said: "This represents a major investment in the nation's future, as well as the past, through the Brunel Institute's education programmes, the archive and library.

"This funding is a major boost for the Brunel Institute Founders' Campaign and will help us create a conservation and learning centre which Bristol will be proud of, and which will be a fitting legacy to Brunel – the UK's greatest engineer."

Patrick Capper, chief executive officer of Viridor Credits Environmental Company, said: "We are delighted to be able to assist in this initiative that will preserve and further the knowledge base of one of the world's greatest engineers."

The institute will be built on the site of the Great Western Dockyard, next to the ss Great Britain.

It will house a maritime library and archive, Brunel-related materials and maritime photographs, plans, books and papers. There will be a learning and outreach centre for schoolchildren, designed to help them become "Brunels of the future".

The project is a joint venture between the trust and house builder Linden Homes, which is building 145 flats as part of the £30m scheme.