Reading Museum

Reading Museum has 2 sites, Reading Museum and Town Hall and Riverside Museum at Blake's Lock, both of which are free to visit! Discover all about the social history, art, natural history, archaeology and more in this great museum with 12 galleries to explore!

The galleries (a cool 11 at the town hall, and 1 more at the Riverside), are packed with truly amazing objects, both local and global, and offer the opportunity to find out about Reading's 1,000 years of fascinating history, from Saxon beginnings, to the hi tech place it is today! Highlights include a unique Victorian copy of the Bayeux Tapestry, important archaeological finds from medieval Reading and Roman Silchester, and the famous Huntley and Palmers biscuit tins.

The collections are not just confined to the galleries, so look out for displays of artefacts and ceramics on the walls of the foyers, and a number of other items that have been installed throughout the building. There are huge mosaics to marvel at in the Atrium, a collection of historic objects dredged from the river Thames, plus the excitingly interactive Box Room, where you can handle real objects from the Museum's varied collection!

There is so much to see and do here, so make sure you allow time to visit the Riverside Museum too, which tells the story of the 2 rivers in Reading, the Kennet and the Thames, and contains a fantastic gypsy caravan!