Reading Museum facts for kids
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The entrance to the Reading Museum within Reading Town Hall
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| Established | 1883 |
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| Location | Reading, Berkshire, UK |
| Type | Local museum |
| Public transit access | Reading railway station |
The Reading Museum is a cool place to learn about the history of Reading. This town is in the county of Berkshire, England. The museum is inside the Reading Town Hall. It shows you how Reading grew over time. You can also see amazing things found from an old Roman town nearby. Plus, there's a famous copy of the Bayeux Tapestry!
Contents
History of the Museum
The Reading Town Hall was built in different stages. This happened between 1786 and 1897. A famous architect named Alfred Waterhouse designed its main front in 1875. In 1879, work began on a new part of the building. This new section was planned to hold a library and a museum.
The museum officially opened its doors in 1883. It showed a huge and varied collection of items. These items came from a person named Horatio Bland. Later, in 1897, three art galleries were added.
In 1975, the town offices moved out of the Town Hall. They went to the Reading Civic Centre. The Reading Central Library also moved in 1985. This left only the museum and a concert hall in the building. There was talk about tearing down the Town Hall. But plans changed, and instead, the building was fixed up starting in 1986. The museum closed for a while in 1989. It then reopened in stages from 1993 to 2000.
Main Galleries to Explore
Story of Reading Gallery
This gallery tells the story of Reading. It starts from when it was a Saxon village. That was way back in the 6th century! It shows how Reading grew all the way to today. You can listen to people's stories and try interactive displays. There are also real objects from different time periods. A big part of this gallery focuses on Reading Abbey.
The Silchester Gallery
This gallery is full of amazing finds. These items were dug up from Calleva Atrebatum. This was a Roman town near Reading. You can see models and learn about Roman life. One special item is the bronze Silchester eagle. This eagle became famous in a children's book. It was called The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff.
People dug up the Roman town of Calleva Atrebatum in the 1860s. They found many different things. These included jewelry, fancy glass, and pottery. They also found sculptures, mosaics, iron tools, and coins. Many of these items are now in this gallery. Important items include the Silchester eagle and the Silchester Horse. There is also a model of the Roman town.
Atrium
This area is a nice place to sit down. It has a Roman mosaic on the floor. This mosaic came from the Silchester site. People think a 4th-century Christian church might have been there. On the wall, you can see two large mosaics from Silchester. Next to them are pots made by Alan Caiger-Smith.
The Bayeux Gallery
Reading Museum has a very accurate copy of the Bayeux Tapestry. Thirty-five women from the Leek Embroidery Society made it in 1885. This copy is the only full-size woven replica of the original tapestry.
The tapestry is 70 meters long! It shows the events of the Norman Conquest of England. This happened when William, Duke of Normandy, took over in 1066. You can see the lead-up to the fight. Then it shows the preparations for war. Finally, it shows the big Norman victory at the Battle of Hastings. Information boards help you understand the old Latin words. They also tell you about the history of the conquest. The last part of the original tapestry is missing. This part showed William becoming king. The events in the tapestry are important to Reading. King William's youngest son, Henry I, started Reading Abbey in 1121. He was buried there in 1136.
The gallery also has information about Saxon life. You can learn about Viking raids in the local area too.
The Green Space
This gallery explains the rocks and nature of the Reading area. It has many different specimens on display. It explores Reading's history from 400 million years ago! It shows what was here before people existed. It also explains how humans have changed the landscape. This includes changes since the Stone Age.
The gallery also shows animals and plants living in Reading today. You can see a complete Iron Age dog skeleton. It was found at Blewburton hillfort. There is also a royal red deer stag. George V gave it to the museum from his royal herd. This herd lives at Windsor Great Park.
Huntley & Palmers Gallery
This gallery tells the story of biscuit making. This industry was once very important to Reading. It focuses on the Huntley and Palmers company. They were world-famous biscuit makers from Reading. The display shows how they made biscuits in huge numbers. It also explains why Reading was called the 'Biscuit Town'.
You can see what factory life was like for thousands of workers. There are recordings, photos, and old films. One film is the oldest surviving film of a British factory. Highlights include about 300 fancy biscuit tins. There are also old advertisements and other items. You can see an African thumb piano. It was made from a Huntley & Palmers biscuit tin! There's even a biscuit given to Captain Scott. He took it on his last trip to the Antarctic. And don't miss the famous 'Kate Greenaway' biscuit tin. It still makes the company blush today!
The Windows Gallery
This gallery is called The Windows Gallery. It's like a 'window' into the museum's art collection. It has sculptures and decorative art. These range from 12th-century stones from Reading Abbey to modern pieces. You can see works by Rodin and Epstein.
This part of the museum used to be the Reading School of Art. So, it was designed to have lots of natural light. This light came from the windows on both sides. Important items here include 12th-century stone carvings from Reading Abbey. There are also sculptures by Rodin, Epstein, and Gibbings. You can also see Delftware plates and other ceramics.
The Sir John Madejski Art Gallery
This gallery looks like the museum's original Victorian era art gallery. It shows different art exhibitions. It is named after John Madejski. He was the chairman of Reading F.C..
The Exhibition Gallery
This space is for special, changing exhibitions. These can be from the museum's own collection. Or they can be from other places. For example, in late 2004, it had an exhibition. This show was about the history of the Reading Festival.
Visiting the Museum
It's free to visit the museum! As of February 2020, it is open from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM from Tuesday to Friday. On Saturdays, it's open from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The museum is closed all day on Monday and Sunday. There might be exceptions for holidays.
Charitable Work
The Reading Foundation for Art started in 1974. Its goal was to build an art collection. This collection would make life better for local people. It would also improve the culture of Reading. Now, it has over 150 artworks. These are on long-term loan to Reading Museum. The foundation is a registered charity.
