Reading Museum
Discover stories from the history of Reading, its people, and our collections.
NEW Behind the Scenes: Collection Tour | Reading Museum
NEW Behind the Scenes: Collection Tour | Reading Museum
A guided tour of the Museum’s offsite store in Whitley, where most of the collections that are not on display are kept. The tour will last about one hour. An experienced guide will point out highlights and there will also be an opportunity to handle some objects. Where: Directions will be sent by email five days before the tour. When: Wednesday 4 February 2026, 11:00am Who: Adults and accompanied children over 12 (max. 6 people per tour) Price: £20 adults, £10 under 18s.
Plan your visit
Plan your visit to Reading Museum
Plan your visit to Reading Museum
Welcome to Reading Museum Reading Museum is based in the Victorian Town Hall right in the centre of town. Discover our Huntley & Palmers biscuit tin collection, archaeology from Roman Silchester and Reading Abbey, our famous Victorian copy of the Bayeux Tapestry, Reading's natural history, modern art and sculpture, and much more, whilst a short walk away through the Abbey Quarter is the Riverside Museum at Blake's Lock. Don't forget to visit our museum shop and then relax in The Pantry cafe. We would love to know what you thought about your visit, please take part in our visitor survey. We suggest a donation of £5 per adult visitor to keep admission free.
Jane Austen 250 - 2025
Jane Austen 250 - 2025
Celebrate Jane Austen's 250th Birthday in 2025 and visit her school! 2025 marks the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth and we’ll be celebrating throughout the year. Reading has many connections to Jane Austen and her family. Reading Museum cares for the historic Abbey Gateway where Jane and her sister Cassandra attended the Reading Ladies Boarding School in 1785-1786. The school is often cited as the inspiration for Austen’s Mrs Goddard’s School in Emma. You can visit by booking a guided tour or one of our talks below.
Shop
Bayeux Tapestry tea towels at the Reading Museum shop
Bayeux Tapestry tea towels at the Reading Museum shop
Events
Reading's DIGITAL Revolution
Reading's DIGITAL Revolution
Discover the story of how Reading helped shape the future of technology. This ground-breaking project celebrates the 60th anniversary of Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) opening its first UK office here in 1964, a milestone that transformed our town into a hub of innovation and laid the foundations for the UK’s own ‘Silicon Valley.’ Made possible by the National Lottery Heritage Fund in partnership with The National Museum of Computing, this is the first project to chart Reading’s pivotal role in the digital age. Explore the journey below and uncover the legacy that changed everything.
Bayeux Tapestry Tours
Bayeux Tapestry Tours
Blog
A Royal Miniature Mystery Solved: Huntley & Palmers and Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House | Reading Museum
A Royal Miniature Mystery Solved: Huntley & Palmers and Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House | Reading Museum
Reading to Australia - imprisoned 12,000 miles away from home
Reading to Australia - imprisoned 12,000 miles away from home
Guest blog written by Julian Scola 7am. 296 Henley Road, Reading. Tuesday June 11. A knock on the door! Two plain clothed police officers came to arrest my father, Giorgio Scola, and his brother John. It’s the year 1940. Their offence? Being ‘enemy aliens’ – Italians living in Britain when Italy had declared war (just the evening before).
Arctic Birds On the Wing
Arctic Birds On the Wing
Reading Station 180 Years
Reading Station 180 Years
Reading Station opened on 30th March 1840 and in 2020 we are celebrating its 180th birthday. The railways changed life in Reading for good. They made transport for travellers and businesses easier and cheaper than ever before and created jobs for thousands of local people. In this blog we discover key moments in the story of Reading Station and see how it has become part of Reading.
A Brief History of DEC in Reading
A Brief History of DEC in Reading
Women in Roman Britain
Women in Roman Britain
Reading Walks Festival 2025
Reading Abbey Gateway Rooftop Tour
Reading Abbey Gateway Rooftop Tour
Historic Reading Walking Tour
Historic Reading Walking Tour
Our Green Stories: Local to Global Walking Tour
Our Green Stories: Local to Global Walking Tour
Book now at Reading Walks Festival What Reading Museum and the MERL have been exploring climate change, sustainability and biodiversity loss through Our Green Stories. Join Reading Museum’s Angela Houghton to look for urban nature and explore the links between the town’s history and impact on the wider world. Following this we’re hoping to make a self-guided ‘Green Stories’ walking tour between the museums so this will be a test of our ideas – tell us what you think afterwards! Who Adults and older children When Thursday 15 May 2025, 2:00pm - 3:00pm Booking £10 per person Space are limited so booking is necessary Book online following this link Reading Walks Festival
Tech Town Walk
Tech Town Walk
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