The Museum of Reading is located in the old Town Hall in Reading in the English county of Berkshire. It contains galleries describing the history of Reading and its related industries, a gallery of artifacts discovered during the excavations of Silchester Roman Town, a copy of the Bayeux Tapestry and an art collection.

History of the museum

The oldest part of Reading's old Town Hall is the Victoria Hall, which was constructed in 1786. In 1875 an extension and new frontage was designed in Victorian Gothic style by the architect Alfred Waterhouse. Its clock tower is still a distinctive Reading landmark.

In 1879 the foundation stone was laid for a new wing containing a library and museum, and the museum duly opened in 1883. Three art galleries were added in further extension in 1897.

In 1975 the civic offices moved out of the Town Hall, followed shortly after by the public library, leaving only the museum and concert hall in use. After some debate, plans to demolish the Town Hall and replace it with a new cultural centre were dropped, and in 1986 refurbishment of the building started. The museum was closed for renewal in 1989, reopening in stages from 1993 (the Reading: People & Place gallery) to 2000.

Principal galleries

The Reading: People & Place gallery documents Reading's history, from its origins as a Saxon settlement in the 6th century up to today, with a mixture of oral history presentations, interactive displays and a mix of real objects from the period.

The Silchester Gallery features many archeological finds from the excavations conducted at the nearby Silchester Roman Town, together with explanatory models and other information on life in the Roman town.

The Bayeux Gallery contains the UK's only copy of the famous Bayeux Tapestry, made in 1885, together with information on the history of Saxon migration and Viking raids in the local area.

The Green Space explains the geology and natural history of the Reading area, with a wide range of specimens.

The Huntley & Palmers Gallery explains the history of the biscuit making industry that was once one of the mainstays of the Reading econonomy, with special emphasis of the Huntley and Palmers company.

The Windows Gallery displays the museums collection of sculpture and decorative art, ranging from 12th century pieces from Reading Abbey to modern pieces by Rodin and Epstein.

The John Madejski Art Gallery is a recreation of the museums original Victorian art gallery and houses changing exhibitions of art works. It is named for John Madejski, the chairman of Reading F.C..

The Exhibition Gallery houses changing exhibitions, both from the museum's collection and external sources. As an example, at the time of writing (December 2004) the gallery contains an exhibition on the history of the Reading Festival.

Access

The museum is free to visit. At the time of writing (December 2004) it is open Tuesday to Saturday 10:00 to 16:00 and Sundays 11:00 to 16:00.

External links

• Museum of Reading website (http://www.readingmuseum.org.uk/)