About Us

Museum History

 

Restoration: The Museums of Reading

1993 The first of the new Museum galleries is opened, telling the Story of Reading and displaying the Bayeux Tapestry facsimile. The museum is renamed as the 'Museum of Reading'.


The Silchester Eagle

1995 The Silchester Gallery and the Special Exhibitions Gallery open.

1996 School loans Service relocates to Museum of Reading from Yeomanry House.

1996 The Thames Water Collection (previously the Thames Conservancy Collection) was donated to the Museum by Thames Water.

Art Gallery restoration
The transformation of the
Victorian Art Gallery during the
Heritage Lottery funded restoration

1997 Museum is awarded a Heritage Lottery Fund grant for the final phase of restoration. Work starts in 1998 restoring the Concert Hall and creating six new galleries.

2000 The current galleries were opened by Chris Smith MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sports.

2004 After two years of extensive refurbishment the new Riverside Museum opens on the site of Blake's Lock. The Museum tells the story of Reading's rivers and was developed in partnership with the Bel and The Dragon restaurant.

Previous period: 1950 to 1992

BACK        TOP
About Us - News & Events
Corporate Membership - Hands-on Learning - Collections - Galleries
Shop - Links - Home & Search - Contact - Copyright