Our small branch site tells the story of Reading's two rivers - the Kennet and the Thames - the Riverside Museum occupies two Listed former waterworks buildings, the Screen House and the Turbine House. It is open every day from April to September, from 10am to 6pm.
The Screen House displays our beautiful gypsy caravan built by Reading firm Dunton and Sons to the 'Ledge' design, and a video about gypsy life. You can also see a variety of objects illustrating life by the river, from stuffed fish to regatta tickets, including a medieval wooden wheel from St Giles Mill found during archaeological excavations at the site of The Oracle shopping centre.
The Turbine House is a unique Victorian building that spans the River Kennet, with views across the water. It houses preserved turbine machinery and since 2003 has been hosting a programme of summertime art exhibitions and events by the local cultural community.
The Riverside Museum a 15 to 20 minute stroll from Reading Museum through the historic Abbey Quarter. Find out how to get to the Riverside Museum.
Riverside Museum Summer 2018
Summer Season 2018:
Mon 23 – Mon 30 April: Intermedial - Helen Cripps
Wed 9 – Sun 13 May: You just couldn’t remember and I just couldn’t forget – Laura de Moxom & Lisa-Marie Gibbs
Sat 26 May – Sat 8 June: Colour, Light and Transparency – Print in the Park
Wed 13 – Mon 18 June: Hung drawn and quartered: Photographs of the Abbey restoration - Chris Forsey
Fri 22 June - Tues 3 July: WATER: rivers and seas - Percy Allum
Fri 6 - Sun 15 July: To the Power of 3 - Fong Scott, Heather McAteer, Sarah Read
Sat 28 July - Sun 5 Aug: Connections - Creative Exchange artists
Thur 9 - Sat 18 Aug: Plant and Plot - Kate Corder
Tues 20 - Sun 2 Sept: Reading's First World War - Reading Museum
Wed 5 - Sun 16 Sept: Landscape, Energy, Structure, Art - Michael Garaway, Lynda South
Exhibiting at the Turbine House
To enquire about exhibiting or for further information about the summer programme of community art exhibitions at the Turbine House please e-mail us.
Riverside Museum is opened by our partners at the neighbouring Bel and the Dragon restaurant.
An outstanding and astonishing tiny museum. I love it!
Riverside Museum visitor
