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Reading Museum
@readingmuseum.bsky.social
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Posts from Reading Museum. We share stories from the history of the town of Reading, its people, its wildlife, and our collections.

www.readingmuseum.org.uk
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10% off everything today at our online museum shop for Museum Shop Sunday, including our exclusive Bayeux Tapestry gifts.

Support your local museum and do some Christmas shopping 🎄

reading-museum-shop.myshopify.com
Reading museum shop products including 10% off on 30th November for Museum Shop Sunday
November 30, 2025 at 9:22 AM
readingmuseum.bsky.social
This week's #FridayFinds is a familiar sight to locals - though usually with more buses, less livestock!🐴

The watercolour was painted c.1795, artist unknown, showing Market Place and St Lawrence's Church, Reading.

Any other local sites you'd like to step back in time to see?

Object no: 1954.3.1🖼️
Watercolour showing the marketplace in Reading in the late 1700s - there is a church in the background and the marketplace is busy with people, carts, horses and cows. From Reading Museum's collection.
November 28, 2025 at 4:42 PM
readingmuseum.bsky.social
Discover unique gifts and support local makers this Sunday with 10% off everything online for Museum Shop Sunday, including exclusive Bayeux Tapestry gifts

Support your local museum and do some Christmas shopping!

reading-museum-shop.myshopify.com

#MuseumShopSunday #ShopLocal #SustainingCulture
Reading Museum shop gifts including Bayeux Tapestry books, teas towels and mugs
November 26, 2025 at 2:23 PM
readingmuseum.bsky.social
Have you ever tasted medlar fruits? They are ancient sweet tasting fruits, that need to soften before eating. Not as popular nowadays, they were brought to Britain by the Romans.
This medlar fruit stone was discovered at the Roman town near Silchester. 1934.114.3.586 Reading Museum
#FridayFinds
strip of card with a dried medlar fruit stone in the centre, Reading Museum
November 21, 2025 at 10:06 AM
readingmuseum.bsky.social
We have lots of lovely festive events coming up at Reading Museum. More information on the website www.readingmuseum.org.uk/whats-on-rea...
christmas at Reading Museum poster with events happening from November onwards. Bright red background and christmas style decorations around the text.
November 19, 2025 at 4:22 PM
readingmuseum.bsky.social
Great event this week with Digital Destinations.
Young people visited the exhibition and connected with tech companies to find out about digital carreers.
Thanks to everyone who took part and to Berkshire Education Business Partnership and REDA.
@heritagefunduk.bsky.social
Young people visit the Digital exhibition at Reading Museum. a large gallery view with several young people looking at objects.
November 19, 2025 at 12:07 PM
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From Tuesday 18 to Friday 21 November our Huntley & Palmers Gallery will be closed for essential works 🛠️

The rest of the Museum will be open as normal

To plan your visit go to www.readingmuseum.org.uk/your-visit-reading-museum
The Huntley and Palmers Gallery at Reading Museum
November 18, 2025 at 9:16 AM
readingmuseum.bsky.social
See our newest artwork in the Welcome Gallery. This embroidered, applique panel was inspired by the artist's second great grandmother, Francine, who had been bought out of slavery by act of manumission.
'Deed of Manumission', 2025, by Chris Mercier. 2025.43.1
Reading Foundation for Arts
#FridayFinds
Embroidered artwork of figure holding written document. Reading Museum
November 14, 2025 at 10:40 AM
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Today's @artukdotorg.bsky.social #OnlineArtExchange theme is photographic portraiture 📷

Peter Hawkes captured this candid moment in 1987. He was one of several local photographers who contributed to a project documenting 24 hours in Reading, Friday 5 - Saturday 6 June that year.

Caption ideas? 👇
Black and white photo showing two young children seated in a pushchair. One child holds a baby bottle and both are wearing jackets. The pushchair frame and canopy are visible in the background. Photo by Peter Hawkes, from Reading Museum's collection
November 13, 2025 at 12:39 PM
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Today's #Museum30 theme is #digital 💻
Believe it or not, this DEC HiNote laptop (indirectly) helped break the sound barrier - it was used to support the Thrust SuperSonic Car which broke the land speed record in 1997, and is still coated with dust from the Nevada desert where the test took place! 🏎️
A glass display case from Reading's Digital Revolution exhibition, containing old technology and promotional materials. There is a black electronic device with a screen surrounded by colourful brochures, product boxes, and manuals featuring branding such as “DEC” and “ActiveMS.” Image copyright Reading Museum.
November 12, 2025 at 3:13 PM
readingmuseum.bsky.social
The rise of AI-generated art is a hot topic, and this lithograph marks an early chapter in that story.

The original image was generated in 1967/8 by Japan’s first computer art group in Tokyo, founded by students including Masao Komura.

See it now in our Welcome Gallery!

💻 2001.205.1
#FridayFinds
A black-and-white lithograph featuring a stylized human head in profile. The head is formed by tightly spaced, radiating lines that converge at a central point near the face. Image by Reading Museum.
November 7, 2025 at 11:22 AM
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This large wooden case contains two Dalmatian or crested pelicans. They are one of the world's largest flying birds.

Book on our Store tour to see this, and other hidden treasures not on display. rdguk.info/store_7AK7o

🐦 1957.317.1=2
Reading Museum collection
#FridayFinds
two large white birds in glass display case
October 31, 2025 at 3:23 PM
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Want to see some of our unique collections up close? Book now for a behind the scenes tour next week (5th November). Bookings close soon so don't miss your chance. More details on our website. www.readingmuseum.org.uk/new-behind-s...
two people look at a museum item, a stone, on a low shelf
October 30, 2025 at 4:28 PM
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Today's @artukdotorg.bsky.social #OnlineArtExchange theme is SpoooooOoooOoooky Art 👻

This Mark Symons piece shows a group of fairy-like figures dancing through a graveyard by the light of the moon. Sweet or spooky? We'll let you decide...

📷 Watercolour sketch from Reading Museum's collection
Faded watercolour showing a graveyard at night with a bright moon above shadowy trees and crosses. Numerous indistinct fairy figures, some holding flowers, are gathered. The colours are dark and muted, with touches of red. The painting’s surface is damaged, showing white spots and worn edges. From Reading Museum's collection.
October 30, 2025 at 3:42 PM
readingmuseum.bsky.social
We think that one shows the station from the south, looking north towards Brunel's hut and the embankments (built with earth excavated from the Sonning cutting)!

Here's another image from our collection: a c.1860 photograph taken from Greyfriars Road, looking north east. Object number 1941.435.39 📷
photograph of Reading station from the early 1860s, showing station buildings in the background and a road in the foreground. From Reading Museum's collection
October 24, 2025 at 3:56 PM
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Check out these pictures of Reading station from our collection. Feeling inspired? Why not create your own drawing at our #Railway200 Big Draw on Wed 29 Oct 🚆

1931.435.1 Reading GWR Station 1842
2017.106.1 Shunting yard by Albert Cooper
2024.6.2 Railway Station by Robbie MacGregor
#FridayFinds
black and white image of a wide road leading to train station buildings from Reading Museum collection watercolour painting of shunting yard with a stream train in middle ground, Reading Museum collection black and white sketch drawing of Reading train station, Reading Museum collection
October 24, 2025 at 12:30 PM
readingmuseum.bsky.social
It's one of our favourites too! It was part of an ironwork hoard from Roman Silchester, found in 1890, and dates back to the fourth century - one of very few remaining from that time. A lot of the wooden body didn't survive, but a few wooden fragments are still there, corroded on to the iron 🛠️
Roman carpenter's plane - a corroded metal object on a blue background - from Reading Museum's collection
October 23, 2025 at 4:03 PM
readingmuseum.bsky.social
We witnessed a truly special moment this week as Marcia, Trevor, and Heather visited our pop-up exhibition We Were There: A Caribbean Story.

They recreated their original childhood photo which features in our Routes to Reading display 💛 #RoutesToReading #BlackHistoryMonth
A photograph showing two black women (Marcia and Heather) standing either side of a black man (Trevor) with his arms crossed. All three are wearing jeans and jumpers. They are standing in front of a museum display with a photo of the three of them as children, in the same position and pose. The original photograph has been circled in red with a red arrow pointing towards the three siblings to highlight the connection.
October 23, 2025 at 2:53 PM
readingmuseum.bsky.social
Ever wondered what really goes on behind the scenes in a museum?? Find out the SHOCKING TRUTH* for yourself on our new store-tour:
🏛️ 5th November
🔗 www.readingmuseum.org.uk/new-behind-s...

*we have a lot of objects. like really a lot. and we will nerd out about them for as long as you listen.
a white woman wearing jeans and a cheque shirt is gesturing towards a sculpture in a museum store - there are tall shelves stacked with boxes and other museum objects in the background.
October 21, 2025 at 2:54 PM
readingmuseum.bsky.social
Today's object spotlight shows a famous Reading landmark: the Maiwand Lion in Forbury Gardens. The lion memorializes 328 men from the Berkshire Regiment who died in the 1880 battle of Maiwand, Afghanistan. This souvenir tea set was made in Germany between 1900–1905 ☕

🦁 1996.129.3
#FridayFinds
colourful teacup with image of the Forbury lion sculpture with a bandstand in the background, from Reading Museum's collection
October 17, 2025 at 9:38 AM
readingmuseum.bsky.social
We have some wonderful new Fairtrade Christmas Decorations in the Museum Shop - including some of our favourite historical figures!
From King Harold (complete with arrow) to Jane Austen

Drop in tomorrow 10am until 5pm to take a look or browse online at
reading-museum-shop.myshopify.com
Reading Museum shop selection of Fairtrade and handmade decorations
October 17, 2025 at 7:53 AM
readingmuseum.bsky.social
Today's collections find: a yellow embroidered hula cap, part of the everyday dress of men from the Hausa who are the largest ethnic group in West Africa, mostly based in Nigeria. It is part of Reading Museum's world objects collection.

2010.163.1
Reading Museum
#FridayFinds
photograph of a yellow embroidered rimless hat with white embroidered patterns, a hula cap from Nigeria. Part of Reading Museum's collection.
October 10, 2025 at 11:57 AM
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Today's @artukdotorg.bsky.social #OnlineArtExchange theme is all about ✨glamour✨

We're sharing this beautifully illustrated catalogue for shortbreads, biscuits and cakes produced by Huntley & Palmers in 1929. Who doesn't feel this glamourous reaching for a cookie and a cuppa? 🍪

1994.21.50 🖼️
illustrated cover of a Huntley & Palmers catalogue for 'Shortbreads, Biscuits & Cakes' with a glamourous lady wearing jewelry and evening dress sitting on the edge of a table reaching for a bowl of biscuits. From Reading Museum's collection.
October 9, 2025 at 3:38 PM
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This suitcase took a long journey to the museum. It came from Jamaica in October 1957 aboard the Italian liner 'Sicula Oceanica'. The owner was a member of the Windrush generation, who significantly contributed to the UK's post-war economy.

2024.50.1
Reading Museum
#FridayFinds
#BlackHistoryMonth
Brown suitcase with a paper museum label tied to the handle, photographed against a white background with a scale bar in the foreground. From Reading Museum's collections.
October 3, 2025 at 10:49 AM
readingmuseum.bsky.social
this is the face of a bird who has committed crimes before and will do so again
Zoomed-in crop of a peacock side-eying the viewer, taken from Charles Burton Barber's painting 'Beauty and the Beast' in Reading Museum
September 26, 2025 at 9:25 AM