Museum of Reading and The Riverside Museum at Blake's Lock
Reading
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Museum of Reading and The Riverside Museum at Blake's Lock
Town Hall
Blagrave St
Reading
Berkshire
RG1 1QH
Telephone:
+44 (0)1189 399800
Fax:
+44 (0)1189 399881
Website:
www.readingmuseum.org.uk
Email:
mail@readingmuseum.org.uk
Contact: Julia Shelley
Description
The Riverside Museum at Blake’s Lock tells the story of Reading's two rivers - the Kennet and the Thames. The Screen House displays a gypsy caravan, and a medieval mill wheel found when The Oracle was built. The Turbine House is a unique building that spans the Kennet with waterside views of the town centre,
The Museum of Reading is in the fine Victorian Gothic Town Hall. There are a range of hands-on activities and galleries that display objects portraying the natural history of Berkshire.
Additional information
- Riverside
- Yes
- Location details
- Both Museums are within the City Centre. Reading is well served by road and rail links. From the M4 east take junction 10 and follow the A329M into the town centre, from the west take junction 12 and follow the A4 into the town centre.
- Description of site
- Blake's Lock Museum occupies two former industrial buildings including preserved turbine machinery. Displays include interactive and video presentations which explain how a mill wheel works. Hands-on galleries at the Museum of Reading also include usual Victorian Gothic architectural features.
- Thames resources
- Thames Water Collection
- Weblink to programme
- see website
- Number of programmes offered to schools
- An extensive collection of Loan boxes are available to schools containing objects to cover most of the National Curriculum and more. Please see website for database and how to book sessions at the museum and in schools below
- Opening hour notes
- For Museum of Reading Tuesday-Saturday 10am-4pm Sunday and Bank Holiday Mondays 11am-4pm for Riverside Museum at Blake's Lock.
- Weblink to programme
- see website for details
- Special hours
- Monday-Friday 10.am - 4pm
- Family admission
- Free
- School admission
- Both museums are free for general visit £95.00 per group for booked school sessions
- Shop
- Yes
- Cafe/Lunch facilities
- Two cafes at Museum of Reading and restaurant at Blake's Lock lunch space for schools (must book)
- Possible number of visitors
- maximum of 700 at Museum of Readig. 100 at Blake's Lock
- Parking
- For Museum of Reading there are public car parks near the museum and a park and ride system, see website for details. There is a coach set-down point on Valpy Street, opposite the Museum. Please note it is then necessary to cross Valpy Street to access the Museum's entrance at the front of the Town Hall building.
- Toilet
- Toilets in museum and town hall including facilities for disabled visitors
- Access by public transport
- Train station within 5 mins walk and numerous bus services Riverside Museum at Blake's Lock. The Museum is off Kenavon Drive, behind Homebase, about 20 minutes walk from Reading Station and is also signposted. Bus no 17 stops on nearby King's Road, outside the Prudential offices.
- Special needs facilities
- Toilets, physical access such as ramps and lifts, large print and audio 'whats on' diaries of events
- Special educational facilities including for weather conditions
- Education spaces at the Museum of Reading,No special spaces at Blakes Lock
- Key Stage 1 - Themes
- 1) The old toy box 2) The Victorian classroom 3) Victorian Town Trail
- Key Stage 1 - Description
- 1) Explore the toys of the past with the Victorian Governess 2) Experience life as a poor Victorian school child 3) Self led tour of Victorian Reading
- Key Stage 1 - Teacher/Staff led
- 1) Staff led 2) Staff led 3) Teacher led
- Key Stage 2 - Themes
- 1) Skipping ropes and spinning wheels 2) Victorian classroom 3) WW2 Classroom 4) Victorian Enterprise 5) Roman Town Life 6) The Bayeux tapestry
- Key Stage 2 - Description
- 1) Life of both rich and poor Victorian children through their play time 2) Experience the Victorian school life with the school teacher in full role play 3) Go to school during the war 4) The rise of a great Victorian company seen through hands on learning 5) Session based on the Roman town of Calleva with plenty of original Roman objects to explore 6) Find out about Saxon and Norman life through the full size replica of the Bayeux Tapestry
- Key Stage 2 - Teacher/Staff led
- All Teacher led
- Key Stage 3 - Themes
- 1) ayeux tapestry 2) Victorian Schoolroom 3) Sketching of art collection
- Key Stage 3 - Teacher/Staff led
- 1) Teacher or self led 2) Teacher led 3) Self led
- Key Stage 4 - Themes
- On request
- Inset courses
- Inset courses are run each term Education staff will go to schools to demonstrate Loan boxes and techniques for using objects in cross curricular teaching
- Family and Children programmes - Description
- 1) Tots trails 2) Activity cart 3) Story telling with objects from the collection every Wednesday morning 3) Bingo family style museum trail 4) Make and takes (Creative material out during school holidays) 5) Creative activities (booked) 1) Drama workshops 2) Workshops to accompany exhibitions (Booked) 3) Collection related workshops
- Family and Children programmes - Age Group
- 1) Under 5's 2) Under 5's 3) Families with young children 4) Families/drop in 5) Families with children under 10 years 1) 12-15 yrs without adults 2) 7 - 12 yrs
- Family and Children programmes - Cost
- 1) Free 2) Free 3) Free 4) Free 5) Small charge 1) Small charge 2) Small charge
- Annual events or regular events
- Open Heritage Day in June, Big Draw in October and fun days relating to exhibitions throughout the year.
- Education staff available
- 3-4 staff
- Key features
- All school parties are accompanied by volunteer helpers all programmes include hands on learning with museum objects
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