Press Releases

Museum of English Rural Life on the move – University of Reading

Release Date : 29 June 2004

Staff of the Museum of English Rural Life are marking the closure on June 25th of the Museum's Whiteknights site at the University of Reading where it had operated for the past forty years. The Museum is moving to a new home at the University's former St Andrews Hall in Redlands Road, Reading. This is a major development, costing over £10.5 million and supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, which will be opening in 2005. Dr Roy Brigden, Keeper of the Museum, said 'This is a great day for us, and the start of an exciting period for the Museum. Our new home will be a major facility for Reading and will at last see the Museum in surroundings that match its importance. Now the really hard work begins as we prepare to move these amazing collections of everything from tractors to books, archives and photographs that tell the story of the countryside.' For further information, contact Dr Roy Brigden, Keeper of the Museum, tel 0118 378 8663, r.d.brigden@reading.ac.uk.