West Berkshire Museum

West Berkshire Museum Exploring and sharing the heritage of West Berkshire from the pre-historic to today. FREE ADMISSION
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answer. For those who did not visit to find this object at the weekend, we can reveal that it is an amber necklace tha...
01/06/2026

answer. For those who did not visit to find this object at the weekend, we can reveal that it is an amber necklace that was found in a Saxon cemetery in East Shefford. The early Anglo-Saxons followed a pagan religion and buried their dead with grave goods – their personal possessions such as clothes, knives, beads, buckles, bowls and sometimes shields and weapons. Stay tuned for the next

The May half term holiday might be almost over but we've the school summer holidays to look forward to. There will be fi...
31/05/2026

The May half term holiday might be almost over but we've the school summer holidays to look forward to. There will be five weeks of family crafts, Creative Craft Mornings (10am-1pm, last entry 12.45pm), on Fridays in July and August at West Berkshire Museum:

Fri 31 July, Clay Creations. Make and decorate a Roman inspired oil lamp from air-drying clay. Part of the Festival of Archaeology 2026.

Fri 7 August, Porcelain Perfections. Choose a ceramic hanging decoration to decorate with porcelain pens, stickers and sticky gems.

Fri 14 August, Wooden Wonders. Select a wooden craft kit to decorate with paint sticks and a host of other craft materials.

Fri 21 August, Cool Collages. Design a 3D picture using a variety of craft materials and lots of glue.

Fri 28 August, Rocking it! Decorate a painting stone with paint pens and other craft materials.

£2.50 per child (per activity). Child/ren must be accompanied by an adult.
Please dress for mess, although disposable aprons will be available for the messier activities.
Entry to West Berkshire Museum itself is free as usual and there are a selection of free trails on the activity trolley in room 1 of the permanent exhibition (downstairs). A new and free trail will be available each week.
Image: two of the possible wooden crafts you can choose from at the Creative Craft Morning on Fri 14 August (Wooden Wonders).

It’s that time again for another mystery museum object challenge. Your clue is that this item (pictured) was found in ...
29/05/2026

It’s that time again for another mystery museum object challenge. Your clue is that this item (pictured) was found in East Shefford. Do you know what it is made of and when it dates from? The answer will be revealed on Monday but, if you cannot wait, drop by the Museum at the weekend (open Saturday and Sunday, 10am-4pm each day, last entry 3.30pm, free entry as usual). You’ll find this object in room 2 of the permanent exhibition (downstairs)

JOIN US TODAY (Friday 29th) in the cool Long Room at West Berkshire Museum for some family crafting fun. No need to book...
29/05/2026

JOIN US TODAY (Friday 29th) in the cool Long Room at West Berkshire Museum for some family crafting fun. No need to book, just drop in between 10am and 1pm (last entry 12.45pm).
We'll be making a rainstick, a ceremonial musical instrument for summoning rain, from a cardboard tube (various sizes available to choose from), foil, rice and wax or cellophane discs. We will then decorate with marker pens, stickers, sticky gems and other fabulous craft materials. £2.50 per child (must be accompanied by an adult).
It's free entry to the Museum as usual and there's a free complementary trail to do. It can be found on the activity trolley in room 1 of the permanent exhibition.

DID YOU KNOW that you can do your Arts Award Discover at West Berkshire Museum this summer? Just pick up an introduction...
28/05/2026

DID YOU KNOW that you can do your Arts Award Discover at West Berkshire Museum this summer? Just pick up an introduction pack (now available at the museum reception during opening hours, Wed-Sun, 10am-4pm).
It costs £14 per introduction pack (one needed for each child doing the Award) and the pack includes the Discover map, free entry ticket to two Museum Creative Craft Mornings (five to choose from in July and August), a craft kit and a certificate (subject to successful completion and submission of the map).
Discover is the entry level for the Arts Award and aims to support young people's creative development. It is administered by Trinity College, London: www.artsaward.org.uk
To find out more about this specific Arts Award, please email: [email protected]
Image: previous clay-based museum craft. One of the summer Creative Craft Mornings: Clay Creations (Fri 31 July, 10am-1pm) will feature air-drying clay.

The garden certainly needs some rain after the recent warm weather so please join us at the Messy Museum Morning on FRID...
27/05/2026

The garden certainly needs some rain after the recent warm weather so please join us at the Messy Museum Morning on FRIDAY (29th) when we'll be crafting rainsticks (pictured, below), a ceremonial instrument used to summon rain.
Our version is made from a cardboard tube, foil, rice, wax disc as well as lots of decorating materials such as stickers, acrylic gems and marker pens.
No need to book, just drop-in between 10am and 1pm (last entry 12.45pm). £2.50 per child for the family craft. Free entry to the Museum as usual.
Free complementary museum trail available on the activity trolley in room 1 of the permanent exhibition (downstairs). Available during opening hours (Wed-Sun, 10am-4pm, last entry 3.30pm) until Monday 1st June.

TOMORROW (Wednesday 27th) we're at *SHAW HOUSE* for the Family Activity Day: May Madness. We'll be decorating a ceramic ...
26/05/2026

TOMORROW (Wednesday 27th) we're at *SHAW HOUSE* for the Family Activity Day: May Madness. We'll be decorating a ceramic hanging decoration (a small selection of different shapes to choose one from) with porcelain pens, stickers and sticky acrylic gems among other craft materials.
No need to book, drop-in between 10am and 2pm (last entry 1.45pm) on Wednesday 27th. £2.50 per child -- this includes entry to the Hall (where the craft activity is held), shop, cafe and toilets as well as the gardens. Why not bring your own picnic to enjoy in the grounds!
If you wish to access other areas *inside* Shaw House, admission prices apply. For more information, please see www.westberkshireheritage.org/shaw-house/plan-your-visit

answer. The mystery object is a 17th century stoneware Bellarmine or Bartmann jug. These were very common. The name co...
25/05/2026

answer. The mystery object is a 17th century stoneware Bellarmine or Bartmann jug. These were very common. The name comes from the face moulded onto the neck of the jug. It is said to represent catholic cardinal Roberto Bellarmino (an unpopular figure to Protestants), although the earliest faces probably represented the popular folk figure of The Green Man. Don’t miss the next !

STILL A FEW *FREE* SPACES left on Museum Explorers, Tuesday 26 May (10.30am-12noon), our relaxed morning for children wi...
24/05/2026

STILL A FEW *FREE* SPACES left on Museum Explorers, Tuesday 26 May (10.30am-12noon), our relaxed morning for children with additional needs and their families to enjoy the Museum when it is closed to the public. There will be access to the downstairs galleries (with trails) and a craft to make a dragon puppet. This is a *free* event, but you need to book a place for each child with additional needs here: www.westberkshireheritage.org/whats-on

As we document and pack each stored items, ready for the store move this summer, we are handling some wonderful objects ...
23/05/2026

As we document and pack each stored items, ready for the store move this summer, we are handling some wonderful objects which show the variety of our collection. Take these two very different artefacts for example. This straw bonnet, lined inside with pink cotton and its crown trimmed with same material, dates to the early 1800s. It was donated by Iris Brook, who lived on Newtown Road. It is an interesting insight into the clothing and fashion people wore in Newbury 200 years ago. It required a special box and padding to protect it.

The metal contraption is a toy vertical steam engine (with its makers trademark a winged wheel with initials E.P). It was donated by Stan Ford, who was very briefly a temporary curator at the museum. It belonged to his father who lived in Shaw. It was made in the late 1800s and is now sadly missing its chimney and whistle but must have been rather wonderful to see when it worked. (Images of NEBYM:1981.98 and NEBYM:1988.107 courtesy of Museum)

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The Wharf
Newbury
RG145AS

Opening Hours

Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm
Sunday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

01635 519562

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