Visit us
We’re delighted you’re planning a visit to the Cole Museum. This page brings together the key information to help you prepare – from how to get here to what to expect when you arrive.
The museum is located within a working University building. To support staff, researchers and fellow visitors, please keep noise to a minimum. Think of us as a quiet space – similar to a library.
The Cole Museum is free to visit and open:
Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm
Closed on weekends, Bank Holidays, and University closure days.
Upcoming closure dates
- 24 December 2025 – 2 January 2026 (inclusive)
A full list of University closure dates can be found on our calendar.
Before You Visit
The museum is located within a working University building. To support staff, researchers and fellow visitors, please keep noise to a minimum.
Think of us as a quiet space – similar to a library.
Group visits
Groups of 10 or more must be booked in advance so we can prepare for your visit and ensure you have the best experience.
Prams, buggies and scooters
Due to limited space, these items cannot be taken into the museum. They can be left:
- outside the building, or
- next to the café kiosk when the café is closed.
Donations
Admission is free. If you would like to support the museum, donations can be made online or via our tap-to-donate machine at the museum entrance. All contributions help keep the museum running and free for everyone.
Getting Here
The Cole Museum is on the ground floor of the Health and Life Sciences building on the University of Reading’s Whiteknights Campus.
Follow signs for Health and Life Sciences – there are currently no dedicated signs for the museum.
what3words: juices.spill.gloves
If you’re greeted by Norman the elephant, you’re in the right place!
Parking on campus is limited, so we encourage visitors to use alternative methods of transport to get to the museum.
There is a pay and display (£1.50 per hour or £10 for all day) car park for museum visitors at the Shinfield Road entrance to Whiteknights campus. Click here for Google Maps directions.
Please be aware it is a 10-15 minute walk from the car park to the museum. Click here for walking directions.
Car park address for sat navs:Car Park 1AQueen’s DriveReadingRG2 7BW
There are four accessible parking bays at the front of the museum building, in car park P12.Sat nav details: P12, Reading, RG6 6EX
Reading’s mainline station has recently undergone a major refurbishment, making travelling to the town by train easier and more enjoyable. Reading is easily accessible by regular, fast trains from London Paddington, as well as via London Waterloo. It is well connected by routes from the North, South and West via Bournemouth, Bristol, Oxford, Guildford and Basingstoke.
Reading Buses operate very regular services which stop at the Whiteknights campus. Routes Claret 21 and 21A depart from outside the railway station, at stop EJ.
From the station and Reading town centre:
Routes Claret 21 and 21A depart from outside the railway station, at stop EJ. The closest stop to the Museum is Pepper Lane, just outside the University campus.
You will need the correct change to pay the bus fare in cash, alternatively you can pay by card.
Visit Reading Buses for details of timetables, routes and fares.
We have plenty of secure bike stands near the main entrance to the museum, and there are cycle routes throughout the University campus.
The museum is about a 45 minute walk from Reading train station – click here for directions.
Facilities & Accessibility
We aim to make the museum accessible to all visitors. If you have any specific requirements, please contact us ahead of your visit.
Accessibility features
- Step-free, ground-floor museum with automatic entrance door
- Four accessible parking bays close to the entrance
- One wheelchair-accessible, gender-neutral toilet with baby-changing
- Additional hoist-equipped toilet available on request
- Semi-accessible toilets with grab rails elsewhere in the building
- Assistance animals welcome
- Exhibits do not include sound; there are no video or interactive displays
- No hearing loop available
- Light levels vary throughout the museum
- The museum sits within a three-storey atrium, which can occasionally be noisy
Activities
You can download and print our activity sheets before your visit.
Please bring your own stationery, as materials are not currently provided in the museum.
Calendar
View our live calendar for closure dates and group visit bookings. This can help you choose a quieter time to visit.