Plan your visit
Visit us and you will receive a warm welcome at University of Reading Special Collections.
Most of our collections are available to view in our pleasant reading room, which is open to all. This is located in the same building as The Museum of English Rural Life.
We also make our collections accessible online in lots of ways; see our digital access guide.
Selected items are on temporary display here and in the main University Library (see our programme), including displays in the Ladybird Gallery.
Opening Hours
Archive and Library
Archive and Library materials held in Special Collections are accessed via the reading room. Bookings should be made in advance, please contact us in advance to avoid disappointment.
We are open Tuesday to Friday: 9.30am-4.30pm. We are unable to retrieve items from the collection stores 12-2pm each day.
Saturday, Sunday, Monday – CLOSED
The Museum of English Rural Life, shop & cafe
Museum & Cafe Tuesday – Sunday 9am – 5pm
Special Collections is accessed via the reception of The Museum of English Rural Life, which has a shop and cafe.
University closure days
The Reading Room is closed on Bank Holidays and on some University closures days at Christmas and Easter.
For a full list of University closure days click here, and please contact us to avoid disappointment.
Getting Here
Special Collections is accessed via the reception of The Museum of English Rural Life (The MERL), which is located on Redlands Road, on the University of Reading London Road Campus.
Sat nav users, please use the postcode RG1 5EX
Parking
We encourage visitors to use alternative methods of transport to get here, but if you need to come by car, some parking is available.
There is a small car park for visitors at the front of our building.
Visitors are also welcome to use the University Acacia Road car park adjacent to the Museum. Visitors without a University parking permit must collect a permit from the Museum reception, to be displayed in your car. During University term time and on Friday mornings this car park can be very busy.
Some street parking is available on Redlands Road. There is a maximum stay of 2 hours. Due to the proximity of the Hospital, this parking is in high demand.
The closest public car park is the Queens Road car park.
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 several services which stop close to the Museum.
From the station and Reading town centre:
Leopard 3 or Scarlet 9 from stop AS at the station. Get off the bus outside the Reading Berkshire Hospital on Craven Road or as soon as the bus turns right onto Addington Road.
From there it is a 3 minute walk to The MERL:
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- Go to the end of Addington Road and turn right on to Redlands Road
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- Walk down and cross at the zebra crossing
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- Walk 200m down the road and you will find The MERL on your left.
Claret 21 or 21A from stop EJ. Get off the bus at Crown Place passage stop on Kendrick Road.
From there it is a 3 minute walk to The MERL:
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- Continue a few metres up the road and turn left into Crown Place passage, just before the Abbey School
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- The passage becomes Acacia Road car park
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- Continue down the side of the Museum building to the end of the road and the entrance is on the right.
Visit Reading Buses for details or use Google Maps to plan your journey by bus
We have a secure bike rack in the car park by the main entrance to the Museum.
The MERL is about a 20 minute walk from Reading station.
The walk from The University’s Whiteknights campus takes 15-20 minutes.
Use Google Maps to plan your route to The MERL.
Facilities and Access
The archive and library at Special Collections is accessible to a wide range of visitors and we always strive to meet the access needs of everyone who visits us. If you have a specific need which you would like to ask us about, please contact us.
Advice about preparing for a visit to the archive and library, including special arrangements in response to COVID-19, can be found here. Please note that booking is now essential.
Digital Access and Copying
We also make our collections accessible online in lots of ways; see our digital access guide. In addition, our professional team can provide high quality copies of items from our collections, whether for research, publication or just personal interest. See here for more details.
People with impairments
- Disabled access throughout the building, including a step free entrance with automatic door and wheelchair lifts for all stairs
- Disabled visitor parking
- Fully accessible toilets
- Assistance dogs welcome
Travel
We encourage visitors to travel by foot, bike and public transport wherever possible.
- Car Park (limited spaces)
- Secure bike rack
Facilities and general
- Baby changing
- A small cafe serving sandwiches, snacks and hot drinks (limited capacity due to social distancing arrangements)
- High chairs for cafe
- Garden with picnic benches
- The Nook, a quiet space for reading and relaxing (limited capacity due to social distancing arrangements)
- Lockers (special arrangements are in place due to COVID-19; we will assign you a numbered locker before your visit.)
Information on accessibility and the facilities of The Museum of English Rural Life can be found here.
Refreshments
The MERL Café
Special Collections is accessed via the reception of The Museum of English Rural life, which has a small cafe. Please see The MERL’s website for further details on what is currently available from the cafe.
The Dairy
If you’re looking for something more substantial, hot and cold lunches are also available in the University of Reading bar, The Dairy next door. (Please note that The Dairy is now operating cashless tills.) You are also welcome to bring a picnic to enjoy in the garden, where several picnic benches are available.