This museum is an absolute gem and far exceeded any expectations I had. Looking for time to kill in Reading, I booked a time on-line just an hour before. Wonderful collection of agricultural machinery and artifacts dating back into the nineteenth century. The collection of Wagons from around the country, the design of which reflected the requirements of the landscapes and environments in which they operated, was particularly impressive. Don't forget to view the upstairs gallery as well which houses a library of rural artifacts organised into a series of cabinets. Entry is free, just book before hand. I almost had the place to myself during my visit. This place is a real treasure in preserving the legacy of rural life in this country.

Visited the museum with my granddaughters - we all enjoyed our visit.

What a fun museum in Reading. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was fantastic to see old tins, farm equipments and the old way of rural life in England. I spent a bit of time watching how to make cheese. It was fascinating. The cafe looked good although I didn’t stop for a cup of tea. Definitely a recommendation to this free museum.

Great free museum, lovely relevant choices in gift shop and cafe is so affordable. With little choice in cafe but lovely soup And friendly service 😁

I visited here on a Friday morning around 10am. I parked my motorcycle in the car park by the entrance. At the time I got there, both disabled bays were free and several regular parking bays were free too. Entry is free, although there is a sign requesting a suggested donation of £5 if you feel like it. The museum is fully accessible with an automatic entry door operated by a plunger. The main museum displays are at ground level with a disabled, multi use toilet available at the far end near the lift. The lift goes up one floor and was where Mums were taking their children. The main display was Wagon Walk;a large collection of restored wagons and carts dating from the 1700s up to the mid 1900s. There’s plenty of information available to read, but the display was a bit cramped and half wasn’t well lit either making it difficult to appreciate the finer points of the display. On the next section I came to were descriptions of the life and achievements of farmers and farm labourers, both at work and in the home. Here were displayed tractors, a threshing machine and an early Land Rover amongst others and artifacts used in rural life. The last section describes the work done in each season and includes descriptions of why they were done that way. Finally there is a comfortable coffee shop and gift shop by the entrance/exit and you may also go outside into the garden. Overall an interesting experience and worth a visit. Time spent was around 75 minutes.

Excellent museum with free entry. There were really interesting displays of farming history as well as special exhibitions of Biscuit Town and Ladybird books. The cafe was good with sandwiches and really lovely tea. The staff were really friendly and helpful. There was parking available at the front of the building, but signs saying a permit is required from the museum which no longer apply.

Museum which displays rural life mostly old age carts and farming tools used for farming and trading. There is garden cafe inside museum where one can enjoy English breakfast as well.

Great place to bring the kids and get a taste of life in England rurally and it’s free

Decent free museum located in university of reading, it details "countryside" life from when horses were primarily used to the introduction of the combustion engine. It doesn't just talk about farming, it also covers life in the countryside, changing lifestyles, etc. It's a really dedicated museum as they have far more stuff than space to display. It could do with more activities that are kid friendly, but overall it was pretty interesting. There is a row of parking spaces directly adjoining the building, there are also spaces on the opposite side which you'll need a permit from the university. I walked from the Oracle, it took about 17 mins so if you're in the town centre it's not that far. Recommended.

Free car park infront of the building, very interesting of local rural life, for children and adults

Is a nice museums go to will lots of unusual different things from the olden days specially the bits about the farming and how he used to farm

Good for adults and older children. We took a 4 and 5 year old and they soon wanted to be outside. It would be nice to have some more young child activities and play equipment. I would go back again. I'd also like to spend a little more time going through the many exhibits in the dig deeper area and to reminisce through the Ladybird collection. The cafe provided good coffee and great cakes/biscuits. Value for money.

Really good museum, lots of items and really well put together. My children found it really engaging and took the time to look at every item on display (which is unheard of) despite it being small we spent about 3 hours there. There is also a large outside area, and a small tea room that serves delicious cakes. The Penguin exhibit has a shelf stacked with dozens of old penguin books, i could have spent hours in there looking at all the books I had as a child.

Beautifully well curated museum full of fascinating details of rural life. An added bonus is the fantastic little cafe serving delicious cakes! They also have a pretty garden area with seating and a brilliant Museum shop. Well worth a visit.

Absolutely fabulous museum. Interesting, interactive exhibits. Great to take the grandchildren to and something we've never been offered before, a light, folding seat to carry around with you, in case you get tired. My husband finds it difficult to walk very far without having to sit down frequently, he loved the idea: no more being abandoned, he could keep up with the rest of the family!

It's a great free museum. The exhibits are well-presented, and you can tell it's a labour of love for the people who work there. There's a gift shop, a cafe, and access to a pleasant garden in the nicer weather. There's plenty of parking outside the building. The staff when I visited were friendly, helpful, and welcoming.

I had a really interesting day out here with my boyfriend in February 2020. There was so much information to absorb and so much to look at and admire!

A little gem hidden in Reading. We went with our son and family and spent a lovely couple of hours wandering around the museum. Lots to see and do, look out for the rats(not real ones). Some picnic benches outside and a cafe for some eats. Even better.., The museum is FREE

Amazing staff, good coffee and fantastic hot chocolate. The museum has a lovely garden for kids to play and hang out. It’s a free entry but you can also donate to the museum (£5 contactless or any amount is welcome in the donation box) Highly recommend to everyone!

Informative and interactive. Very interesting historical of the agricultural life in England.

Top attraction in Reading. Wonderfully helpful staff. It is free but well worth a donation on exit. Cafe is A1 and well priced. Tea is good as well.

A bit of a walk from centre, but well worth it. Small cafe sold most things. Large garden area. We thoroughly enjoyed it and will be back next time we are in the area

Me and my son have arrived and it's not open. Would be nice to put sign on entrance to indicate why. Really gutted as we only around for few days.

Just a brilliant museum! Love the galleries, the garden is beautiful, and there's loads for kids to do.

We had a lovely experience at the Museum! Very informative and an overload of so much history of England! Truly amazing! We did misplace our one phone there and after going back after normal closing hours, a very friendly lady, Claudia assisted us in returning the phone. Someone found it and handed it in. We are from South Africa so it was nerve wrecking thinking we lost our phone. Thank you to everyone involved in assisting us with this!

Amazing place to learn about the rural history. The place looks small from outside but has a huge collection of farming stuff used in olden times. Photography (without flash) is allowed throughout the place free of cost. The museum also has a conference hall and reading room.

Came for a visit to see their rare books collections but passed through the museum. So much to see! Very interesting and had interactive games for kids (that kept us adults entertained as well). The inside is larger than you’d expect. Cafe and garden was nice too. Bought some cute knitted goods too.

This is a little hidden gem. Interesting exhibits, a well stocked museum shop, small cafe and pretty gardens. Very clean and tidy with friendly staff. It's worth popping in just for the shop and cafe, but do take a look around you will be surprised how charming the place is.

Really enjoyed the museum. Staff very friendly and helpful. Cafe looks pleasant, but only seems to be drinks and cakes, no hot food, although that might be Covid related

If you like the old fashioned of life and farming absolutely you will love it

Such an interesting place to visit. And after visiting the museum you can have a cup of tea in the garden.

Lovely collection of old farm equipment. The 'greeter' was very knowledgeable about both the displays and the building, and was wonderful with the grandchildren. First rate! Sadly we had to wait about 15 minutes in the cafe while the soup heated up, and this was about 1pm. When it came, it was lukewarm, but still tasty.

This museum was larger than I expected, with exhibits relating to a wide area of the country. It had a number of interactive exhibits, most of which were working; learning to become a sheep farmer was interesting. Many of the rooms had displays with many artefacts and posters, accompanied by cards identifying individual items. I rushed through a room with tractors because of an unpleasant high pitched sound which the curator rectified when I reported it. Meanwhile I went to the cafe area where I found the coffee disappointing: weak and stale, although from a new packet. Not my taste and not coffee shop quality. I returned to the tractors and the corridor with detailed explanations of the many types of waggons on display. There was so much to see that I will definitely return. The Museum maintains a website for a virtual visit to more materials. The 21 bus from the station stops a few steps from a narrow passageway alongside Abbey School, leading to the museum.

Lovely welcome on arrival from a friendly team member. Lots to see given it's a free museum and it's an interesting look at the history of farming and rural life. Some interesting videos made in 1946 are available to watch and the Ladybird Books collection was a welcoming surprise. Recommended, really nicely done.

Always worth a visit to the home of the Absolute Unit see the waggons. As it's free (donations always welcome) then visits can be quick or slow. They do a good cake too.

Small Museum shows a lot of English rural life. Nice place for family visits. And there's a garden next to the cafe, so can enjoy a tea time after that.

A wonderful, rare museum waiting to be discovered! Strongly recommend!

First time visiting today and it was excellent - we spent over 3 hours here including coffee and soup for lunch. A real gem.