I know we have been to the museum in the past but today we had a chance to visit the gardens. Well maintained trails and grounds scattered with sculptures and local greenery. Several separate gardens throughout the 25 acre property. We did happen upon a heron getting some afternoon sun. Although we opted to stay in the shade. A good portion of paved shaded areas to walk to get out of the heat. The museum is about 20 for admission and accompanying planetarium is an extra fee. The gardens however are free to enjoy and are open sunrise to sunset. read more

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This museum has tons to see and is even better because it is more of a local museum (so not super traffic heavy). Free parking and plenty of interesting things to see. I went for their version of the bodies exhibit and was not disappointed! It may be graphic for younger children, but it's extremely fascinating!!! read more

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This my go to spot in West Reading to entertain the grandkids. The kid friendly exhibits change several times a year and are an excellent way for them to blow off steam. This time they had an exhibit featuring Harley Davidson motorcycles. One on display was the motorcycle ridden by Peter Fonda in Born to be Wild. Past exhibits included Teenage Ninja Turtles and Thomas Trains. There are also plenty of interesting things for adults. They have a seasonal display of Christmas trees decorated with ornaments from around the world. A modern art exhibit is also at the museum for the next couple of months. read more

Reading Public Museum - The Harley Fonda rode in Born to be Wild. - Museums Near Me - Reading, Pennsylvania

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This museum is pretty awesome. It is a small museum, but they make good use of the space. I go here to visit and for classes. They also have a planetarium across the parking lot and you can purchase tickets for shows there at the registration. They also have a gift shop for you to purchase souvenirs, snacks, drinks, toys, etc., etc. Every once in a while they change up their exhibits. I went to the human body exhibit, the dinosaur exhibit, and the aerospace exhibit. The human body exhibit has real human cadavers as well, which was very interesting. Also there is also a park surrounding the museum aswell, might want to check that out, too. The park also has historical significance as well, you can see some old structures as you walk. Some exhibits have been there for a very long time, such as the ancient Egypt exhibit where there is a mummy named Nefrina. Overall, I recommend you visit this museum at least once in your life if you live nearby or afar. It is a great experience. read more

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This place for us can only be given a provisional review. Why provisional? Because it's hard to review a place when you can't experience most of what they offer. The RPM has three parts: The Planetarium, The Arboretum, The Main Building Exhibits The Planetarium is currently closed for the entire month of August for repairs and upgrades. Normally prices would be $7.00 per person non-member and $5.00 for members on top of the regular admission price. We couldn't see the Arboretum because it was pouring the day we were there. What little we did see looked to be small but possibly interesting in better weather. The main building exhibits are a real mixed bag. On one floor they currently offer various galleries of artifacts from different cultures around the world. Native Americans, a real Egyptian mummy, and various suits of armor are just a few of the numerous examples. On the next floor they offer a few rooms of paintings. Some of which have been in the NY Metropolitan Museum of Art and some look like they were painted by a 5th grader. On the other half of the floor they offer part of display called Toothpick World where you can see numerous buildings from around the world made out of..... toothpicks. And then there is the grand finale of the Dinosaurs: T-Rex Face-to-Face. While this has been on several billboards around the area it really fails to deliver because there are only three dinosaurs. Yes they move and yes they make a lot of noise but the whole display is very, very small and quite honestly underwhelming especially if you just paid $10 per adult and/or $5 per child to see in essence one room of three dinos. (Mercifully we're members of another museum with reciprocal admission privileges so we paid $0.) I guess at some point we'll give the RPM another try when it's nicer out and when the main exhibits change but in the meantime there really is no reason to go back. This is not a one star place like how Phillip Y. reviewed it but going over two or stretching beyond a three is also equally unreal. read more

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While visiting relatives in the area, we found this highly rated on both Trip Advisor and Yelp. The most interesting exhibit - to our group - was ancient Egyptian artifacts, including a complete mummy! Also, a Native American exhibit was interesting. This included a small section on Inca/Mayan artifacts. Of some interest was some Pennsylvania Dutch artifacts, and medieval armor and weapons. On the downside, an entire wing was devoted to art from mostly obscure artists, surprising that an organization with an obviously limited budget would spring for such, especially since it had little-to-no connection to the area. A couple rooms with stuffed animals - in this day and age? It had 2 traveling/temporary exhibits - Lego, which was mainly a series of replicas of famous buildings. All 3 of us were disappointed - we were expecting 'more'. The other was an exhibit of clothes worn or similar to those worn by Katherine Hepburn. Underwhelming. C'mon folks - how does this rate 4 or 5 stars?? read more

Review is for museum only. I've been to larger museums in larger cities with significant collections. I didn't even know that Reading had a museum! Was pleasantly surprised. For those that visit larger museums in other cities may think the collection is a little hodge-podge, but I think the museum was designed to appeal to a broader audience of visitors (v/s say the MoMA). So, here you will some Native American art, PA-specific artists, Contemporary Art, Asian, Egyptian, African, Incan, etc. You can easily spend two hours here in the museum alone. If you live in Central PA, I recommend you visit this local gem at least once. It's pretty kid friendly. read more

Reading Public Museum - Museums Near Me - Reading, Pennsylvania

Note: This is only a review of the Planetarium. My astronomy class decided to take a trip to the planetarium to watch some shows that would benefit our class. The building itself looks very out-dated. The interior isn't too bad: there's a huge dome area where you walk in at as well as the obvious dome area inside the theater. Thankfully, there was a wedding over the weekend and there were couches in the rear part of the auditorium to sit on rather than the hard plastic chairs. I felt the shows were geared toward both children and adults alike. Most concepts they discussed were on a slightly more advanced level than say PBS, but they were told with characters and a bit of a plot line to cater to their younger audience. The second show we saw was actually not going to be released to the public until Jan 2010, so we actually were the first group to see it. The place was alright, but if you want me to come and watch, you'd better make those couches a permanent fixure! read more

I have visiting this museum since childhood and it gets better every time. The permanent collection used to be housed in such a Boring fashion. In the last 5 years they have really stepped up their presentation of these fabulous artifacts especially the PA German room and the "mummy". The moving of the animatronic founder to the ground floor was a wise move and he makes more sense there in order to free up space for traveling exhibits. The exhibits they have gotten in recently included, Marilyn Monroe, Dora & Diego, war posters and Presidential photographs. This museum is unique in that it includes a planetarium. Consider a membership if you are local as they have reciprocal visits with other science and art museums. Their cafe is really a bit of a joke especially compared to the Allentown museum's cafe. Don't forget to plan time to walk the acres of grounds along the creek! read more

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I hidden gem in Reading. Just the right size with some thing for everyone. They have old masters to an interactive room for kids. I hidden gem in Reading. Just the right size with some thing for everyone. They have old masters to an interactive room for kids in addition to some great modern art. The gift shop has a nice selection and there's a small snack bar. It's a beautiful location where you can walk along the river and the grounds and also go to the planetarium for the back of the property. I try to go a few times a year read more

The daVinci display was very interesting. Models of many of his concepts and inventions made the displays much more appealing.

The museum has been gradually improving over the years and I must say- it's a great place right now. It's definitely one of if not the best place to take kids of interactive and educational exhibits. They change exhibits regularly and keep it interesting. A museum visit pairs well with a stroll on Penn Ave afterward for dinner or ice cream. The nearby trails and gardens are also excellent if your looking for fresh air or a nice stroll/run! read more

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A shining gem in the center of Berks, the museum has a planetarium, a beautiful venue on the stream, plus new and classic exhibits. Don't miss the mummy, shrunken head or "The Balloon" when you go. read more

Pretty cool little museum. Upstairs is art, downstairs is anthropological stuff. Some highlights include a mummy, a Bertoia Sonambient sculpture that you can actually hear, and a Pennsylvania German gallery for the PA Dutch enthused visitors. Unfortunately, the museum actually charges an admission and not a recommended donation. I know money is needed to keep the museum going but it seems like a crime to deny people the ability to see these things based on a few dollars. read more

We had our ceremony at the museum and reception at the planetarium this week and it was amazing! Stephanie Hafer, the event coordinater was so organized, available, and a true joy to work with. We simply cannot say enough wonderful things about her. The museum and planetarium was stunning for our event and worked with us on every detail, even coordunating with our vendors. Also, the Planetarium technician Mark created a special star show for us to dance under. It was beautiful. The museum and planetarium just went through a major upgrade to the space and resources for large events. We could not be happier with how everything turned out. For couples looking for a wedding that is classy, but not the standard ballroom (and on a budget) I would highly reccomend this venue. read more

Reading Public Museum - Our reception in the main lobby, we used the 'Dome room" for dancing as well! - Museums Near Me - Reading, Pennsylvania

Came to the planetarium to watch the laser show. We saw the 7pm sonic and 10 pm Pink Floyd show. Sonic was amazing! The music, the visuals, so so cool. Pink Floyd was cool but super mellow and imagines strictly trippy. I would describe Sonic as Molly and Pink Floyd as shrooms. The seats were not that comfortable so that could be worked on. Wish they would bring the show back to NYC. read more

Well, I must say that the museum website looks really nice with everything advertised from natural science and history, art, planetarium, and arboretum. When you actually visit it, you have to put some things in perspective. Places that advertise everything rarely are good in all areas except if it's renowned like NYC's metropolitan museum of art (history, art, etc) . Okay, I will start with the positives which are the natural history and science part of the museum is quite well done. You really get to see all sides from all around the globe from Asia, Japan, Egypt, African, Mexican, native American, Central and South American to name a few. No flash photography on this floor and dimmly lit so difficult to get nice photos. The other side is more updated with natural science for the kids. Walk upstairs (no photography) to the special exhibit which was the Tiffany's glass lamp exhibit and some paintings as well in the permanent collection. Unfortunately, this exhibit only had two small rooms with about 20 to 30 lamps to see. Not bad but it's a small museum. There was a TV and a few people watched the video on Tiffany's glass. The other rooms had American, European, and French art. The Asian art room was cleared out (bunch of stacked boxes with bare walls) probably for the next special exhibit. I think this place has alot of potential to be a great museum. It is in serious need of updating its exhibits and a renovation would make it less drab inside. Art pieces are okay but just needs better lighting in the building in general. I had my Franklin membership with me so I got in free. But, this is too far from Philly to make the trek out here. Plus, I took a peek of the arboretum and it is nice but small. I have seen larger ones that have better landscape done to it like the National Arboretum outside of DC. According to the newsletter, it will be revamped soon so hopefully it will be nicer. I decided against going to the planetarium since it was getting late. Well, there is French Creek state park nearby as well as the Hopewell Furnace national historic site. At least, you can visit these places nearby if you find it too short like me. I finished the museum in less than 30 minutes. If you have kids, this might take you longer maybe an hour. A little longer if you decide to do the planetarium and the arboretum. Overall, not bad but you are better off to visit the museums in Philly like the Academy of Natural Science, Franklin Institute, Penn Museum, and Phil Museum of Art. read more

My wife and I went to the Reading Public Museum today. One of the visiting shows is "Remembering the Battle of Gettysburg: The Civil War Art of Mort Künstler". He works in oils and the paintings have an almost 3-dimensional quality. The paintings are extremely brilliant in his color palette, a departure from other artists who depict the same time period. The paintings are quite realistic; natural and artificial lamps, uniforms and other clothing, etc. According to the documentation, Künstler is meticulous in his research for each painting. Several of the paintings are displayed with the preparation studies in charcoal, which is also interesting. read more

If you keep it in perspective, you will realize that this is a great place to bring your kids to, especially during the week. Service is only so, so. This is especially true in the evening and at the planetarium, where at least one guy (a bit overweight, glasses, with a beard) can be not helpful and sometimes moody. Other than that, great. read more

Have visited twice and both times were excellent. They have an interchangeable exhibit for kids, like Teenage Mutant Nina Turtles or dinosaurs controlled by pulleys and hydraulics. The exhibits are so interesting, educational, and interactive. Their gift shop had a lot of unique souvenirs as well. One of my favorite museums, I would highly recommend. read more

"Shrunken heads in my local museum? It's more likely than you think." I give this four stars in terms of local venues, it's nothing world renowned but if you're in the Reading area and you're looking for something to do or to support the area it's a good place to check out. It's a great facility. I was here in the summer of 2006 for the PostSecret exhibition which was small but interesting and well displayed. There are a few floors and they have art, some science exhibits as well as items of anthropological interest, the best of which... shrunken heads! It's a little bit art museum, a little bit Franklin Institute, a little bit country, and a little bit rock and roll. They also have a beautiful garden with paths and benches and a little creek running through it which is a great place to go and relax in the summertime. read more

My husband and I visited the Reading Public Museum for the first time last weekend, and we really enjoyed it! It was affordable for the day ($10 per adult) and had a good variety of exhibits. Most of the exhibits were interesting, but my favorites were the World History exhibit with the mummy and the European and American art exhibit. My least favorites were the Ice Age and the Modern Art exhibit. I would recommend it for a day trip, nonetheless! Also, I loved the local-made art at the gift shop. A unique touch. read more

I really enjoyed my visit here which was on a Sunday. It was not crowded and mask wearing and social distancing seem to be going on which I appreciated. Quite a variety of exhibits including art, music, history, and natural history. I was happy to see the Native American exhibit as well as pretty much all of the other exhibits. For $10 I feel like it is well worth it. They have discounts for students etc. $10 is the regular admission for adults. read more

A hidden gem in Reading! The art collection is fantastic for a smaller museum and you are able to get up close to the art to really study the brush strokes and pigments. It's not a huge museum but offers an incredible curation. read more

I go here every day for my daily walks with my children and we absolutely love it. Beautiful scenery.

This museum is in serious need of some updating and cleaning! If layers of dirt and dust are part of history, then they get a thumbs up. Broken exhibits, lots of open floor space and a need to update are in serious order. For what it costs to get in, you clearly do not get your moneys worth. Did not vist the Planitarium. read more

This museum was much more than I expected. Very interesting place! There is a lovely park to walk around in also right there where the museum is. read more

Reading doesn't have many claims to fame. The Pagoda. The Outlets. A Railroad? None of these are relevant in 2014. The Reading Public Museum has tried to become a staple attraction, but has failed to properly execute every time. The Museum, as locals simply refer to it as, is located in West Reading/Wyomissing, alongside a small creek. It's got a beautiful view of the ever-growing Reading Hospital, and some residences. Outside you will find some sculptures, benches, and squirrels. I wish I could go into greater detail, but that's about it. The Museum itself offers a pretty unique gift shop, and a decent size of collection of artifacts and art through various time periods. The problem with this museum is that it fails to bring in special collections that would excite the locals. If you can't snag the stars, you're not going to grow your fanbase. The locals get tired of seeing the same stuff that they saw a decade ago, and for that reason, that stale taste of imagry, it's not more popular. You will find that this location is more often used for photo shoots, joggers, and wedding receptions then what it should be used for; celebrating art and experiencing creativity. read more

Unfortunately I wasted my time and money at this place. They have almost no exhibits in the museum to view. They also have very disrespectful employees, one of them came up to me and my three year old nephew and yelled at us for walking slightly to slow, despite that nobody was anywhere around me, now I of course can see why. I would recommend that you drive right by this place and not waste your time. read more

I remember the museum of old. There were many more objects in their exhibits in the past, therefore more things to see and learn about. The current exhibits have a lot of open space (makes me wonder where all the old items in the collections went and why they don't show some of the other items, if they still have them). They are still education focused and a great place for kids to learn. Recent events like their Pokemon Go are good example of how they teach by allowing you to have fun. Don't forget about the planetarium it is great too. read more

Small but delightful. We spent a few hours here on a family vacation when we saw an advertisement for the Curious George exhibit. The facility was spotless. The staff very friendly. The price of admission was perfect for the size. We had a lot of fun and hope to visit again. read more

i visited the museum september 2009 and it is a really nice museum, some of the displays didn't work(lighting was burned out, etc) but it still as a nice place to visit read more