Things to do in Padworth, Berkshire

Originally a tribal centre of the Iron Age Atrebates, Silchester became the large and important Roman town of Calleva Atrebatum.

Our small branch site tells the story of Reading's two rivers - the Kennet and the Thames. The Riverside Museum occupies two Listed former waterworks buildings, the Screen House and the Turbine House. The site is open April to September. The Screen House displays our beautiful gypsy caravan built by Reading firm Dunton and Sons to the 'Ledge' design. You can also see a variety of objects illustrating life by the river, from stuffed fish to regatta tickets, including a medieval wooden wheel from St Giles Mill found during archaeological excavations at the site of The Oracle shopping centre. The Turbine House is a unique Victorian building that spans the River Kennet, with views across the water. It houses preserved turbine machinery and since 2003 has been hosting a programme of summertime art exhibitions and events by the local cultural community. The Riverside Museum is a 15 to 20 minute stroll from Reading Museum through the historic Abbey Quarter. Find out how to get to the Riverside Museum. Riverside Museum is opened by our partners at the neighbouring pub, The Narrowboat.

Since 1984, the Willis Museum has been housed in this impressive early Victorian building that was once Basingstoke’s Town Hall. It is named after George Willis, a local clockmaker, antiquarian and former Mayor of Basingstoke, who became the first honorary curator when the original museum was established in the Mechanics Institute in New Street in 1931.