Reading Public Museum, Art museum and planetarium in West Reading, United States.
Reading Public Museum is an art museum and planetarium in West Reading housing over 280,000 objects across art, science, and civilization collections within a Beaux-Arts building. The 25-acre grounds also contain an arboretum with diverse plantings and outdoor green spaces.
The museum began in 1904 when Reading School District purchased exhibits from the Saint Louis World's Fair and merged them with Dr. Mengel's private collections. This combination of sources established the foundation for the diverse holdings seen today.
The name reflects the founders' desire to share art and knowledge with the general public rather than restrict access to elites. Visitors encounter European paintings, American artworks, and sculptures that show how different cultures and time periods connect with one another.
The museum operates daily and offers regular planetarium shows for visitors to enjoy. The outdoor arboretum and grounds are accessible year-round without any special requirements or advance arrangements.
The museum displays a complete Egyptian mummy from the Ptolemaic period, a rare object that transports visitors to ancient Egypt. It also holds an impressive collection of European armor from the 16th and 17th centuries, showcasing the craftsmanship and military technology of those eras.
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