Mini-Tours

Ground Floor

The Atrium on the Ground Level of The Reading Public Museum is the main entrance. When visitors enter they immediately feel the openness, beauty and warmth from the marble floor and the glass Atrium ceiling.

To the left is the unique Museum Shop with wonderful items relating to The Museum’s collections from around the world – with that “perfect gift” for everyone and every pocketbook. Admission to The Museum is paid at The Museum Shop, however there is no admission charged to browse in the Shop.

To the right, there is an area where visitors can sit and enjoy the peacefulness of the Atrium. Visitors may, depending on the exhibit, see art hanging in the alcoves in that area.

Traveling on either side of the marble steps on the Ground Floor visitors will discover the Cove Gallery where “good things come in small packages” fits. This gallery, while smaller than the others, is always a treat for the eyes.

Also on the Ground Level, are the hall to the auditorium (often filled with a mini exhibit), auditorium, restrooms, information racks, coatroom, administrative offices, and elevator.

First Floor

1ST FLOOR – EAST SIDE

As visitors ascend the marble stairs to the 1st Floor from the Atrium – or take the elevator – they enter the Central Gallery. This gallery is dedicated totally to Science exhibits and always makes education about the sciences fun.

At this point, visitors can go to the east or west side – this mini-tour starts on the east side. Visitors will enter the Asian Gallery and be startled by a Chinese palace guard, bedazzled by jade and ceramics, mystified by Hindu statues, and intrigued by Japanese masks…the discoveries will be never-ending!

In the next Gallery, Ancient Civilizations, visitors will never forget Nefer-ii-ne the resident Egyptian Mummy, the near perfect Greek Kraters, the ancient Italian helmets, terracotta oil lamps, and the lekythos. Lekythos? What’s a lekythos?

Visitors stepping into the African Gallery will feel the power of the figures, sculptures and masks that dominate this gallery. Their presence, along with the musical instruments, weapons, baskets and Shona sculpture bring to life the marvelous cultures of Africa.

Perhaps the most amazing exhibit in our Eurasian Gallery are the hand-colored lithographs that make up the Quest and Achievement of the Holy Grail boldly displayed on the upper walls. Also on exhibit are fascinating objects - a drinking horn from Germany, stunning amber from Latvia, Islamic tiles, and an exquisite crystal and silver horn vase from Russia.

A favorite, tucked away in the corner of the 1st Floor, is the Armor Gallery. It’s not quite big enough for King Arthur and his knights, but you will surely get a tremendous feel for their heavy wardrobe! Full suits of armor, mail shirts and headpieces, weapons, helmets and more. There is also a look at Judaica – don’t miss the gilded silver Torah finials.

The last gallery on the east side of the 1st Floor is the Oceanic Gallery, which contains an amazing variety of objects representing the peoples who inhabited the islands of the Pacific Ocean. Boomerangs, textiles, sculptures, ceremonial adornments, masks, shields, and even a split gong drum!

1ST FLOOR – WEST SIDE

Visitors heading to the west side of the 1st Floor will experience the North American Indian Gallery, one of the most visited and popular galleries. Get a feel for how the Iroquois, Plains, Navajo, Sioux and other Native American nations lived through this extensive and pristinely preserved collection.

The newly redesigned and renovated Latin American Gallery , Ritual Arts & Sacred Rites: Art in Ancient and Historic Latin America, takes you on a journey through the mysteries of ancient pre-Columbian civilizations. This new gallery explores two themes common to these cultures — sacrifice and transformation — through spectacular works in media including textiles, sculpture, sacrificial offerings and ritual vessels.

Visitors will be delighted when entering the Museum History Gallery. Levi Mengel, the founder of The Reading Public Museum, gives the visitor a narrative of the Museum’s history – yes, Levi himself! Visitors will be awed by the life achievements of Mengel, all documented in this gallery through eclectic memorabilia and true stories.

Part of the wonder of The Reading Public Museum is that it is three Museums in one - art, civilization and science. The Science Galleries on the west side of the 1st Floor are a favorite for families. Earth – A Timeless Tale Science Gallery focuses the visitor on a trip through time starting 4.6 billion years ago! Dinosaur fossils (including a local find featured on the Discovery Channel), Hawaiian Volcanoes, minerals and rocks are just the beginning of this journey. The Berks County Science Gallery will capture the visitor immediately with its array of taxidermy-mounted animals most indigenous to Berks County. Enjoy the interactive features of chirping birds and hands-on microscopes. The visitor will even see the now extinct taxidermy-mounted passenger pigeon!

Second Floor

2ND FLOOR – WEST SIDE

As visitors ascend the marble stairs to the 2nd Floor from the Central Gallery they pass the first set of beautiful Stained Glass Windows. Once they reach the top of the steps, they enter the Founders’ Gallery and are greeted by the Drinking Girl Fountain and more Stained Glass Windows.

At this point, visitors can go to the east or west side – this mini-tour starts on the east side. Visitors will enter the Temporary Galleries where they will find our current temporary art exhibit.

Next, in the American Gallery, visitors will first be struck by the giant painting Smoky Range, Allegheny Mountains by native Berks County artist Christopher Shearer. Other gems in this gallery include Man Reading by John Singer Sargent, Lemons & Sugar by Raphaelle Peale, Buttonwood Farm by N.C. Wyeth and several sculptures with notable presence.

Visitors stepping into the 20th Century Gallery will find a Keith Haring, an Andy Warhol, a Sterling Stauser and a Dan Namingha. Plus, the sculpture of Harry Bertoia and a wonderful painting by another well-know Berks County native artist William Baziotes.

One of the most popular and most visited galleries is our Pennsylvania German Gallery which is rich with the history of the area. World- renown blanket chests, stately tall case clocks, fraktur, sgraffito, slip-glazed and mottled glazed redware, and many other fascinating objects that tell a story of the typical Pennsylvania “Dutch” German family and community.

2ND FLOOR – EAST SIDE

Visitors heading to the west side of the 2nd Floor will enter more Temporary Galleries where they will find our current temporary art exhibit.

The next gallery, our 2nd Floor Asian Gallery, will envelop you with its calming aura. When first entering the gallery you will walk into a beautiful, full-size model of scholars pavilion of Chinese lacquered wood Coromandel Screens. Inside are a Han Dynasty Chinese Imperial wine cup of jade and wood and a Kung Pi dragon of jade and wood. The walls of this gallery are graced with exquisite Japanese painting of ink on silk.

The peaceful setting continues through to our French Gallery. This gallery houses one of our most admired treasures – The Laundress Ironing by Edgar Degas. This painting has traveled the world on loan, most recently to the Casa Dei Carraresi Art Gallery in Treviso, Italy. It was seen by over 600,000 visitors in the three months it was on exhibit! This gallery’s serenity is enhanced by the paintings that grace its walls including two by Julien Dupré.

When entering the European Gallery you will find a feast for the eyes. The artwork in this gallery is exceptional starting with the rare and famous Jacopo “Tintoretto” Rubusti The Raising of Lazarus. Also not-to-be-missed are Tilman Riemenschneider’s linden wood statues of St. Peter and St. Paul.