Latest Museum News

In the days following the vandalism of one of its outdoor animatronic dinosaurs, the Reading Public Museum has been inundated with an outpouring of well wishes. Now, it is the coins from a wishing well that have turned the dream of restoring the beast into a reality. Kathryn Campbell, president of Historic Crystal Cave, wrote a check to the museum for $4,133 Monday morning.

Most little girls love kittens or puppies, but 9-year-old Mary Monsour has a soft spot for a 15-foot-tall, fanged spinosaurus. After the animatronic dinosaur outside the Reading Public Musuem was defaced by vandals last week, Mary made it her mission to help bring it back to its former ferocious glory.

Just less than a week after three men vandalized the Reading Public Museum’s outside dinosaur, the community has rallied around the local institution to help raise funds to repair the Spinosaurus. The total — $5,000 in contributions and pledges — is already halfway to the campaign goal of $10,000.

Shortly after 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday, July 12, the Reading Public Museum experienced vandalism to its traveling exhibition, Dinosaurs Around the World: Passport to Pangea. The animatronic Spinosaurus, located outside of The Museum, was discovered with missing fingers, teeth, partial tail and damage to the dinosaur’s sail.

A visit to the Berks County Heritage Center is a journey back through the history of Berks County. It includes Gruber Wagon Works, which is a National Historic Landmark that dates back to the late 1800s.

Warning to parents: If you take your children to the Reading Public Museum over the next five months, tell them ahead of time: These are just big toys in here. Yes, they growl and roar and open their big mouths and show their sharp teeth and swish their tails, but they’re just toys. Really big toys.

The Reading Public Museum was the brainchild of local schoolteacher, Dr. Levi Mengel. Dr. Mengel believed that sensory learning was important in the sciences and amassed an impressive collection for his science classes.

Imagine the creativity that would have resulted if Andy Warhol, Georgia O’Keeffe and Norman Rockwell all vacationed together, along with their families and painted together.

Take a look at current exhibits and upcoming events at the Reading Public Museum including; Eat Well, Play Well, Tsar's Cabinet and more on this episode of Museum Roadshow.

Topping off the expansive four-venue set of exhibitions that is “Eye of the Collector: The Jewish Vision of Sigmund Balka,” the Reading Public Museum presents a wide array of artworks within its Works on Paper Gallery along with relevant selections from its own inventory.