West Berkshire Museum Museums

The museum is housed in two of Newbury's most historic buildings. The Cloth Hall was built in 1626-1627 by Richard Emmes, a master carpenter of Speenhamland for the Newbury Corporation as a cloth factory. Originally part of a larger range of buildings with a courtyard in the centre, the building was subsequently used as a workhouse, hospital and school before being used for storing corn from 1829 until its conversion to a museum.

Galleries include The History of Kennet & Avon Canal, Hot Air Ballooning - The story of ballooning from 1783 and local pioneer balloonists in the 19th century, Natural History - local wildlife, plants and geology with a focus on Greenham and Crookham Common.

The Museum's new Art Gallery is now open, with highlights from the Museum's collection of over 400 works of fine art. Over 40 pictures have been selected to cover a range of themes and a variety of media. The exhibition also provides the opportunity to bring to light some of the pictures in need of conservation. .