Football Themed ‘Antiques Roadshow’ Style Event at Reading Museum

READING MUSEUM is hosting a special football-focused ‘Antiques Roadshow’ style event in partnership with Reading Football Club’s Supporters Trust at Reading (STAR).

The unique event, held on National Sporting Heritage Day, takes place on Thursday 30 September between 12 pm – 2 pm at Reading Museum. The event has been generously supported by funding from Sporting Heritage.

Reading Museum’s regular Thursday Surgery returns with a football-themed special event to mark National Sporting Heritage Day.

STAR is calling upon Reading FC fans and the families of former players to bring along their Reading FC memorabilia to the roadshow, which will contribute to the season-long series of events and commemorations marking the club’s 150^th anniversary.

David Downs, the Royals’ official historian, will be on hand to discuss artefacts. With his encyclopaedic knowledge of all things Reading FC, David can tell more about the stories behind the keepsakes.

Image ©Reading Museum

Anyone interested in attending the Football Focused Antique Roadshow event should contact the Museum team in advance. A time slot will then be booked with David Downs (Reading FC Official Historian). Book via www.readingmuseum.org.uk/whats-on/national-sporting-heritage-day-museum-surgery 

The regular ‘Museum Surgery’ will open again on a fortnightly basis every other Thursday afternoon between 12 pm and 3.30 pm starting on Thursday 14 October.

Members of the public can bring along objects and artefacts to the Museum, where the team can help to identify and discover more about its history (please note the Museum does not give valuations).

Image ©Reading Football Club

Reading Museum is also working closely with STAR to create a series of events as part of Reading FC’s wider programme of 150th-anniversary celebrations. This includes an exciting new football-themed exhibition, opening at the Museum on 19 February 2022.

Roger Titford, STAR Heritage Officer, said: “One of STAR’s key objectives is to encourage positive support for Reading Football Club. The club’s 150th anniversary season is a great opportunity to reflect on the triumphs, trophies and tears of its long history. As the oldest League club in the South, founded in 1871, we have a fascinating story to tell. We are delighted to be working with Reading Borough Council’s Museum service, Reading FC Community Trust and the National Sporting Heritage Network to bring this to the forefront. We would love to hear from fans who have kept any mementoes that illustrate the story of the club and with David Downs, we are bound to discover some wonderful insight into the life of our club and its many generations of fans.”

Cllr Graeme Hoskin, Reading Council’s Lead Councillor for Sport, said: “This event marks a welcome return for Reading Museum’s popular ‘Surgeries’. I’m also really pleased we are able to support National Sporting Heritage Day by working closely with STAR.

“This is an auspicious year of many major anniversaries for Reading. Alongside the 900 anniversary of Reading Abbey and the 50^th anniversary of Reading Festival, we are delighted to also help celebrate Reading FC’s 150th anniversary season.

“I’m sure many fans will have some fascinating Reading FC related memorabilia to bring along and I know we’d all be eager to see what exciting items may be lurking in fans collections!  If you have something you think of interest, I would encourage you to get in touch with the museum and come along to the event at the Museum on 30 September. Who knows, perhaps items brought to the Museum for National Sporting Heritage Day can later feature in our Reading FC anniversary celebration display in February!”

Reading Museum is pleased to mark National Sporting Heritage Day with two further features taking place at the museum, both of which will be available at a later day for public viewing. Visit the STAR website for further details: https://star-reading.org

‘Players Panel: Past and Present’ - Present and past football players (and a STAR member acting the part of a Victorian footballer from the 1870s) discuss how it was to be a player for Reading FC in their day.

‘Vintage Football Footage’ - premiere showing of ‘ELM PARK, ELM PARK’ – A brand new, short film which pays homage to Reading FC’s former home ground at Elm Park, compiled from newly-discovered fan’s footage from the terraces.

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