Adopt an Object and become a Super-friend!

You can now help Reading Museum to care for its unique collection by adopting one of our objects for a year – for yourself, or as an unusual gift for a friend or relative. 

Read this document to find out more about the benefits, terms and conditions and adoption fees. This new scheme is run by the Friends of Reading Museum.

What you get

  • Membership of the Friends of Reading Museums for one year, if you or your friend/relative is not already a member. This gives free admission to the Friends monthly coffee mornings with regular speakers (for the full benefits of Friends membership pick up a leaflet or visit the website at https://www.friendsofreadingmuseum.org.uk.

  • You can adopt an object for somebody else – give us their name and details on the application form and tell us what message you would like on the certificate by using the application form Message box.

  • Your name or that of your friend/relative will appear on the object’s label from the approval month of January or July, for twelve months, until the following year (unless you have opted to remain anonymous).

  • Certificates will be sent electronically to you. If the object is for a friend/relative you will need to add their e-address to the application form Message box. If you want to opt to collect a hard copy, you will need to add this to the Message box or say if you would like it presented at our AGM, usually in May.

An object can be adopted by an organisation – corporate rates apply. The corporate rate entitles your organisation to nominate a member of your staff for free membership of FoRM.

    • Corporate adopters can also have their logo on the object label, but it should be a monochrome version and the size will be limited by the standard label sizes.

How it works

  • There are about fifty objects available to adopt, chosen from across all the Museum’s collections. Pictures of the Adoption Objects which are available are shown on the Friends website at https://www.friendsofreadingmuseum.org.uk.

  • Application forms are linked to the pictures of objects on the Friends website. Each object may only be adopted by one person. Please enter your second and third choices in the Message box, in the online application form, in case your first choice has already been adopted.

  • It may be possible to adopt an object that is not on the Adoption Objects List, but the Museum will decide on a case by case basis whether the proposed object can be adopted. If it is allowed, the adoption will cost more (see Adoption Fees below).

    • Objects that are not on display are not eligible for adoption.

    • All objects on display are stars, but ‘megastar’ objects, such as the Bayeux Tapestry or the Silchester Eagle, are currently excluded from the scheme.

  • The Museum may alter the Adoption Objects List at any time. (If objects are removed from the list, existing adopters may still be able to renew their adoption if they wish, depending on the reason for removal.)

  • Adopting an object will not give you any rights over the object itself or images of it.

  • Occasionally the Museum may, for essential operational, health and safety or conservation reasons, need to remove an adopted object from display either temporarily or permanently. In the case of temporary removal, adopters will not be notified. You should always email us to check, if you are travelling to see the object: adopt@friendsofreadingmuseum.org.uk

  • Adoption is for one year. Existing adopters will be invited to renew their adoption at the end of their twelve months adoption period. If they do not respond within three months, the object will become available for someone else to adopt.

Adoption Fees

  • Standard rate, individual - £50

  • Standard rate, corporate - £125

  • Adopting an object not on the list, individual - £75

  • Adopting an object not on the list, corporate - £150

The money raised by the Adopt an Object scheme will be collected by the Friends of Reading Museum.
This will help the Friends to purchase objects and fund events.

Help & Advice

If you need help or have any questions, please email: adopt@friendsofreadingmuseum.org.uk