12 March 2026
The University of Reading’s Cole Museum of Zoology has been awarded a further five years of accreditation by Arts Council England, recognising the museum’s continued commitment to high professional standards and public value.
The award follows the museum’s relocation to its new home as the centrepiece of the new £60m Health and Life Sciences Building, which was completed in 2020.
The accreditation places the Cole Museum alongside nationally recognised institutions such as the Wellcome Collection and the Natural History Museum. At Reading, it joins a distinguished group of Arts Council accredited museums and collections:
Founded in 1907 by Professor Francis Joseph Cole, the museum has been central to zoology teaching at Reading for nearly 120 years. Its extraordinary collection includes more than 3,200 fluid-preserved and dry specimens, with a further 38,000 items held in additional teaching collections.
Highlights range from a platypus and echidna, gifted by the Australian government, to exquisite Japanese glass sponges, alongside large skeletal displays including an elephant, camel and false killer whale.
Professor Amanda Callaghan, Curator of the Cole Museum for more than 20 years, said: “Receiving this reaccreditation recognises the historical significance of the collection and its ongoing role in teaching and research. This is a great credit to the team of volunteers, students and staff who maintain the museum’s diverse collection and interpret its rich artefacts from the natural world to the benefit of thousands of visitors every year.
“A compact but comprehensive museum of natural history right here in Reading, the Cole Museum continues to inspire students and visitors alike with the breadth and beauty of zoological diversity.”
The museum remains an integral teaching resource, supporting undergraduate modules such as Animal Form and Function, Vertebrate Zoology and Invertebrate Zoology, as well as postgraduate study across the School of Biological Sciences.
The Cole Museum is open Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm, with free entry for all visitors. Families can plan their visit in advance, including with downloadable self-guided activity sheets, and the museum also offers a developing virtual museum for online exploration.
To learn more about the collection, plan a visit, or explore zoology degrees at the University of Reading, visit the Cole Museum website.
We are in the process of finalising our postgraduate taught courses for 2027/28 entry. In the meantime, you can view our 2026/27 courses.
