 Above: the entrance to the British Museum's new Shinfield facility (photo: Cartlidge Levene)
High-tech hub keeps distant (and recent) past alive
We recently reported on the Natural History Museum building a new research centre in Shinfield - but did you know the British Museum also has a base here?
Its Archaelogical Research Collection began storing artefacts in 2023 and will soon be launching a learning programme for local secondary schools and other groups.
The £64million centre, designed by John McAslan and Partners, can also be found on the University of Reading's Thames Valley Science Park.
It brings together collections that were previously being stored by department, enabling research across different cultures and time periods.
It includes nails from the Sutton Hoo ship burial, rare Inca textiles, ancient fingerprints preserved on 5,000-year-old antler picks and a rickshaw from the 1980s.
Much of this had been stored at Blythe House in West London but needed to move when the Government sold the property.
It's mostly for academic research and not open to the public day-to-day, but the museum are committed to involving the community as much as they can.
 Above: University of Reading students on a placement at the centre (photo: British Museum)
Built with longevity and careful preservation in mind
The new centre now holds over 1.3 million objects, with space for more in future, and records have been extensively digitised to improve access.
It's specially equipped for studying large items, with wide corridors, strong floors and temperature controls to preserve fragile objects and textiles.
It has a strong steel frame so it doesn't need supporting walls or columns, and it covers the equivalent of two and a half football pitches.
It's all-electric and highly airtight to minimise energy use, with solar panels on the roof that generate electricity, supporting our climate emergency goals.
Construction ran from 2019 to 2022 and the move from Blythe House finished last year, shortly before the University of Reading's first student placements.
The scheme is part of the museum's wider vision for the future, including improvements to its flagship site in Bloomsbury, central London.
We gave planning permission in early 2019 and masterplanned the science park, in partnership with the university, to provide employment alongside new housing.
 Above: the entrance to Shinfield Studios on Thames Valley Science Park
A haven for major creative and scientific projects
Thames Valley Science Park is also home to Shinfield Studios, a major international hub for film and television production with 18 sound stages.
We gave permission in 2021 and construction finished last year, and it successfully underwent a £250million refinancing this summer.
Its CV includes Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, Star Wars: The Acolyte, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story and the upcoming Magic Faraway Tree adaptation.
The Natural History Museum's centre, which will store some 28 million specimens, is set to be built in 2027 and fully operational by 2031.
Kew Gardens has also confirmed a proposal to set up a base at the park, which would house dried plant specimens in a purpose-built herbarium.
This is still subject to planning permission, so Kew would hold a pre-application consultation and we would also consult before making any decision.
 Pavilion now open with pitches to follow
The new sports pavilion and field at High Copse, off Hyde End Lane near Shinfield, has now been handed to Shinfield Parish Council.
These facilities have been built by the University of Reading as part of their obligations to serve new housing in the area.
The pitches still need time to settle so they aren't being used for fixtures yet, but the building is now available for hire on weekday evenings only.
It includes a large function room, changing rooms, and a kitchen and bar plus two football pitches and one full-size cricket pitch.
There'll be a formal opening ceremony once the pitches are ready.
We gave full planning permission in late 2023, following consultation with residents and drawing up measures to offset the impact of traffic.
This follows the opening of the Manor Ground facility off Garrett Drive, which now serves as the home ground for Shinfield Cricket Club, in 2023.
This was also provided through a planning agreement between the university and the parish council.
There's still time to comment on the future of Ryeish Green's old pavilion, which the parish council is evaluating after the opening of Ryeish Green Sports Hub. You can respond to their survey until Friday, 31 October.
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