Friends of Reading Museum

Analysis

Friends of Reading Museum is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Reading. It was registered in April 1982, 44 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, arts/culture/heritage/science and environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. It says it makes grants to organisations.

In the financial year ending December 2025, Friends of Reading Museum reported income of £57k and spending of £5,755, leaving 90% of income unspent that year. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £3,374 to £57k (+1600%), an average of +103% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2025, when income rose by 965%. Over the whole period it spent 26% of the income it received.

Among 17,634 England and Wales charities whose main cause is arts, culture, heritage and science and that reported income, Friends of Reading Museum sits at the 71st percentile: it is larger than about 71% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 63rd percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society (£57k), The Musica Britannica Trust (£57k) and Woodhall Spa Cottage Museum (£57k).