Blockbuster movie boosts Greek archaeology museum in Reading

A little known museum in Reading is hoping the blockbuster Christopher Nolan movie 'The Odyssey' could boost their visitor numbers.

The Ure Museum of Greek Archaeology contains a variety of artefacts with links to the period of history covered by the movie.

The museum is one of three run by the university of Reading and situated on the Whiteknights campus.

Museum curator Professor Amy Smith said:

"We have plenty of material in the university's collection in the Ure museum here that relates either to the time of Homer, which might be maybe the 8th or 7th century before Christ, or to the time of the heroes that he talks about, the Trojan War, and all that."

One of the items picked out by Professor Smith is a Roman oil lamp and she explained why it was of interest:

"Because we have a very clear image of Odysseus there. He's the guy hugging the bottom of the ram so he can escape from the cave of the Cyclops Polyphemus. And that's in Book 9 of the Odyssey."

Founders

Established in 1922 as the Museum of Greek Archaeology, the Ure Museum has grown from a small collection of gifts, bequests, and personal donations to the fourth largest collection of Greek ceramics in Britain. Its founders, the classical archaeologists Percy Neville Ure and Annie Dunman (Hunt) Ure, worked tirelessly to assemble the core of the collection.

As one of the oldest museum collections in the University of Reading, the Ure Museum’s archive holds important records relating to the history of the College in the early 20th century. It also reflects Percy and Annie Ure’s work on the archaeology of Greece, visible in the records of their excavations at Rhitsona and in their correspondence over the course of their professional lives.

You can find out more about the museum including opening hours here

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