Museums & Galleries · Berkshire
Willis Museum
📍 RG21 7QD
Photo: Sebastian Ballard (CC BY-SA 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons
- View the world's oldest wedding cake, dating to 1898
- See a 2.8 metre mammoth tusk and Roman artefacts
- Visit regional and national exhibitions in the Sainsbury Gallery
- Take a selfie with the Jane Austen statue
- Browse the museum shop and visit the café
The Willis Museum sits in Basingstoke's historic Market Place, in a former Town Hall that has housed the museum since 1984. Inside you'll find Basingstoke and Deane's story from the Stone Age to the postwar era, with highlights including a 2.8 metre mammoth tusk, Roman artefacts, and what's described as the world's oldest wedding cake. The Sainsbury Gallery hosts touring regional and national exhibitions, while families can enjoy workshops, trails and a selfie with the Jane Austen statue outside. There's a café and shop on site, and admission is free with no booking required. It suits families, history enthusiasts and casual visitors alike, and with Basingstoke station just 0.4 miles away and 14 bookable places to stay within 5 miles, it's an easy addition to a short break in the area.
Practical details
- Open
- Admission free, open today 10:00–17:00
- Dogs
- Assistance dogs welcome if clearly identifiable
- Accessibility
- Ramped access to front door; no accessible toilet on site
- Booking
- Free admission, no need to pre-book
- Best for
- Families, with workshops and activity trails
From the attraction's own website on 22 Oct 2026 — check before you travel.
Facilities
- ✓ Cafe
- ✓ Toilets
- ✓ Disabled Access
- ✓ Baby Changing
- ✓ Gift Shop
- ✓ Parking
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Make a proper break of it — these stays are all within 25 miles.
0.1 mi
0.1 mi
0.2 mi
0.3 mi
0.3 mi
0.5 mi
🎪 What's on near Willis Museum
Events from
Skiddle
Fri 13 Nov · 21:00
Fright Night 2026
The Face Bar, Reading · 14.1 mi
Tickets on Skiddle ↗
Fri 13 Nov · 22:00
Iconic Fridays @ Popworld Reading
Popworld Reading, Reading · 14.2 mi
Tickets on Skiddle ↗
Sun 13 Dec · 19:30
Mark Nightingale, Trombonist, with The Terry Hutchins Qrt
Pangbourne Working Mens Club, Reading · 15.4 mi
Tickets on Skiddle ↗
Wed 27 Jan · 20:00
January's Comedy in Goring
Viv's In Goring, Goring · 18.1 mi
Tickets on Skiddle ↗
🗓️ Make a break of it
Turn a visit to Willis Museum into a proper getaway — ready-made plans, and the drive worked out with fuel, EV charging and the best stops.
🚆 Or come by train
- Basingstoke 0.4 miles
- Bramley (Hants) 4.8 miles
- Hook 5.5 miles
Straight-line distances · live departures on each station page