Exciting Progress on M4 Natural History Museum

A huge facility near the M4 is moving closer as one phase nears completion.

Drivers approaching M4 Junction 11 westbound might have spotted a massive building, clearly visible from the motorway at night.

When finished it will be the ‘Natural History Museum Unlocked’, a £201 million centre for science, research and digitising the museum's collection.

It's a joint project between the Natural History Museum, the government and the University of Reading, on the university's Thames Valley Science Park site.

Work on a crucial stage - building an access road across what was a field - is almost done. Civil engineers Fergal Contracting built the road; they will hand the site to Mace Construction, who are building the main facility.

Photos show most of the exterior is up, though parts are still open to the interior.

Construction Map lists building completion as 31 May 2027. The access-road entry has been removed after the initial contract ended, and Fergal's contract has been extended while work continues.

After Mace finish, collections, staff and equipment will start moving in from 2028, with the centre fully operational in 2031.

It will house more than 28 million specimens, from a whale's skull and a giraffe skeleton to tiny strands of DNA. Planning permission was granted by Wokingham Borough Council in March 2024 and a ground-breaking event took place in September.

Professor Robert van de Noort, vice-chancellor of the University of Reading, said: "This collaboration with the Natural History Museum perfectly aligns with our commitment to world-leading environmental research and innovation.

"By developing this state-of-the-art facility at Thames Valley Science Park, we're creating unprecedented opportunities for collaborative research that will help address the planet's most pressing challenges. We're excited to see this transformative project moving forward."

James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter