Tech Town Walk

Wednesday 14 May, 10am – 12pm

Venue: Reading Museum

Book now at Reading Walks Festival

What

A town centre walking tour, telling the tale of Reading's transformation into a tech town today of international prominence. The walk complements the current Reading’s Digital Revolution exhibition at Reading Museum. Join its curator Brendan Carr as he visits some of the key sites in Reading’s post-war ICT industry development.

Reading's evolution into one of Europe's most important tech clusters and its position at the beating heart of the Thames Silicon Valley, did not come about by chance. Historical forces in Reading created the conditions that would attract computing and hi- tech industries, bringing about a digital revolution with parallels to the industrial revolution of the 19th century. Drawing from original research of this previously unchartered local history, walkers will gain fresh perspective on Reading's built environment and the special place our town has in the history and future of UK computing and technology.

Starting from Town Hall square, the 2 km town centre [route includes a riverside stroll, taking in some of Reading's contemporary architecture and hidden surprises in older parts of town. The journey will pass the sites and office buildings that have been home to firms instrumental in establishing the town's hi-tech reputation from the early 1960s onwards.