Oscar Wilde's Historic Prison in Reading May Become a Museum

The former Reading Gaol, where Oscar Wilde was imprisoned for sodomy and wrote 'The Ballad of Reading Gaol,' has been sold by the British government for £7 million to the Ziran Education Foundation, a nonprofit led by Chinese-Irish businessman Channing Bi. The prison, built on the ruins of a medieval monastery and decommissioned a decade ago, had faced neglect until a 2021 Banksy mural on its exterior wall drew national and international attention. The Ministry of Justice disclosed that initial proposals include an educational center serving the local community, with a museum detailing the prison's history and a public exhibition space. The Reading Borough Council had also bid for the site, backed by MPs, activists, and celebrities like Stephen Fry, Kate Winslet, and Dame Judi Dench, aiming to turn it into a cultural and arts center. Banksy supported that effort, offering to sell the stencil (valued at £10 million) to raise funds. Council leader Jason Brock welcomed the new owner's recognition of the site's historical significance but expressed caution, given the government's earlier intent to sell the land for housing and hotels. Theater director Toby Davies of the Save Reading Gaol campaign called initial rumors 'slightly encouraging' for mentioning culture and education, but activists will continue pressing for accessible artistic use and inclusion of the abbey ruins.