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NOW ONLINE: VIRTUAL REALITY & OBJECT HANDLING
Learn about shepherding through virtual reality and MERL objects
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![Boy on the MERL quad bike wearing a virtual reality headset](https://merl.reading.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2019/07/whatson-feat-vr.jpg)
Our holiday events are online!
Join us on social media for a digital alternative to trying our VR and object handling activities at the museum. Pull up a chair, imagine it’s a quad bike, climb on and watch a 360 version of our Quad Bike VR film to be transported to Dartmoor with Shepherd, Russell and his dog Flo. You will also be able to watch a film about how PurpleStars created the VR experience.
There’ll also be an activity inspired by one of our shepherding objects.
Discover Virtual Shepherding!
Immerse yourself in the life of a modern-day shepherd through a 360 virtual reality experience, and learn about the making of the film with its fantastic creators, purpleSTARS!
And for some ‘Reality’
Here’s a marvellous crook from our collection, created by the shepherd who worked with it, Henry Beecham.
Take a look at the intricacy of the design and the level of detail; it’s a real masterclass in both creativity AND personalisation.
![](/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2017/05/Discover_55.6_stick_3-300x245.jpg)
![](/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2017/05/Discover_55.6_stick_2-300x245.jpg)
The quite striking inscription reads: “Carved by a Poor Shepherd in the years 1844 to 1849”.
As a little challenge, please send us (on social media) a doodle of a regular household object from your home, BUT personalised and inscribed in the same way!