DIGITAL TAKEOVER II: A MERL LATE

JOIN US FOR A LIVELY EVENING OF DRINKS, LIVE MUSIC, ACTIVITIES AND TALKS SHOWCASING DIGITAL PROJECTS! Book in advance or buy on the door (subject to availability) £4 in advance (£3 students and concessions) / £5 (£3.75) on the door Please note this event is suitable for aged 18+ only LIVE MUSIC BY FORGET GRAVITY– […]

DIG IT! A MERL LATE

Furrows on a neatly ploughed field disappear into the distance

JOIN US FOR A LIVELY EVENING OF DRINKS, LIVE MUSIC, ACTIVITIES AND TALKS ON THE THEME OF SOIL AND GROWING! Book in advance via Eventbrite or buy on the door  £4 in advance (£3 students and concessions) / £5 (£3.75) on the door Please note this event is suitable for aged 18+ only LIVE MUSIC […]

WOOL: A MERL LATE

A striking sheep portrait on a black background

JOIN US FOR A LIVELY EVENING OF DRINKS, LIVE MUSIC, ACTIVITIES AND TALKS ON THE THEME OF WOOL! Book in advance via Eventbrite or buy on the door (subject to availability) £4 in advance (£3 students and concessions) / £5 (£3.75) on the door Please note this event is suitable for ages 18+ only LIVE MUSIC FROM […]

EXTENDED HOURS: JANUARY LATE OPENING NIGHT

Extended hours late opening

Not enough hours in the day? We’re open late on the last Thursday of every month*, so you can visit the reading room, museum galleries, shop, cafe and garden until 9pm. There are usually additional activities taking place on the evening to add to your visit. January 25th 2018 We’re launching new ‘MERL Makers’ in […]

SEMINAR SERIES: RURAL RIDERS AND RADICALS

Black and white image of a man riding a grey working horse in a field with haystack in the background

A series of lunchtime talks organised by the Department of English Literature and the Museum of English Rural Life, in celebration of their ongoing collaborations. Events in the series feature (alternately) writers with a national profile, and academic authors showcasing new and exciting research. 18 January – Alexandra Harris – The marsh and the visitor […]

THE MARSH AND THE VISITORS: ALEXANDRA HARRIS

18 January:  Alexandra Harris, ‘The Marsh and the Visitor’ Alexandra describes herself as a “literary critic, cultural historian, lover of buildings, landscapes, seasons, stories”. Her books include Romantic Moderns (2010) and Weatherland: Writers and Artists under English Skies (2015). The latter is an exploration of imaginative responses to the weather in England across the centuries. […]

CHRISTMAS OPENING AT THE MERL

Looking for something to do between Christmas and New Year? We’ll be open on Thursday 27th to Sunday 30th December! This year, the Museum* will be open for even more days between Christmas and New Year (27th, 28th, 29th & 30th December)! So if you need to get out of the house or are looking […]

THE MERL WINTER WARMER

MERL Christmas opening

Enjoy a day of seasonal family fun with Millers Ark Living Nativity and petting farm, music and activities! Meet the animals from Millers Ark petting farm Live music from The Big Band Explore a traditional Christmas with the MERL Players Follow a winter trail in the galleries Make a traditional cracker with artist Julie Roberts […]

SPECULATIVE OPTIMISM

A poster showing the details of the exhibition Speculative Optimism, with an archive corridor in the background.

Deirdre O’Mahony’s residency at the MERL began with the proposition, is carbon-neutral beef possible? Research at the University of Reading is currently testing the effect of different kinds of forage such as Sainfoin, on animal and soil health and on levels of methane produced by livestock. Deirdre spent the residency investigating historical references to forages […]

BEING HUMAN FESTIVAL: HOME AT THE MERL

Home at MERL with Reside Dance

A promenade performance in the Museum exploring experiences of migration and resettlement Reading’s newest professional dance company, Reside Dance, and members of the local community will take you on a journey of migration and encourage you to discover your own sense of belonging to the people around you and the different spaces that you inhabit. […]

  • Visit us

    Visit Us

    The Museum is now fully open, following a major redevelopment, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

    Free Admission

    The Museum of English Rural Life

    University of Reading

    Redlands Road

    Reading

    RG1 5EX

    Plan my visit