Public - Page 4 of 27 - The Museum of English Rural Life

Workshop: Roots and Reflections – POSTPONED

During Reading Climate Festival, adults and young people aged 14+ can join us for these events which explore the potential of agroforestry (farming and forestry) to mitigate climate change and enhance biodiversity with Dr. Jen Clarke (anthropologist, artist and educator, leading the arts research on a multi-disciplinary project about Agroforestry in the UK.) This collage workshop will draw […]

Our Green Stories Gallery Tours – June

Curator of MERL Collections, Dr Ollie Douglas, will be joined by a different specialist for each of these tours. Together they will take visitors on a short conversational trip through the galleries, exploring our collections, and sharing Green Stories about environment, climate action, social justice, and the life and future of the planet. Each tour will […]

Romany and Traveller Heritage Day

A large painting depicting gypsy or traveller people with horses, dogs and caravans

Join us for a day of music, film, poetry, tours, talks, displays and family fun as we celebrate Gypsy Roma and Traveller History Month at The Museum of English Rural Life. In partnership with the Romany and Traveller Family History Society, we will be exploring Romany and Traveller heritage, tradition and culture, completely free and […]

Our Green Stories Gallery Tours – May

Accessible Forest Bathing in the MERL Garden

a person walks down a wooded path in the MERL garden

Join us as part of Reading Walks Festival 2025 Dates and Times 16th May: 2:30-4.30pm 17th May: 10.30am-12:30pm (repeat) Join us to relax, reconnect with nature and explore how trees and landscapes inspire ideas for more sustainable, thriving communities. Details Immerse yourself in nature and explore the connections between wellbeing, landscapes and sustainable futures with […]

Absent Tales: MA Fine Art Exhibition

hexagons layered in different shades of blue

Embrace the power of presence, even in absence Museums tell many stories through their collections. What it is unclear is how many are absent. The MERL is hosting ‘Absent Tales’, a temporary exhibition inspired by the museum and its collection. In this show, MA students from the University of Reading School of Art have used [...]

A Break from Tradition

The late 19th and early 20th centuries were a transformative period in Europe. Developments in industry, technology and transportation altered life beyond recognition. It was against this backdrop of unprecedented social, economic and political change that a new generation of artists began to challenge traditional artistic practices. These artists would eventually create what we now […]

Folklore and Magic

This exhibition is a captivating exploration of the enduring legacy of folklore and magic. It explores the dynamic nature of folk tales, folk art, magic, and healing wisdom, using the MERL collections, University of Reading’s Art Collection, Special Collections, Herbarium and Ure Museum of Greek Archaeology. It has been designed by third-year Museum Studies students […]