Public - Page 8 of 28 - The Museum of English Rural Life

Archives, History and Memory in Memoir Writing

Spines of books of WHS press cuttings and an inset of the front cover of Inventory of a Life Mislaid by Marina Warner

Cover design by Sophie Herxheimer Join writer and academic Marina Warner as she discusses drawing on archives and the interweaving of history and memory in memoir-writing. Dame Professor Marina Warner CH, DBE, FRSL, FBA is a writer and academic. Her works include novels, short stories and studies of art, myths, symbols and fairy tales. She [...]

A History of English Georgic Writing

A black and white photo by John Tarlton showing a man riding two white heavy horses across a field with a hayrick in the background

This event launches A History of English Georgic Writing (Cambridge University Press, 2022), a historical survey of the literature of rural working lives and landscapes. This important new book argues that the skilled labour of people and animals in farming communities, and the land as it is understood through that work, is one of English [...]

Conservation for Wellbeing: Kintsugi Binding

Kintsugi is a traditional and longstanding Japanese method of object repair that visibly accentuates and enhances the damage an item has sustained to create a new, equally beautiful object. These sessions will explore the wellbeing that can come from conservation and participants will have the opportunity to take a book of their choice that is [...]

Among the Trees

Close up of leaves from oaktree detail from a Michael O'Connell wallhanging at The MERL

This exhibition in the Staircase Hall, Community Case and MERL galleries explores the complex relationship between humans and trees. Using the MERL and Special Collections it examines treescapes and themes of folklore, myth, craft, outdoor learning, and wellbeing. It has been designed by third year Museum Studies students at the University of Reading in collaboration […]

Japanese Stitching Workshop

thread, fabric, scissors and a template laid out for japanese shashiko mending

Learn formal pattern sashiko and boro-inspired mending in this day-long Japanese craft workshop. Morning session: Moyozashi Sashiko (2.5 hours) Sashiko, meaning ‘little stab’ is the Japanese art of stitching beautiful patterns using running stitch. This class covers formal pattern sashiko. Often used to add strength, texture and warmth to old garments, Sashiko has become synonymous [...]

Our Green Stories Tours with Alex Arnall

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 […]

Our Green Stories Tours with Alice Mauchline

Our Green Stories Tours with Jenny Chamarette

Our Green Stories Tours with Mike Goodman

‘CARE’FUL TOURS

Led by Curator of MERL Collections, Dr Ollie Douglas, and featuring other colleagues and specialists, each of these tours will take visitors on a short conversational trip through The MERL, exploring different aspects of CARE in relation to our collections. Each tour will culminate in a pop-up display or an opportunity to peek behind the [...]