Discovering the landscape #2 (Landscape Institute project update)

We have been so busy over the last couple of months that we almost forgot to let you know what we’ve been up to! Here’s our progress in pictures… A new library room has been created to accommodate the growing MERL library.  Over 500 books have been bib-checked for duplication across the University libraries, with […]

Keep up! Stakeholder consultation on MERL's Our Country Lives project

MERL Curator of Collections and Engagement, Isabel Hughes, brings us up to date with progress on the Our Country Lives project Our project plans are developing quite quickly now and one of the challenges is to keep all our various stakeholders informed including our volunteers, neighbours and other interested parties in the University.  Last week […]

Weekly What's On: 10th to 16th February

You can find full details of all our forthcoming events and activities in our What’s On and MERL Families guides, which are now available from the Museum or to download from our website You can also see all events on our online calendar MERL Seminar series: Untouchable England Ghosts and belief: religion and folklore Dr Paul Cowdell, University of Hertfordshire/The Folklore Society […]

Volunteers' Voice #9 – Planning ahead

Volunteer Coordinator, Rob Davies, shares some tips for planning a volunteer programme… At the beginning of each year I sit down and think about what the New Year will hold for the volunteer programme and the volunteers. I make three lists: Beyond my wildest dreams Let’s be realistic here What can the volunteer programme do […]

Weekly What's On: 3rd to 9th February

You can find full details of all our forthcoming events and activities in our What’s On and MERL Families guides, which are now available from the Museum or to download from our website You can also see all events on our online calendar MERL Seminar series: Untouchable England Basketry skills as intangible cultural heritage Greta Bertram, Project Officer, Museum of English Rural […]

Rural Reads Review #4 – Lorna Doone by R.D.Blackmore

Written by Rob Davies, Volunteer Co-Ordinator For the dark winter months of December and January the MERL Book Group ‘Rural Reads’ read Lorna Doone: A Romance of Exmoor by R.D. Blackmore. Lorna Doone is the perfect ‘rural read’, as living and working in the countryside is intrinsic to the story and is integral to the […]

Press release: Wolfson grant to help MERL display hidden treasures

Wolfson grant helps Uni Museum display hidden treasures Visitors to the Museum of English Rural Life will soon be able to discover some of its more hidden treasures thanks to an award of £175,000. The Museum (MERL), which is owned and managed by the University of Reading, is one of 40 museums across the country […]

Weekly What's On: 27th Jan to 2nd Feb

You can find full details of all our forthcoming events and activities in our What’s On and MERL Families guides, which are now available from the Museum or to download from our website You can also see all events on our online calendar MERL Seminar series: Untouchable England The Full English: unlocking hidden treasures of England’s cultural heritage Malcolm Taylor, […]

Weekly What's On: 20th to 26th January

This week’s What’s On includes links to our new events guides and details of the new seminar series which starts tomorrow… Our new What’s On guide to events and exhibition at MERL is now available to download from our website. Find out about our full, fascinating and fun programme of public events from now until […]