Why do we eat turkey at Christmas?
Explore the history of why we eat turkey at Christmas and the story behind its growth in popularity over the last 500 years.
there-and-then, an intervention by Ingrid Pollard
Discover an artistic intervention by Ingrid Pollard at The MERL, reimagining the museum’s collection of friendly society pole heads.
MERLy Christmas: begin the festive season this year at The MERL
Learn about MERLy Christmas, our annual Christmas shopping event. Featuring crafts, treats, and carol singing!
Takeover Day 2022 at The MERL
For Takeover Day 2022, a student from Addington School talks about their internship here at The MERL.
Pumpkins, partners, and plant sales: our autumn garden updates
Learn the autumn updates from The MERL gardening team. Hear about what we’ve been growing, our community projects, and new plant sales.
Our Green Stories: sustainability in our community
Learn about an environmental campaign by Museums Partnership Reading, championing sustainability in our community from now through 2023.
‘Rooster, hang on!’ a traditional symbol in the nowadays context
Learn about the Borodianka Rooster, a ceramic pitcher which gained international attention as a symbol of Ukraine’s strength and spirit.
Ten rural objects for your student kitchen
Discover a selection of cooking utensils from The MERL collection. Some will be more useful for your student kitchen than others!
Heritage bakes: three historical biscuit recipes from our collections
Explore and follow three heritage recipes for baking historical biscuits, including an original recipe by Huntley & Palmers.
Wild Being: how museums can care for health and wellbeing
Learn about how we have worked with organisations across Reading to create museum opportunities that promote creativity and wellbeing.