All Day
Sew What?
We're all starting to ask more questions about fashion. Where do our clothes come from? How environmentally sustainable are they? Should we be making more and buying less? These questions aren't just relevant to modern society. The history of garment making is deeply intertwined with British culture, both rural and urban. In Sew What, we'll […]
Find out more »Our Green Stories Gallery Trail
Follow our gallery trail to delve into environmental issues past and present Our Green Stories is a Museums Partnership Reading campaign exploring climate change, sustainability, and biodiversity loss through collections. Pick up a free copy of the trail at reception, and use our galleries to help you consider ways we can all care for the […]
Find out more »Tai Chi with Sport in Mind
Run with our partners Sport in Mind, the UK’s leading mental health sports charity, based in Reading. These casual drop-in sessions for adults are designed to support positive mental health through Tai Chi. They are fun and free and delivered at The Museum of English Rural Life every Wednesday at 3.30-4.30pm. This session is open […]
Find out more »Together Stronger
A collaborative artwork by young people whose parents live with early-onset dementia.
Find out more »Labour of Love
Over one third of England’s moorland is ‘common land’ – managed and cared for by many farmers and organisations and accessed by millions. These upland commons are crucial for England’s rural cultures and natural ecosystems, yet are often poorly understood. What does it take to care well for them? How might farming and nature recovery […]
Find out more »Autumn Family Activity Packs
Autumn inspired things to do at the museum, outdoors and at home For age 5+, choose from one of 3 Autumn Activity Packs (£3 each): Conker craft, Little Mouse story, a recipe and little mouse colouring sheet. Clay craft, outdoor bingo and word-search Cosy silhouette craft, recipe and little mouse colouring sheet For under 5s […]
Find out more »Do Not Feed the Animals?
People all over the world feed animals every day, whether caring for pets or livestock, for conservation, for fun, or by accident. But what happens when so many people feed so many animals for so long? What happens to the people, to the animals, and the environment? Do Not Feed the Animals? explores questions of […]
Find out more »Half term at The MERL
There's lots for families of all ages to do this October half term at The Museum of English Rural Life. Discover our Autumn Family Activity Packs for all ages (from £2 per pack) Have a go at a variety of gallery and garden trails including our woodland brass rubbing trail Free hands-on make-and-take activities Try […]
Find out more »11:00 am
Annual Symposium with the Friends of the Landscape Archive Reading (FOLAR)
The symposium is devoted to an examination and discussion of the public health benefits of gardens and the wider landscape, from the gardens and farms of nineteenth century “lunatic asylums”, to municipal provision of healthcare in interwar Bermondsey which ranged from tuberculosis gardens, to street beautification to playgrounds and parks, to the landscape of NHS […]
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