Please note: before you visit, please check The MERL’s COVID updates blog for the latest visitor information.
We love to welcome families to The MERL and there are lots of things for you to do! Discover exciting galleries, fun hands-on learning experiences, and a packed programme of events and activities inspired by the museum collections and garden.
Whether you pop in for a quick visit or spend all day exploring, a day out at The MERL can entertain, engage and educate the whole family, from toddlers to grandparents!
FAMILY VISITS TO THE MERL
Discover the galleries
Visit The MERL galleries and explore life in the countryside past and present. Enjoy the fun hands-on activities and interactives throughout the galleries. Free trails suitable for children of all ages are available, and you can buy family activity packs in our gift shop.
You can download copies of our Rats and Dairy spotter sheet and trail:
Rats and Dairy spotter sheet | Rats and Dairy Trail
Or check out our newly updated colouring sheets made by Emily Gillmor, inspired by The MERL’s Our Country Lives gallery and our Festival of Britain wall-hanging.
New Festival of Britain wall-hanging colouring sheets
Explore the garden
The MERL garden is a safe, enclosed environment for your children to play in and explore. Pick up a copy of a garden trail, including a woodland brass rubbing trail, and head outside!
You can download copies of our garden trails:
Garden Trails
Our trails are designed to help families explore the garden. You can download copies to bring on your visit:
THE MERL GARDEN TREE TRAIL | THE MERL WOODLAND BRASS RUBBING SHEET | THE MERL GARDEN SPRINGTIME TRAIL
There’s also a wooden play-on tractor and a coop that is home to two chickens!
You are very welcome to bring a picnic and enjoy it on our lawn or one of our many picnic benches.
Enjoy the MERL café
The café stocks a range of hot and cold drinks, delicious cakes, sandwiches, snacks and Jude’s ice-creams (in the summer). As well as indoor seating, there are plenty of tables on the patio or picnic benches on the lawn, which are now equipped with parasols.
After-school visits
Did you know that The MERL galleries, garden, shop and cafe are open until 5pm, so there’s time for an after-school visit? Enjoy some quiet time in the galleries, or the kids can let off steam in the garden! You can also buy a family activity pack full of suggested activities to do in the museum or at home.
Maybe you can walk from a local school, but if not, you’ll find easy parking in our free car park at the front of the museum!
Family events
We run an exciting programme of events for families with children of all ages inspired by the themes of our collections.
HOLIDAYS AT THE MERL
For details of activities for all the family during the holidays, check out our What’s On page to discover events and activities on offer over the school holidays.
Please check out our opening times for details for May half term.
FRIDAY FLEDGLINGS
Friday Fledglings is an outdoor learning session for pre-schoolers in our fantastic urban garden. Run by Charlotte, a local teacher and Level 3 Forest Leader the sessions focus on outdoor play and exploration of the natural environment involving story-telling, craft activities and singing. (Runs Reading Borough Council term time only)
Numbers are currently limited and booking is required.
For details of forthcoming sessions, visit our What’s On page, or read our interview with Charlotte about Fledglings and what the sessions involve.
If you’re unable to attend on a Friday morning, why not try out our Fledglings activity packs, available any time from The MERL gift shop?
Online activities for families
At home? Too far to travel to The MERL? Enjoyed your visit and want to carry exploring? You can find lots of online activities for families.
Families love The MERL
The MERL won the award for Best Museum for families in the 2019, 2021 and 2022 Little Ankle Biters Berkshire Awards!
Thank you to all our visitors who voted for us and for your ongoing support.
