Group Visits
Groups are always welcome at The Museum of English Rural Life. If you’re planning a group visit, here’s everything you need to know and tell us, so that we can accommodate your group and give you the best day possible.
Essential information
- We can accommodate groups of up to 30 people.
- If your group includes 10 people or more, you must make an advance booking using our group visit contact form (below), at least 2 weeks in advance of your visit’s date.
- Please wait to receive booking confirmation from our team before arranging travel. This ensures we can accommodate you and that your visit will be unaffected by other work or events.
- Visiting The MERL is free, but we encourage a suggested £5 donation per group member, which you can make in person on arrival or online.
Enhance your visit
- Get a special introduction to the museum from one of our volunteer welcome hosts. The introduction lasts approximately 30 minutes and is free of charge, though subject to availability. Select the welcome host option in the booking form.
- Need a space to meet and/or eat? Select the room hire option in the booking form. We recommend ordering a catered lunch via the University of Reading’s Venue Reading service to guarantee quantity and delivery times.
- If you’d prefer to use our café instead, we offer indoor seating for a maximum of 20 people. You are welcome to use our garden and picnic tables for picnics. Café options and seating is subject to availability on the day.