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What’s On

All the rats in the Rat Trail, posing for the camera in our galleries
Trail

Rat Trail

Can you find the 12 rats hidden in The Museum of English Rural Life?

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Dates

Year-round

Author

Family

Location
The Museum of English Rural Life
Displays

Ladybird in Focus: 100 Years On

Explore how Ladybird Books has continued to evolve since its centenary in 2015.

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Dates

2 September 2025 – 6 September 2026

Author

Family, Public

Location
The Museum of English Rural Life
People taking part in a Tai Chi session in The MERL garden Recurring Event
Event

Tai Chi with Sport in Mind

Free drop-in sessions run by Sport in Mind for adults, designed to support positive mental health.

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Dates

Weekly on Wednesdays, 15:30 – 16:30

Next event: 24 June 2026
Author

Public

Price

Free

Location
The Museum of English Rural Life
Activity

Summer Family Activity Packs

Summer-inspired activities to do in the museum, garden and at home.

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Dates

23 May – 4 September 2026

Author

Family

Price

Prices vary

Location
The Museum of English Rural Life
Displays

Peter Treherne: ‘Seasons’

Video installation in the Wagon Walk gallery.

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Dates

2 June – 13 September 2026

Author

Public

Location
The Museum of English Rural Life
Exhibition

Echoes

Student-curated exhibition celebrating the University of Reading’s centenary.

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Dates

9 June – 27 September 2026

Author

Public

Location
The Museum of English Rural Life
Displays

Imprint

Display celebrating prints made by early twentieth-century women artists from the University of Reading’s School of Art.

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Dates

9 June 2026 – 17 January 2027

Author

Public

Location
The Museum of English Rural Life
Drawn picture of a Friday Fledglings session in the MERL garden
Event

Friday Fledglings

A weekly outdoor session for toddlers in the MERL garden.

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Dates

Friday 26 June 2026, 10:00 – 11:30

Author

Family

Price

£5 per child. Bookings open at 12 pm on a Friday, one week ahead of the session you’d like to attend

Location
The Museum of English Rural Life
Families toasting marshmallows in the MERL garden during a Green Explorers session
Event

Green Explorers

Sessions for children aged 5+ to experience nature and build their outdoor skills.

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Dates

Sunday 28 June 2026, 10:00 – 12:00

Author

Family

Price

Free • Bookings open two weeks ahead of each session

Location
The Museum of English Rural Life
A boy blacksmithing at MERL
Event

Romany & Traveller Heritage Day

Learn about the history of Romany and Traveller communities in the English
countryside at this special event for
everyone.

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Dates

Saturday 4 July 2026, 11:00 – 16:00

Author

Academics, Family, Public, Young People

Price

Free • Please book

Location
The Museum of English Rural Life
Event

Summer Celebration, My Way

A relaxed version of our Summer Celebration for neurodivergent visitors.

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Dates

Thursday 6 August 2026, 10:30 – 12:00

Author

Family

Price

Booking opens from noon Monday 22 June

Location
The Museum of English Rural Life
Three children in The MERL garden.
Event

Summer Celebration

Bring a picnic, meet farm animals, and enjoy a range of hand-on activities in the garden.

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Dates

Thursday 6 August 2026, 12:30 – 16:00

Author

Family

Price

Booking opens from noon Monday 22 June

Location
The Museum of English Rural Life