What’s On

Illustration from Ladybird Books of people walking and holding a 'Peoples Climate March' banner
Exhibition

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

Public

Location
The Museum of English Rural Life
Section of the Wonky Wall hanging
Exhibition

Community Voices

Discover creative and thought-provoking responses to our collections from our local community.

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Dates

20 January – 24 May 2026

Author

Public

Location
The Museum of English Rural Life
"Cluttered Countryside." A pastiche of different technologies and activities that disrupt the English countryside - from cars, to petrol stations, to tourism.
Exhibition

Voices of the Countryside: 100 Years of the Campaign to Protect Rural England

Celebrate the centenary of an extraordinary charity who transformed the preservation of England’s rural landscapes.

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Dates

14 February – 24 May 2026

Author

Public

Location
The Museum of English Rural Life
"Radical Rural." A line-art illustration of an onion taking root in the ground.
Exhibition

Radical Rural

Discover the artists, activists and movements championing rural England’s people and places today.

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Dates

14 February – 24 May 2026

Author

Public

Location
The Museum of English Rural Life
Watercolour of a farmhouse by John Paget.
Exhibition

Preserving the Picturesque

Explore a series of watercolours portraying landscapes from 19th century England, painted by Victorian artist John Paget.

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Dates

14 February – 24 May 2026

Author

Public

Location
The Museum of English Rural Life
Displays

When

In this exhibition, postgraduate students from Reading School of Art explore the theme of ‘time’.

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Dates

17 March – 14 June 2026

Author

Public

Location
The Museum of English Rural Life
Bunny in the grass
Activity

Spring Family Activity Packs

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

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Dates

20 March – 22 May 2026

Author

Family

Price

Prices vary

Location
The Museum of English Rural Life
Talks and Seminars

Conversations with a Curator: Professor Amy C. Smith

Join us for a free online talk with Professor Amy Smith on the British sculptor, Eric Stanford (1932-2020).

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Dates

Thursday 7 May 2026, 19:30 – 20:30

Author

Public

Price

Free, please book

Location
Online
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 8 May 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
Workshop

Miniature Landscapes

Join us for an experimental watercolour workshop with artist Linda Saul.

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Dates

Thursday 14 May 2026, 12:00 – 16:00

Author

Public

Price

£60 per adult.

Location
The Museum of English Rural Life
Two people laughing in one of the museum spaces.
Event

Chatty Café

Monthly chat, craft & play drop-in sessions aimed at adults including care-givers and loved ones.

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Dates

Tuesday 19 May 2026, 14:00 – 16:00

Author

Public

Price

Free, drop-in (groups please contact us)

Location
The Museum of English Rural Life
Young people playing an interactive game in the MERL galleries
Event

Youth Panel

For young people aged 14 – 18, our Youth Panel offers collective work experience opportunities across The MERL and Reading Museum.

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Dates

Thursday 21 May 2026, 16:30 – 18:00

Author

Young People

Price

Free • Booking required, please email merlevents@reading.ac.uk

Location
The Museum of English Rural Life