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
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: 29 April 2026
Author

Public

Price

Free

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
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 1 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
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
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