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?

Dates: Year-round
Author: Family
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.

Dates: Weekly on Wednesdays, 15:30 – 16:30
Next event: 30 September 2026
Author: Public
Price: Free
Location: The Museum of English Rural Life

Exhibition

Echoes

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

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.

Dates: 9 June 2026 – 17 January 2027
Author: Public
Location: The Museum of English Rural Life

Displays

Ladybird in Focus: Behind the Hamster

Discover how a Ladybird book is made following the journey of a curious hamster.

Dates: 8 September 2026 – 5 September 2027
Author: Family, Public
Location: The Museum of English Rural Life

Families toasting marshmallows in the MERL garden during a Green Explorers session

Event

Green Explorers

Session cancelled.

Dates: Sunday 27 September 2026, 10:00 – 12:00
Author: Family
Price: Free
Location: The Museum of English Rural Life

Three stills from digitised films from Richard Watts’ archival collection

Event

Rural Life on Film

Screenings of digitised films from Richard Watts’ archival collection at Basildon Park.

Dates: 28 – 30 September 2026
Author: Public
Price: Basildon Park admission or NT membership required. Limited number of free places available
Location: Basildon Park

A fledgling in the garden, jumping on leaves

Event

Friday Fledglings

Weekly outdoor learning for toddlers in our garden.

Dates: Friday 2 October 2026, 10:00 – 11:30
Author: Family
Price: £5 per child. Bookings open at 12 pm on Fridays, 1 week ahead of the next session
Location: The Museum of English Rural Life

Exhibition

A Life of Poetry: The Peter Robinson Archive

Discover how poetry is made.

Dates: 6 October 2026 – 17 January 2027
Author: Public
Location: The Museum of English Rural Life

Talks and Seminars

Curator Tour: Women Artists and the Reading School of Art, 1890-1930

Join us for a Curator’s Tour focusing on our latest display on women artists and print in the early 20th century.

Dates: Tuesday 6 October 2026, 12:00 – 13:00
Author: Public
Location: The Museum of English Rural Life

2 women enjoying a craft in the MERL Studio at a Late.

Event

Welcome Social

Join us for a relaxed welcome afternoon at the museum. Open to all University of Reading students.

Dates: Wednesday 7 October 2026, 13:00 – 15:00
Price: Free, register to attend
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.

Dates: Thursday 15 October 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