Museum of English Rural Life

Museum of English Rural Life (MERL)
University of Reading
Redlands Road
Reading
Berkshire
RG1 5EX
England

logo: Designated as an Outstanding Collection

Website

www.reading.ac.uk/merl

E-mail

General enquiries

merl@reading.ac.uk

Event bookings and enquiries

merlevents@reading.ac.uk

Telephone

0118 378 8660

Fax

0118 378 5632

All information is supplied by the venues or providers themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.
Variety of British Farming - stained glass window of rural landscape with farmhouse, oasthouses, trees and a river plus fields of sheep and chickens.
baby changing facilities icon Food icon Guided tours icon Shop icon Library icon Study area icon Hearing disability facilities icon Visual disability facilities icon Wheelchair access icon

The Museum was founded in 1951 by the University of Reading. It was the first specialist museum of farming and rural life to be established in England and so was able to acquire large collections of high quality material at a time when mechanisation was bringing great changes to the countryside. It also played an important pioneering part in the formulation of procedures for the processing, cataloguing and conservation of such material. Today, the Museum is active at a national and international level in all aspects of rural museums.

The entire collection of this museum is a Designated Collection of national importance.

Venue Type:

Museum, Library, Archive

Opening hours

Museum exhibitions: Tues - Fri 09.00- 17.00, Sat & Sun 14.00 - 16.30
Library & archives: Mon - Fri 09.00 - 17.00

Museum, Library and Archives closed on bank holidays, between Christmas and New Year and at Easter.

Admission charges

Admission Free

General services and facilities
  • Brochure or leaflet available with directions to museum
  • Guided tours
  • Pre-booking service for groups
  • Gardens open to public
  • Picnic area
  • Refreshments
  • Shop
Children and families
  • Activities for pre-school children
  • Events and resources for children and families
  • Baby changing facilities
Disability access
  • Events/teaching/resources for people with disabilities
  • Induction loops in lecture theatres
  • Large print information and/or interpretation
  • Touch exhibits
  • Parking for disabled available
  • Toilets for disabled
  • Wheelchair access to all public areas
Schools services and facilities
  • Direct teaching services for schools
  • Member of staff available with responsibility for education
  • Primary school education service available
  • Printed/audio-visual information available for schools
  • Secondary school education service available
  • Education facilities available
  • Reception and lunch facilities for educational groups
Research and adult learning
  • Academic publications and resources available
  • Adult lectures and courses held
  • Teaching/resources available for HE/FE students
  • Library with public access
  • Research facilities for academics
  • Study facilities
Commercial and hire services
  • Facilities for private functions and events
  • Meeting room available

Additional info

Guided Tours are available at weekends at 3pm and on Wednesdays at 2.30pm. Booking is recommended although not essential. Tours are available at other times by appointment.

Museum of English Rural Life (MERL)
University of Reading
Redlands Road
Reading
Berkshire
RG1 5EX
England

logo: Designated as an Outstanding Collection

Website

www.reading.ac.uk/merl

E-mail

General enquiries

merl@reading.ac.uk

Event bookings and enquiries

merlevents@reading.ac.uk

Telephone

0118 378 8660

Fax

0118 378 5632

All information is supplied by the venues or providers themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.

The entire collection of this museum is a Designated Collection of national importance.

The Museum of English Rural Life is dedicated to the spirit of the English countryside and its people. It was founded by the University of Reading in 1951 at a time when the motorised revolution was changing the face of farming and sweeping away implements and techniques that had evolved over many generations.

Today, the museum is a national centre for the history of food, farming and the countryside, and continues with the task of recording and interpreting rural change. It is both a public resource and an academic research centre, preserving Designated collections of national and international significance. These comprise, in addition to the object collections, a library of over 50,000 books, archives of business and organisational records, and extensive photographic collections.

The collections cover the broad range of material relating to farming, rural crafts and industries, and country life. The bulk of the items date from the period 1850 to 1950. Pre 1850 farm tools and equipment are rare in England. Post 1950, the sheer range and size of farm machinery are inhibitors given the level of exhibition and storage space that we have available. This is why so much emphasis has been placed on reflecting this period through the two dimensional collections - especially the photographs and technical literature.

Collection details

Trade and Commerce, Toys and Hobbies, Social History, Science and Technology, Land Transport, Fine Art, Costume and Textiles, Archives, Agriculture

Key artists and exhibits

  • agricultural hand tools
  • farm wagons: there are over thirty in the collection
  • horse drawn ploughs
  • dairying equipment
  • livestock accessories eg horseshoes; veterinary equipment
  • land drainage material
  • country crafts and rural industries; the thatching collection, for example is particularly extensive as is that covering the woodland trades
  • woodworking and carpentry
  • country smocks
  • basketry; corn dollies
  • friendly society brasses
  • beekeeping equipment
  • animal traps
  • sewing machines
  • paintings and prints, especially of early nineteenth century livestock
  • Designated Collection

Collections services

  • General guide to collections available
  • Object identification and/or written enquiry service
  • Public access available to collections information
  • Specialist publications on collections available
  • Object study facilities available (enquire in advance)

Museum of English Rural Life (MERL)
University of Reading
Redlands Road
Reading
Berkshire
RG1 5EX
England

logo: Designated as an Outstanding Collection

Website

www.reading.ac.uk/merl

E-mail

General enquiries

merl@reading.ac.uk

Event bookings and enquiries

merlevents@reading.ac.uk

Telephone

0118 378 8660

Fax

0118 378 5632

All information is supplied by the venues or providers themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.
Exhibition details are listed below, you may need to scroll down to see them all.

MERL exhibition of photos of Reading from 1890s and today.

10 August — 29 October 2010 *on now

A circle and a century:panoramic photos of Reading from 1890s and today.
Using historic photographs from MERL's collections and modern digital photographs taken by Chris Widdows for the Reading Civic Society, this exhibition will present fascinating and contrasting views of central Reading, spanning 360 degrees and 100 years.

Suitable for

  • All ages

When

12-12am

Where

Museum of English Rural Life, University of Reading, Redlands Road, Reading. RG1 5EX.

Admission

Free.
For more details contact:
merlevents@reading.ac.uk or 0118 378 8660 or www.reading.ac.uk/merl

Museum of English Rural Life (MERL)
University of Reading
Redlands Road
Reading
Berkshire
RG1 5EX
England

logo: Designated as an Outstanding Collection

Website

www.reading.ac.uk/merl

E-mail

General enquiries

merl@reading.ac.uk

Event bookings and enquiries

merlevents@reading.ac.uk

Telephone

0118 378 8660

Fax

0118 378 5632

All information is supplied by the venues or providers themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.
Events details are listed below. You may need to scroll down or click on headers to see them all. For events that don't have a specific date see the 'Resources' tab above.

Summer activities at MERL

27 July — 3 September 2010 *on now

There is always plenty to keep families entertained at MERL. This summer you can also drop-in and have a go at the following activities in the museum or garden to get the most out of your visit.
'Farm in a box', 'Games in the garden' and 'History of the World Relic Trail'.
Suitable for families.

Suitable for

  • Especially for children

When

10-12am

Where

Museum of English Rural Life, University of Reading, Redlands Road, Reading. RG1 5EX.

Admission

Summer holiday events: There is a charge of £1 for the Farm in the box event.
For more details, contact:
merlevents@reading.ac.uk or
0118 378 8660 or
www.reading.ac.uk/merl

Rural reads at MERL

29 July — 25 November 2010 *on now

LAST THURSDAY of the month from 29th July. Join this new book club at MERL, focussing on books with a rural theme in the atmospheric setting of the Museum or garden. We have chosen 'The Darling Buds of May' by H.E. Bates as the first book to get you started, but the rest is up to the group! Come along and suggest your favourites. £1.50 for tea & biscuits. This is a free drop-in event.

Suitable for

  • Not suitable for children

When

5:30-7:30pm

Where

Museum of English Rural Life, University of Reading, Redlands Road, Reading. RG1 5EX.

Admission

Free drop-in event, tea & biscuits £1.50.
For more details, contact:
merlevents@reading.ac.uk or 0118 378 8660 or www.reading.ac.uk/merl

MERL art and craft club (macc).

7 August — 4 December 2010 *on now

Join 'macc', the new MERL art and craft club. FIRST SATURDAY of each month from August.
Join artist Alison Quinn and be inspired by the Museum, garden and archives. Make, model, paint and draw something to take home. Learn some traditional crafts, such as rag weaving, to give your work a unique 'macc' feel. Dress for mess! Suitable for families with children aged 7-11 years.

Suitable for

  • Especially for children

When

2:30-3:30pm

Where

Museum of English Rural Life, University of Reading, Redlands Road, Reading. RG1 5EX.

Admission

NB. First Saturday of month only, 2-3.30pm.
Cost: £4.50 per child. Please book by contacting:
merlevents@reading.ac.uk or 0118 378 8660 or www.reading.ac.uk/merl

Never too young: Toddler time at MERL

10 September — 10 December 2010

Fridays, 1-2pm during Reading term time. Come along to MERL with your little ones and enjoy rhymes, songs or craft activities, based on objects in our collection or our garden. Suitable for families with children aged 2-4 years.

Suitable for

  • Especially for children

When

1-2pm

Where

Museum of English Rural Life, University of Reading, Redlands Road, Reading. RG1 5EX.

Admission

Every Friday during term time. £2 per child. Just drop-in. For more details contact: merlevents@reading.ac.uk or 0118 378 8660 or www.reading.ac.uk/merl.

Theatre at MERL: The Magician's Box

20 September 2010

Presented by the award winning Mad Dogs and Englishmen Theatre Company, "The Magician's Box" opens up a Victorian kaleidescope and takes you on a incredible journey fed by one man's vision and imagination. This is John Joseph Mechi, an eccentric and intriguing figure, who struggled to improve the lot of the humble farmer and set up a 'Model Farm' in Essex. The play was commissioned by Wilkin & sons of Tiptree to celebrate their 125th anniversary.
Supported by the University of Reading Arts Committee.
Suitable for adults and older children.

Suitable for

  • All ages

When

7:30pm-12am

Where

Museum of English Rural Life, University of Reading, Redlands Road, Reading. RG1 5EX

Admission

Ticket: £15 (£12 concessions)
Book by contacting:
merlevents@reading.ac.uk or
0118 378 8660 or
www.reading.ac.uk/merl

Pick and preserve your own at MERL

25 — 26 September 2010

Come blackberry picking on Saturday 25th September and on Sunday 26th make jam with your blackberries and other seasonal fruit. Learn how to make chutneys and other preserves. For adults only.

Suitable for

  • Not suitable for children

When

2:15-4:15pm

Where

Museum of English Rural Life, University of Reading, Redlands Road, Reading. RG1 5EX.

Admission

£15 for the 2 days. Please book.
Contact:
merlevents@reading.ac.uk or 0118 378 8660 or
www.reading.ac.uk/merl

Museum of English Rural Life (MERL)
University of Reading
Redlands Road
Reading
Berkshire
RG1 5EX
England

logo: Designated as an Outstanding Collection

Website

www.reading.ac.uk/merl

E-mail

General enquiries

merl@reading.ac.uk

Event bookings and enquiries

merlevents@reading.ac.uk

Telephone

0118 378 8660

Fax

0118 378 5632

All information is supplied by the venues or providers themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.
Resources listed here may include websites, bookable tours and workshops, books, loan boxes and more. You may need to scroll down or click on headers to see them all.
Digital and online resources

INTERFACE : INTERnet Farm And Countryside Explorer

http://www.reading.ac.uk/merl/interface/

Illustrated internet resource on farming, country people and the countryside, designed for a range of users; with sections on
livestock, dairying, rural crafts, country women, the changing landscape, mills and the mechanisation of farm machinery.
Includes Key Stage 2 Victorian Village quiz.

Creator

  • Museum of English Rural Life
Face to face resources

Free schools sessions

http://www.reading.ac.uk/merl/LearnatMERL/merl-schools.aspx

The Museum of English Rural Life offers an imaginative, experiential programme that brings excitement and interest to a museum visit. We believe that a museum visit should be cross-curricula and 'not just history'. Our collections and garden allow us to offer a school programme that explores objects and collections covering National Curriculum science, maths, art and literacy, as well as history.

How to obtain

Sessions are free, but must be booked in advance. Contact the Learning Manager at merlevents@reading.ac.uk or call 0118 378 8660

face to face resources

Toddler Time at MERL

http://www.reading.ac.uk/merl/whatson/merl-familyevents.aspx

Come along to Toddler Time at The Museum of English Rural Life and enjoy rhymes, songs and craft activities based on objects in the collection or the garden. Activities take place on term time Fridays, 13.00-14.00, and are suitable for children 2-4 years old and their carers. New charge from September 2009 - £1 per child, accompanying adult free.

How to obtain

£1 per child, accompanying adult free. There's no need to book. Contact merlevents@reading.ac.uk for more details.

Museum of English Rural Life (MERL)
University of Reading
Redlands Road
Reading
Berkshire
RG1 5EX
England

logo: Designated as an Outstanding Collection

Website

www.reading.ac.uk/merl

E-mail

General enquiries

merl@reading.ac.uk

Event bookings and enquiries

merlevents@reading.ac.uk

Telephone

0118 378 8660

Fax

0118 378 5632

All information is supplied by the venues or providers themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.
advertisement