Museum of English Rural Life

Over het museum

The Museum of English Rural Life, usually called The MERL, was founded in 1951 by academics in the Department of Agriculture at the University of Reading. Their aim was to record and collect the objects, tools and skills of a countryside that was changing quickly after the Second World War. The museum is owned and run by the university.

It is housed on Redlands Road in a building designed by Alfred Waterhouse in 1880 for the local businessman Alfred Palmer of the Huntley & Palmer biscuit company. The house became a hall of residence, St Andrews Hall, in 1911, and a modern extension was added for the museum in 2005. A grant of 1.8 million pounds from the Heritage Lottery Fund in 2014 paid for the redevelopment of the galleries, which reopened in October 2016.

Today the museum describes its collection of objects, books and archives on the history of food, farming and the countryside as the most comprehensive of its kind in England. The galleries cover farm work, rural crafts, wagons and carts, and changing ideas of country life. The Ladybird Gallery is a permanent display of original illustrations from Ladybird Books. The museum works in partnership with Reading Museum as Museums Partnership Reading.

Hoogtepunten

• England's most comprehensive collection on food, farming and the countryside
• Wagon Walk with the museum's wagon and cart collection
• Ladybird Gallery with original book illustrations and a wall of books
• Our Country Lives wall-hanging designed for the 1951 Festival of Britain
• Enclosed garden with trails, a shepherd's hut and a play-on tractor

Vaste collectie

• Making Rural England – A gallery on the diversity of country life, from traditional crafts to the contrast between a farmhouse kitchen and labourers' cottages, with audio, films and photobooks.
• Wagon Walk – Most of the museum's wagon and cart collection, with archives and objects that tell the stories of these vehicles in rural England.
• The Ladybird Gallery – A permanent display of original Ladybird Books illustrations from an archive of over 20,000, with a wall of books and a cover photo spot.

Opgericht

1951

Beheerder

University of Reading

Toegangsprijzen & kortingen

De toegang is gratis.

Entry to the galleries is free, with a suggested donation of 5 pounds; no booking is needed for individual visitors.

Toegankelijkheid

• Rolstoeltoegankelijk
• Lift
• Aangepast toilet
• Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats
• Hulphonden welkom
• Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten: geen informatie
• Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
• Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
• Audiodescriptie: geen informatie

The main entrance is step-free with a push-button door, and lifts and level access serve all public spaces including the galleries, shop and café. There are two disabled parking bays in front of the museum and three in the neighbouring university car park on Acacia Road. A wheelchair-accessible toilet with baby-changing facilities is in the galleries. Foldaway stools are available throughout. Garden paths are partly gravel and the lawn and woodland can be muddy in bad weather. Service animals are welcome, large-print guides to the permanent displays are available on request, and hearing support is offered at talks and events. A sensory map, a social story and sensory backpacks are available, and the Museums, My Way programme is run with Autism Berkshire for neurodivergent visitors. Visitors are asked to phone ahead to discuss support.

Kinderen & gezin

Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen

• Gezinsrondleidingen & workshops
• Speurtocht, doeboekje of kinderaudiotour
• Doe- en voelstations
• Verschoonruimte
• Speeltuin / speelhoek
• Kinderfeestjes: niet aanwezig

Families can use hands-on activities and interactives, changing trails for children (including the Rat Trail) and seasonal activity packs sold in the shop. The enclosed garden has trails, a shepherd's hut full of knitted toys, a wooden play-on tractor and a chicken coop. Friday Fledglings is a weekly outdoor session for preschoolers in term time, and Green Explorers is a monthly nature session for children aged 5 and over. Holiday activities are listed in the events programme. The museum does not host parties.

Bereikbaarheid & parkeren

The museum is a 15 to 20 minute walk from Reading station and has a secure bike rack by the main entrance. The museum encourages visitors to use public transport.

Service & horeca

• Café
• Museumwinkel

The small café serves hot and cold drinks, cakes, sandwiches, snacks, soup and ice cream, with indoor seating and tables on the patio and lawn; it opens during museum hours and tables cannot be reserved. The gift shop opens during museum hours, and there is an online shop. Visitors may picnic on the lawn or at the picnic benches.

Evenementen & zaalverhuur

• Ruimtes te huur
• Zakelijke evenementen

Tot 35 personen.

Three meeting rooms in the Grade II listed building can be hired for meetings and corporate events from Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 17:00: a conference room for up to 35 people theatre style, a seminar room for 10 and a room for 8. The museum does not host parties.

Je bezoek plannen