You can find full details of all our forthcoming events and activities in our What’s On and MERL Families guides, which are now available from the Museum or to download from our website You can also see all events on our online calendar

Seminar series: Untouchable England
MERL and the BBC: Rural re-enactment and gestural reconstruction in the 1950s
Dr Ollie Douglas, Assistant Curator, Museum of English Rural Life
Tuesday 18th March, 1pm
MERL’s earliest curators rapidly adopted the techniques of public history in order to salvage a way of life seen to be disappearing and cement a technology-centred approach to the past. During the 1950s, their short set-piece re-enactments played a prominent role in television broadcast contexts. This talk explores how reconstructive approaches to rural objects provided insight into the less tangible world of past gestures and actions.

This Seminar will be followed by a small pop-up exhibition in the Museum’s mezzanine store featuring objects used in television recordings or with connections to radio.

For full details of the series, visit our website

Collecting memories: WW1 roadshow
Wednesday 19th March, 10am to pm
Free, drop-in
Organised by students from the History Department, this WW1 Roadshow is an opportunity for members of the public to bring in their letters and photographs relating to WW1 in Berkshire to share with experts in First World War history. For details of this event, and more events in our WW1 programme, visit the MERL website 

Guided tour
Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, 3-3.45pm
Free, booking advisable
Let our fully trained tour guides tell you the stories behind the objects on display and visit the object store to see MERL’s hidden treasures.

Toddler time
Friday 21st March, 10-11am,
£2 per child, drop-in
Suitable for families with children aged 2-4
Come along to the Museum with your little ones and enjoy rhymes, songs and craft activities. This week we’ll be making planet mobiles to tie in with the weekend’s Science Week Stargazing events.

Reading Science Week events

‘Performing Protest’: riots against technological change in the 19C
Saturday 22nd March, 11.30am & 2.30pm
£4 (£2 concs) Book. Suitable for ages 16+
There are still tickets left for both performances of this hard-hitting dramatic event, part of Reading Science Week. Relive the causes and effects of the Swing Riots in Berkshire, and decide whether to support the peasants or the landlords. Book now to avoid disappointment. Call 0118 378 8660 or email merlevents@reading.ac.uk  For full details, and to view the trailer, visit the MERL website.

Stargazing: exploring the universe from the comfort of Reading
Saturday 22nd & Sunday 23rd March
6pm ’til late, free, drop-in
MERL is once again happy to host this Reading Science Week event. Fun for all the family, regardless of the weather. With the help of the local astronomical society, there will be the chance to look through some powerful telescopes, hear talks and have a go at activities.

Exhibitions

Italy at war: a selection from the archives
Tuesday 11th February to 30th March
Staircase hall, MERL
Free, drop-in, normal museum opening times
Highlights from the University’s fascinating records relating to Italian history. 

Collecting the countryside: 20th century rural cultures
Until Autumn 2014
Temporary exhibition space
Free, drop in, normal museum opening times
Since 2008 the Museum of English Rural Life has been adding even more objects to its collection, with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund’s Collecting Cultures programme, in order to represent each decade of the last century. (Find out more in Curator, Isabel Hughes’ recent post) This exhibition gives a taste of what has been acquired and challenges visitors to suggest the modern-day objects that the Museum needs to collect for the future. The exhibition will help the Museum to explore how to incorporate more recent histories and representations of the English countryside into its displays as part of the new Our Country Lives project.

You can find full details of all our forthcoming events and activities in our What’s On and MERL Families guides, which are now available from the Museum or to download from our website You can also see all events on our online calendar

MERL Seminar series: Untouchable England
The Dark Monarch: magic and modernity in British art
Professor Alun Rowlands, Department of Art, University of Reading
Tuesday 11th March, 1pm
In 2010, Tate St Ives mounted an exhibition exploring the influence of folklore, mysticism, mythology and the occult on British art. Professor Rowlands revisits a preformance commissioned from folk dancers and mummers and discusses how art has been used as a vehicle to explore legend and landscape.

For full details of the series, visit our website

Guided tour
Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, 3-3.45pm
Free, booking advisable
Let our fully trained tour guides tell you the stories behind the objects on display and visit the object store to see MERL’s hidden treasures.

Toddler time
Friday 14th March, 10-11am,
£2 per child, drop-in
Suitable for families with children aged 2-4
Come along to the Museum with your little ones and enjoy rhymes, songs and craft activities. 

Italy at war: a selection from the archives
Tuesday 11th February to 30th March
Staircase hall, MERL
Free, drop-in, normal museum opening times
Highlights from the University’s fascinating records relating to Italian history. 

Collecting the countryside: 20th century rural cultures
Until Autumn 2014
Temporary exhibition space
Free, drop in, normal museum opening times
Since 2008 the Museum of English Rural Life has been adding even more objects to its collection, with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund’s Collecting Cultures programme, in order to represent each decade of the last century. (Find out more in Curator, Isabel Hughes’ recent post) This exhibition gives a taste of what has been acquired and challenges visitors to suggest the modern-day objects that the Museum needs to collect for the future. The exhibition will help the Museum to explore how to incorporate more recent histories and representations of the English countryside into its displays as part of the new Our Country Lives project.

You can find full details of all our forthcoming events and activities in our What’s On and MERL Families guides, which are now available from the Museum or to download from our website You can also see all events on our online calendar

MERL Seminar series: Untouchable England
Ghosts and belief: religion and folklore
Dr Paul Cowdell, University of Hertfordshire/The Folklore Society
Tuesday 11th February, 1pm
Barely anywhere in England lacks a ghost story. This seminar, based on recent fieldwork, examines English folk eschatology, including its interaction with more institutionally expressed religious beliefs, and the apprent disjuncture between them.

For full details of the series, visit our website

Italy at war: a selection from the archives
Tuesday 11th February to 30th March
We apologise for any inconvenience caused by the delayed opening of this display
Staircase hall, MERL
Free, drop-in, normal museum opening times
Highlights from the University’s fascinating records relating to Italian history. 

Guided tour
Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, 3-3.45pm
Free, booking advisable
Let our fully trained tour guides tell you the stories behind the objects on display and visit the object store to see MERL’s hidden treasures.

Toddler time
Friday 14th February, 10-11am,
£2 per child, drop-in
Suitable for families with children aged 2-4
Come along to the Museum with your little ones and enjoy rhymes, songs and craft activities.  

Collecting the countryside: 20th century rural cultures
Until Autumn 2014
Temporary exhibition space
Free, drop in, normal museum opening times
Since 2008 the Museum of English Rural Life has been adding even more objects to its collection, with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund’s Collecting Cultures programme, in order to represent each decade of the last century. (Find out more in Curator, Isabel Hughes’ recent post) This exhibition gives a taste of what has been acquired and challenges visitors to suggest the modern-day objects that the Museum needs to collect for the future. The exhibition will help the Museum to explore how to incorporate more recent histories and representations of the English countryside into its displays as part of the new Our Country Lives project.

Coming up next week – half term family fun!

Visit the MERL families page for details of family tours, craft workshops and activities during half term!

You can find full details of all our forthcoming events and activities in our What’s On and MERL Families guides, which are now available from the Museum or to download from our website You can also see all events on our online calendar

MERL Seminar series: Untouchable England
The Full English: unlocking hidden treasures of England’s cultural heritage
Malcolm Taylor, Library Director, English Folk Dance and Song Society
Tuesday 28th January, 1pm
Malcom Tayor will explore how the digitisation and cataloguing of the archive of early twentieth century English folk arts manuscripts has been enhanced through rich programmes of community engagement and creativity.
For full details of the series, visit our website

Followed by a ‘pop-up’ display of related items from the MERL collections in the object store.

Rural Reads book club
Thursday 30th January, 5.30-7pm
This month the book club will be talking about Lorna Doone by Richard Doddridge. Come along and join in the informal discussion over a cup of tea and a biscuit (£1.50)! Everyone’s welcome! Don’t worry if you haven’t read the book, we often digress, and you can also bring along your suggestion for next month’s ‘rural read’. For details, and a list of all previous books, visit the Rural Reads web page

Toddler time
Friday 31st January, 10-11am,
£2 per child, drop-in
Suitable for families with children aged 2-4
Come along to the Museum with your little ones and enjoy rhymes, songs and craft activities.  

Collecting the countryside: 20th century rural cultures
Temporary exhibition space
Free, drop in, normal museum opening times
Since 2008 the Museum of English Rural Life has been adding even more objects to its collection, with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund’s Collecting Cultures programme, in order to represent each decade of the last century. (Find out more in Curator, Isabel Hughes’ recent post) This exhibition gives a taste of what has been acquired and challenges visitors to suggest the modern-day objects that the Museum needs to collect for the future. The exhibition will help the Museum to explore how to incorporate more recent histories and representations of the English countryside into its displays as part of the new Our Country Lives project.

Book jackets in the University of Reading Special Collections
Staircase hall, MERL
Free, drop-in, normal museum opening times
This display celebrates the wide variety of beautiful book jackets within our collections, through a selection of our most colourful favourites!  Read more on the Special Collections blog

This week’s What’s On includes links to our new events guides and details of the new seminar series which starts tomorrow…

Our new What’s On guide to events and exhibition at MERL is now available to download from our website. Find out about our full, fascinating and fun programme of public events from now until July, including seminars, a Vintage Night, Village Fete and of course our regular Rural Reads book club and guided tours. Printed copies will be available from MERL (or via our postal mailing list) at the end of the month.

We also have a fantastic programme of events and activities for families this Spring, from half term. Full details of all our events as well as information about what there is to do at MERL during any visit, are in our new MERL families guide, which you can now download from our website (or sign up to receive by post)

What’s On this week…

MERL Seminar series: Untouchable England
Somerset Morris: West Country Friendly Society stave dancers
Tuesday 21st January, 1pm
Using antique Friendly Society stave heads, Somerset Morris has performed stave dancing across England and further afield for over 30 years. Hear about the team’s passion for this traditional and localised dance form. For full details of the series, visit our website

Followed by a ‘pop-up’ display of MERL’s Friendly Society pole heads (staves) in the mezzanine store.

Toddler time
Friday 23rd January, 10-11am,
£2 per child, drop-in
Suitable for families with children aged 2-4
Come along to the Museum with your little ones and enjoy rhymes, songs and craft activities.  This week we’ll be making bird feeders so that you can take part in this weekend’s RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch. 

Collecting the countryside: 20th century rural cultures
Temporary exhibition space
Free, drop in, normal museum opening times
Since 2008 the Museum of English Rural Life has been adding even more objects to its collection, with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund’s Collecting Cultures programme, in order to represent each decade of the last century. (Find out more in Curator, Isabel Hughes’ recent post) This exhibition gives a taste of what has been acquired and challenges visitors to suggest the modern-day objects that the Museum needs to collect for the future. The exhibition will help the Museum to explore how to incorporate more recent histories and representations of the English countryside into its displays as part of the new Our Country Lives project.

Book jackets in the University of Reading Special Collections
Staircase hall, MERL
Free, drop-in, normal museum opening times
This display celebrates the wide variety of beautiful book jackets within our collections, through a selection of our most colourful favourites!  Read more on the Special Collections blog

You can also find details of all our forthcoming events on our online calendar