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Museum Details

Museum of English Rural Life

Image: Variety of British Farming - stained glass window of rural landscape with farmhouse, oasthouses, trees and a river plus fields of sheep and chickens.

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

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

Facilities

Parking: yes
Shop: yes
Guided tours: yes
Baby changing facilities: yes
Library: yes
Study area: yes
Wheelchair access: yes
Visual disability facilities: yes
Hearing disability facilities: yes

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.

Contact details
General information (Tel) : 0118 378 8660
General information (Fax) : 0118 378 5632
General enquiries : merl@reading.ac.uk
Event bookings and enquiries : merlevents@reading.ac.uk
Website : www.reading.ac.uk/merl

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



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

Admission charges
Admission Free

Description
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.

Collections description
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.

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

Articles
Collecting Cultures - HLF Announces Grants For Acquisitions
News In Brief - Week Ending June 3 2007
News In Brief - Week Ending May 13 2007
Innovative Exhibitions At the Museum Of English Rural Life
MGM 2005: Shortlist For Conservation Awards 2005 Revealed
Family Friendly Museums in the Thames Valley
Museums and Galleries in Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire

Events
Food, glorious food! - an exhibition at the Museum of English Rural Life  Exhibition

Available resources
INTERFACE : INTERnet Farm And Countryside Explorer  ; Website

General Information
Brochure or leaflet available with directions to museum
Pre-booking service for groups
Guided tours Collections
General guide to collections available
Specialist publications on collections available
Object identification and/or written enquiry service
Object study facilities available (enquire in advance)
Public access available to collections information Disability Access
Events/teaching/resources for people with disabilities
Induction loops in lecture theatres
Large print information and/or interpretation
Parking for disabled available
Toilets for disabled
Touch exhibits and/or handling sessions
Wheelchair access to all public areas Children and Families
Activities for pre-school children
Baby changing facilities
Events and resources for children and families
Gardens open to public
Picnic area General Education
Academic publications and resources available
Adult lectures and courses held
Education facilities available
Member of staff available with responsibility for education
Reception and lunch facilities for educational groups
Teaching/resources available for HE/FE students Schools Education
Direct teaching services for schools
Primary school education service available
Printed/audio-visual information available for schools
Secondary school education service available Facilities
Facilities for private functions and events
Gardens open to public
Library with public access
Meeting room available
Object study facilities available (enquire in advance)
Picnic area
Refreshments
Research facilities for academics
Shop
Study facilities Search this site

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Information published here was believed to be correct at the time it was prepared. Welsh language pages developed with CYMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries Wales, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government.

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