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Museum of English Rural Life
Type:Museum
Redlands Road
Reading
BERKSHIRE
RG1 5EX
Guide Prices
| Ticket Type | Ticket Tariff |
|---|---|
| Adult | Free |
| Child | Free |
Note: Prices are a guide only and may change on a daily basis.
Facilities
Accessibility
- All Areas Accessible to Disabled Visitors
- Facilities for Hearing Impaired Visitors
- Guide Dogs Permitted
- Parking Areas for Disabled Visitors
- Ramp/Level Access
- Toilets for Disabled Visitors
- Wheelchair user accessible - Yes.
Catering
- On-Site cafe/restaurant - We have a small café with hot and cold drinks, sandwiches and snacks
- Picnic Site
Establishment Features
- Conference facilities
- Toilets
Parking & Transport
- On site parking - We have a small car park at the front of the Museum and some parking
- Parking (free)
Payment Methods
- Approx length of visit - 02:00
- Booking essential - Booking is essential for groups of 10 or more
- Groups Accepted - Admission is free. We ask for a suggested donation of £5 per person
- MasterCard accepted
- Max group size - 50
- Min group size - 10
- Special group rates - Yes (refreshments can be arranged for a small charge for groups by arrangement only).
- Visa accepted
Provider Preferences
- In town/city centre - The MERL is a 10-15 minute walk from Reading town centre, near the Royal Berkshire Hospital
- Indoor Attraction
- No Smoking Attraction
- Outdoor Attraction - We have a beautiful enclosed garden with picnic area.
Specialist Features
- Marketed Towards Children - Families with children of all ages are welcome
- Marketed Towards Families
- Marketed Towards Senior Citizens
Tours and Demonstrations
- Educational Visits Accepted
TripAdvisor
Map & Directions
Road Directions
We encourage visitors to use alternative methods of transport to get to the MERL, but if you need to come by car, the postcode for Sat Navs is RG1 5EX (6 Redlands Road)
Some parking is available.
There is a small car park for Museum visitors at the front of our building. Spaces are limited.
Visitors are also welcome to use the University Acacia Road car park adjacent to the Museum. Please collect a permit from the Museum reception, to be displayed in your car. During University term time and on Friday mornings this car park can be very busy.
Some paid street parking is available on Redlands Road. There is a maximum stay of 2 hours. Due to the proximity of the Hospital, this parking is in high demand.
The closest public car park is the Queens Road car park a 10 minute walk away.
Public Transport Directions
The nearest rail station to the MERL is Reading, which is easily accessible by regular, fast trains from London Paddington, as well as via London Waterloo, as well as by coach from Heathrow. It is well connected by rail routes from the North, South and West via Bournemouth, Bristol, Oxford, Guildford and Basingstoke.
The MERL is a 20 minute walk from the station.
From stop SA at the station Leopard 3, Leopard 10, Silver 9 or Claret 22 connect to stops at the Royal Berkshire Hospital (Craven Road or Addington Road stops), or Claret 21 or 21A stop on Kendrick Road (Crown Place) which are within easy walking distance of the Museum.
We have a secure bike rack in the car park by the main entrance to the Museum. The ‘UoR London Road’ Readybike station is at the end of Acacia Road, right outside the entrance to our car park, so you can pick up a bike at any station across Reading and leave it right here!
Awards
- Regional and Miscellaneous -
Beautiful South Awards Winners 2019/20 - Bronze 2019 - Tourism South East Award -
Tourism South East Member 24/25 - Silver 2024
Opening Times
| 2024 (1 Jan 2024 - 31 Dec 2024) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Day | Times | |
| Monday | Closed* | |
| Tuesday - Friday | 09:00 | - 17:00* |
| Saturday - Sunday | 10:00 | - 17:00* |
| Bank Holiday | Closed | |
* The Museum galleries are closed on Mondays, but the shop and café (and reading room) are open. The reading room is closed at weekends.
Closed Bank Holidays
