Spring Spectacular at the Museum of English Rural Life – University of Reading
21 April 2004
Free day of fun for all the family at MERL 10am-4pm, Saturday 8 May 2004 MERL, University of Reading Whiteknights campus Anyone wanting to try their hand at hurdle making, willow weaving and other traditional country crafts should head along to the University of Reading's Museum of English Rural Life (MERL) on Saturday 8 May. The Spring Spectacular – where there will be a whole host of free activities for all the family to enjoy – will be the last event held at the current MERL site before it moves to its new £10.5 million location near Whiteknights campus in 2005. Between 10am and 4pm on the day, there will be vintage tractor demonstrations, expert talks about rural life and the opportunity to get to grips with rural history objects and crafts. Children will be able to make Spring flowers and fluffy lambs, and June Peters will be telling Spring stories for all the family. For further details about the event, please contact the MERL on 0118 378 8660 Website: http://www.ruralhistory.orgEmail: merl@ruralhistory.org End For further information, pictures, or to arrange an interview with Dr Roy Brigden, the Museum Keeper, please contact Bekky Moran on (tel) 0118 378 8671 or (email) r.h.moran@reading.ac.uk Notes for editors The Museum of English Rural Life is due to move from its current location at the University's Whiteknights campus in 2005. The new museum will offer superb facilities for the display of its internationally important collections, with much improved conditions for storage and conservation. Located at the former St Andrew's Hall of Residence, the existing building will house archive, book and photographic collections along with enhanced visitor facilities, including a reading room and space for temporary exhibitions and interactive displays. A large new building going up next to the original structure will contain the extensive artefact collections. These include a broad range of objects relating to farming, rural crafts and industries, and country life. Many of the items – such as farm wagons, horse-drawn ploughs, machinery and tools – date from the period 1850 to 1950.