Release Date 25 June 2014

The Museum of English Rural Life (MERL) has been awarded a confirmed grant of £1.7m from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) that will transform the way people experience and understand our rural heritage.

The ‘Our Country Lives' project will see the Museum, which is owned and managed by the University of Reading, redisplayed and expanded to create an exciting and innovative visitor experience.

New galleries and digital displays will take visitors to the heart of countryside issues and history. The new Museum will explore the relevance of rural life, past and present, to our modern and urban lives, explaining its vital place in addressing questions of identity, environment, sustainability and health.

Increased space will allow never seen before ‘hidden treasures' to go on display. There will be more opportunities for visitors to handle objects, bringing the stories of the people that live on and work the land to life.

Existing spaces will be radically redesigned to enhance the visitor experience.  An improved welcome area will include a larger shop and better facilities. The much-loved MERL garden will become an integral part of every visit too, with extra play facilities for children and new food and crop-based planting, reflecting the themes of the displays inside.

Isabel Hughes, MERL curator, said: "Our Country Lives' will connect our visitors to the countryside like never before. The exciting transformation of our galleries will address more recent 20th century history and showcase the vital links between town and country. New displays will revitalise the collections by shifting the balance from agricultural machinery, tools and implements to the stories of the people who used them. Parts of our Collection, never seen by the public, will take centre stage.

"We also have exciting plans for new events and activities in the coming years, working closely with the local community as well as our rural followers. Ten years after moving to our purpose built gallery, we are thrilled to be able to take forward our plans for the next decade."

The first phase of ‘Our Country Lives' is due to begin this Autumn. During a period of closure, the Museum will work with local communities who will have a chance to participate in an exciting range of projects and activities. TheUniversity's Special Collections Service will continue to provide scholars around the world with access to rare books, archives and manuscripts, such as the Beckett Collection.

The Museum's first acquisitions were recorded in 1951. Established by members of the Department of Agriculture at a time of major economic, social and technological change, MERL was the first museum of its kind in the country. It houses designated collections of national importance relating to the history of food, farming and the countryside.

Sir David Bell, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Reading, added: "The University is very proud of the Museum of English Rural Life and the treasures it holds. Redisplaying its collections will ensure they can be enjoyed by new generations of students and academics, as well as the local community.

"Although we live in an increasingly urban and globalised society, all of us have ancestral links to rural communities and activities. This Heritage Lottery Fund grant will ensure MERL continues to be a portal to our rural past and engages all who walk through its doors."

Stuart McLeod, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund South East, said: "This is an engaging project which will give visitors and local people from across the community the chance to explore and learn about changing rural life across England. The ‘Our Country Lives' project  will build on the museum's existing success by revitalizing existing displays and exhibitions, creating new learning spaces and improving the visitor facilities. These changes, combined with an exciting programme of educational activities and volunteer opportunities, will bring the museum into the 21st century making it a great place to visit for all."

To contact the Museum of English Rural Life email merl@reading.ac.uk or telephone 0118 378 8660 or visit the MERL website.

ENDS

For all media enquiries please contact James Barr on 0118 3787115

Notes for Editors

The Museum of English Rural Life, in Redlands Road, Reading, was founded by the University of Reading in 1951 to reflect and record the changing face of farming and the countryside. It houses designated collections of national importance that span the full range of objects, archives, photographs, film and books. Today, it forms part of the University's Museums and Collections Service. The Museum operates as a major resource and research centre for the history of food, farming and the countryside with links into the School of History and other academic departments at the University.

Using money raised through the National Lottery, the Heritage Lottery Fund(HLF) aims to make a lasting difference for heritage, people and communities across the UK and help build a resilient heritage economy. From museums, parks and historic places to archaeology, natural environment and cultural traditions, we invest in every part of our diverse heritage. HLF has supported over 36,000 projects with more than £6bn across the UK.