Opening Times

The Museum of English Rural Life

Galleries, garden, shop, café

  • Tuesday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
  • Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 5pm
  • Closed on Mondays

For full details see The MERL’s website.

Archive and library reading room

  • Open Tuesday to Friday: 9.30am-4.30pm
  • We are unable to fetch items from the collection stores between 1-2pm each day

Booking essential.

University closure days

The MERL (including, shop, café and garden) and the reading room are closed on Bank Holidays and on some University closures days at Christmas and Easter.

Ure Museum

Opening varies between term-time and out-of-term. Closed at weekends.

For full details see the Ure Museum website.

Cole Museum

The Cole Museum is usually open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, although this can sometimes change at short notice. The Cole may be closed for teaching during term time.

Please check the Cole Museum’s calendar before you visit us, and remember that group visits must be booked in advance.

All other collections

By appointment, generally weekdays only. Please contact the relevant curator.