The Museum of English Rural Life is owned and managed by the University of Reading. It was established by academics in the Department of Agriculture in 1951 to capture and record the rapidly changing countryside following World War II. The Museum uses its diverse and surprising collection to explore how the skills and experiences of farmers and craftspeople, past and present, can help shape our lives now and into the future. The Museum has worked alongside rural people, local communities and specialist researchers to create displays and activities that engage with important debates about the future of food and the ongoing relevance of the countryside to all our lives.