Summer Garden Late: Forty Farms

A summer social in The MERL garden with award-winning photographer Amy Bateman

Enjoy a glass of something refreshing, soak up the atmosphere of The MERL garden, and drop in on an informal conversation with award-winning photographer and farmer Amy Bateman, whose stunning MERL exhibition Forty Farms captures the heart of Lake District farming. The galleries will stay open for the night so you can also explore and browse the collections at your leisure.

No formal lecture. A gentle mix of open galleries, garden views, and inspiring stories to dip into as you like. Come for a wander, stay for a drink, and enjoy the museum in a whole new light.

£8 per person. Drop in any time from 6pm. Amy’s talk will begin around 7pm.

About Forty Farms

In March 2020, British Life Photographer of the Year Amy Bateman embarked on a journey to photograph farms across the Lake District. Amy’s journey led her from Herdwick-grazed commons to big-sky Solway marshes, from isolated farmsteads to businesses at the cutting-edge of agricultural innovation.

Our Forty Farms exhibition brings captivating photographs of 20 of the farms that Amy visited to the museum garden. The exhibition presents a visual record of contemporary English farming at a period of profound change.