In order to investigate the effects of MR dampers on vibration mitigation and dynamic reliability of structures，shaking table tests on the structures with and without MR dampers subjected to random earthquake ground motions were carried out.The reliability assessments of the controlled and uncontrolled structures were respectively performed using the extreme value distribution theory and the probability density evolution method.In the shaking table tests，representative time histories of ground accelerations were generated by employing a physical stochastic ground motion model.Experimental and analytical results reveal that the mean and standard deviation of inter-story drifts of the structure with MR dampers are significantly less than those in the uncontrolled cases，respectively，and the absolute accelerations of most floors are reduced to some extent；the variability in dynamic responses of the controlled and uncontrolled structures subjected to random earthquake ground motions is obvious，and the vibration control effect of MR dampers is significant when the structure is under various ground motions；the seismic reliability of each story as well as the whole structure is evidently enhanced after the installation of MR dampers.