Oxford Museums

(Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, UK)

The numerous museums of Oxford are never far from additional attractions, and so tourists can easily plan a day of sightseeing, particularly when using hop-on hop-off buses to quickly navigate the city centre. Most visitors craving a spot of culture will enjoy a visit to the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, where exhibits are grouped into various categories, such as entomology, geology, mineralogy and also zoology.

Located on Beaumont Street, within central Oxford, the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology is also very much of note, being housed within an ornate late 17th-century building. This attraction was extensively renovated between 2006 and 2009, partly funded by a Heritage Lottery grand, and the result has seen the exhibition space more than double. Musicians may like to check out the Bate Collection of Musical Instruments, which is a part of the Faculty of Music and stands within the St. Aldate's area, close to Christ Church.

Oxford University Museum of Natural History

Address: Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PW, England
Tel: +44 (0)1865 272950
The Oxford University Museum of Natural History was founded in the mid-19th century and is home to a wealth of nature and wildlife themed exhibits, attracting more than 300,000 visitors per annum. Specific attractions here include dinosaur skeletons, an impressive collection of stuffed animals, geology exhibits, local city artefacts and a well-stocked gift shop. The University Cricket Club is located within walking distance, as is Cherwell College, Lady Margaret Hall and St. Anne's College.
Open hours: daily - 12:00 to 17:00
Admission: free

Pitt Rivers Museum

Address: South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PP, England
Tel: +44 (0)1865 270927
The highly regarded Pitt Rivers Museum is located in centre Oxford, along South Parks Road and near to the University's Department of Biochemistry. Full of an enormous number of collections, such as historic weapons, religious artefacts, prehistoric finds, amulets, ancient jewellery, and musical instruments, the Pitt Rivers is famous throughout Oxfordshire for the quality and importance of its extensive exhibits.
Open hours: Sunday to Friday - 13:00 to 16:30
Admission: free

Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology

Address: Beaumont Street, Oxford, OX1 2PH, England
Tel: +44 (0)1865 278000
The Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology is situated in the city centre, close to both the Oxford Playhouse and the New Theatre. Full of spectacular collections of important archaeological finds, local artefacts and memorabilia, coins, antiques and many other rare and precious items, the Ashmolean is now one of the oldest public attractions of its kind in the country. Much of the collection was donated to the university in 1677, by local antiquarian and politician, Elias Ashmole (1617 to 1692).
Open hours: Tuesday to Saturday - 10:00 to 17:00, Sunday - 14:00 to 17:00
Admission: free

Bate Collection of Musical Instruments

Address: Oxford University Faculty of Music, St. Aldates, Oxford, OX1 1DB, England
Tel: +44 (0)1865 276139
The Bate Collection of Musical Instruments can be found in the St. Aldates district, within the University Faculty of Music and near Christ Church. Donated to the university in the mid-20th century by renowned musicologist Philip Bate (1909 to 1999), this vast collection has grown over the years and is now one of the largest collections of woodwind, brass and percussion instruments in the United Kingdom. Particularly noteworthy are a number of rare, famous and important musical instruments from the Renaissance period.
Open hours: Monday to Friday - 14:00 to 17:00
Admission: free

Museum of the History of Science

Address: Broad Street, Oxford, OX1 3AZ, England
Tel: +44 (0)1865 277280
The Museum of the History of Science is situated in central Oxford and is full of a large and unrivalled collection of interesting, scientific objects dating back to the 18th century. Highlights include a large collection of mathematical instruments, clocks, astronomical devices, books, documents, quadrants, sundials, microscopes, telescopes, and a blackboard once used by the world-famous German theoretical physicist, Albert Einstein (1879 to 1955). The History of Science is housed in the world's oldest surviving purpose-built museum, which dates as far back as the late 17th century.
Open hours: Tuesday to Saturday - 12:00 to 16:00, Sunday - 14:00 to 17:00
Admission: free