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Oxford University Museum of Natural History

Houses the university's scientific collections of zoological, entomological, geological, palaeontological and mineralogical specimens, accumulated in the course of the last 3 centuries. The exhibits occupy a large central court with elegant Victorian cast-iron columns supporting the great glass roof, and surrounded on four sides by upper and lower arcades. They are devoted to the history and diversity of life on Earth and the rocks and minerals that form it. Highlights include the famous Oxford Dodo, the largest display of dinosaur remains outside London, a great collection of skeletons, and the nesting swifts in the museum's main tower.

Address: Parks Rd
Getting there: opposite Keble College
Hours: Daily 10AM–5PM except for Easter and Christmas
Price: Free
Website: oum.ox.ac.uk (opens in a new tab)

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Listing from Wikivoyage: Oxford, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Updated 28 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.

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Pitt Rivers Museum
Oxford's museum of anthropology and ethnology, still largely arranged in Victorian style, making this a rare museum experience. The Pitt Rivers requires time and effort but gives great satisfaction. The collection is displayed according to the types and functions of the objects, instead of periods or origins. The museum does a great job educating about its past role in reinforcing colonial power structures. Certain controversial items, such as the Shuar tsantsa ("shrunken heads"), remain in the museum's inventory but are no longer on display due to ethical concerns.
Daily noon–4:30PMFree
Drink
The Lamb and Flag
The Lamb and the Navy
A big old pub, long, with lots of nook and crannies. A secondary meeting place of the famous Inklings club, the literary grouping of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and friends. Above the main door is an inscription in Tolkien's Elvish. Quite reasonably priced for its location, and often less busy than its literary fame would lead one to expect. Its kitchen was renovated in 2022.
Mon-Sat noon-11PM; Sun noon-10:30PM
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Taylorian Institute
also known as the Taylor Institution
The university's centre for the study of modern European languages and literature, established in 1845. Its library contains the largest specialist collection in its field in Britain. It is in a neo-classical building designed by Charles R. Cockerell and erected between 1841 and 1844 by the university to house the institution and the Randolph Galleries (now the Ashmolean Museum).
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Oxford University Parks
Large expanse of park along the Cherwell River with paths running from Marston to the City Centre.
Closing times vary according to the season