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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.

Address: South Parks Rd
Getting there: entrance via the Oxford University Museum of Natural History (OUMNH)
Hours: Daily noon–4:30PM
Price: Free
Website: prm.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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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.
Daily 10AM–5PM except for Easter and ChristmasFree
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
Drink
The King's Arms
A popular student pub — selection of beers and reasonable food although perhaps prices are a little high. Excellent location.
10:30AM-midnight
Drink
St. Aldates Tavern
Small and traditional Victorian tavern but with adequate seating, with drinks varying in price depending on how early you get there.
Sun-Thu 11AM-11PM; Fri Sat 11AM-midnight