Oxford Museums & Art Galleries

Take a look through some of the best museums and art galleries in Oxford and Oxfordshire. On this page, you will find all the museums Oxford has to offer, classified by type and explained in detail including maps, best galleries, opening hours, and more. 

Most Popular Oxford Museums

You should try to visit all of Oxford’s museums at some point. However, if you’re visiting the city and need to make a selection, these are the museums we recommend you do not miss:

Pitt Rivers Museum - Oxford

Pitt Rivers Museum

The Pitt Rivers Museum displays the archaeological and anthropological collections of the University of Oxford. This museum is located to the east of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, and

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History of Science Museum

History of Science Museum

The History of Science Museum holds a large collection of scientific instruments ranging from the Middle Ages to the 19th century. Housed in what was once the Ashmolean, the museum

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Oxford Art Galleries

Oxford has some incredible art galleries you can visit all week round. There is, of course, the fascinating Modern Art Oxford space, but this is not the only option for art lovers. There are also smaller art galleries and antique shops to make your Oxford visit worthwhile. Check the rest here:

Modern Art Oxford

Modern Art Oxford

Modern Art Oxford is a contemporary art space with exhibitions, events, projects, and online activities in the city of Oxford. The gallery holds regular activities and workshops in its creative

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Other Oxford Museums

All the other Oxford museums and art galleries, how to visit them, and when.

The Oxfordshire Museum

The Oxfordshire Museum

The Oxfordshire Museum is located in Woodstock (in Fletcher’s House, Park Street, opposite the Bear Hotel) and tells the story of the County of Oxfordshire through galleries and exhibitions. The

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The Story Museum - Oxford

The Story Museum

The Story Museum is an unusual museum. Located in the heart of Oxford, it celebrates the power of stories. Fly through a thousand years of Oxford’s story history, from ancient

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Bate Collection of Musical Instruments

Bate Collection of Musical Instruments

The Oxford Bate Collection is the most comprehensive collection of European woodwind, brass and percussion instruments in Britain. It mainly contains instruments for Western classical music, from the Middle Ages onwards.

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Museum of Oxford

Museum of Oxford

The Museum of Oxford is dedicated to telling the story of the city and its people. It has classical and modern art, artefacts and instruments. The museum displays an exciting

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Historical Places

Oxford castles, quads, and locks. 

Oxford Castle and Prison - Image courtesy of Meraj Chhaya

Oxford Castle & Prison

Oxford Castle is a partly ruined Norman medieval castle on the centre of Oxford. The castle then became a prison which closed in 1996. What’s the History of Oxford Castle?

24-26 Cornmarket Street. Image courtesy of Chuca Cimas.

24-26 Cornmarket Street, Oxford

24-26 Cornmarket Street, in Oxford, is a timber-framed building built in the late 14th century. It belonged to a wine merchant who ran it as an inn, the “New Inn”.

Parks & Meadows

Beautiful parks and nature reserves in Oxford.

Oxford Botanic Gardens - Image courtesy of Tejvan Pettinger

Oxford Botanic Gardens & Arboretum

The University of Oxford Botanic Garden is Great Britain’s oldest botanic garden and one of the oldest scientific gardens in the world. The Oxford Botanic Garden was founded in 1621

Oxford's Port Meadow - Image courtesy of Danny Chapman

Port Meadow

Port Meadow is a large open space in the north and west of Oxford. The River Thames flows through the heart of this ancient area of grazing land, still used

Brasenose Woods in Oxford

Brasenose Wood

Brasenose Wood is a woodland park featuring quiet walking paths and diverse flora. It’s also part of a larger nature reserve in Oxford.

Things to Do in Oxford

Looking for things to do and enjoy while you’re in Oxford? Here are some suggestions, from quirky shops to escape rooms, art galleries, and sports. 

The North Wall Arts Centre

The North Wall Arts Centre

The North Wall Arts Centre is an award-winning Oxford theatre and gallery based in Summertown. Their mission is to educate and inspire. The North Wall Arts Centre is a vibrant

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The Ultimate Picture Palace Oxford

The Ultimate Picture Palace

The Ultimate Picture Palace (or UPP) is Oxford’s only independent cinema and one of the oldest cinemas in the United Kingdom. They show a mix of independent, mainstream, international, and

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New Theatre Oxford

New Theatre Oxford

New Theatre Oxford (previously known as the Apollo Theatre Oxford) is Oxford’s main commercial theatre. It has a capacity of 1,785 people. The first theatre was built in 1836, and

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