Oxford University Museums
The OUMNH is located in a spectacular Grade I listed neo-Gothic building in Parks Road. Among its most famous features are the Oxfordshire dinosaurs, the dodo, and the swifts in the tower. The Museum’s permanent exhibits are devoted to the history and diversity of life on earth, and to the rocks and minerals from which it is formed. The Museum is an important centre for research and teaching, and is organised into four collections: entomology, geology, mineralogy and petrology, and zoology. It also houses several research libraries, and is home to an environmental archaeology unit.
I spent about an hour in the OUMNH and mainly looked at the dinosaur and mammal skeletons, with a quick look at the insects and other things in the gallery. It’s well worth a visit, and one could spend longer there.
Don’t miss looking at the pillars supporting the upper galleries. Each one is made from a different mineral, identified on the base. Note also the spectacular vaulted metal and glass roof.
I recommend looking at the Museum’s website to help plan your visit.
Practical details: Admission is free. There is no museum café in the Pitt Rivers or the OUMNH, and nothing obvious outside. Travel: Arrival by car is not recommended. The Museum is easily accessible by Park and Ride. The council now charges £1.50 for Park & Ride parking, so have this with you in coin in case you see a bus about to depart! You are not required to display the ticket.
