Our Local-Paced Guide to Oxford England Museums

or “how we explore Oxford’s Museums slowly….”

When we landed in England as part of our international quest to find our perfect retirement, Oxford wasn’t just another stop on our itinerary – it was a return to familiar ground with fresh eyes. Having lived in England for four years during our air force days, we knew the UK would feel both familiar and different as full-time travelers. After six months of exploring Panama, Costa Rica, Portugal, Spain, and France, we’d learned that slow travel – spending real time in each place rather than rushing through – was the key to really understanding if we could call it home.

Oxford Museums Walking Itinerary Quick Guide

Time Needed: Full day or split across two days
Total Walking Distance: Approximately 1.5 miles between all locations
Cost: Free for all three main museums (donations welcome)
Optional Activities: Botanic Garden (£7.20 advance booking) or Oxford Castle
Terrain: Mostly flat, urban walking on sidewalks
Accessibility: Some tight spaces in History of Science Museum; contact staff if using mobility aids

Why This Itinerary Works

Living as full-time travelers has taught us to appreciate flexible itineraries that let you adjust your pace based on your interests and energy level. We’ve designed this walking route to be adaptable – you can do it all in one day if you’re feeling ambitious, or spread it across two more relaxed days like we did. The beauty of free museums is that you can pop in for a short visit and return later without feeling like you need to “get your money’s worth.

Getting Around Oxford

Before we dive into the museums, let’s talk about Oxford’s transportation system. The city has an efficient bus network that we found surprisingly easy to navigate. All you need is a tap-enabled credit/debit card – no special passes required. While we enjoy walking, it’s nice to know you can hop on a bus if your feet need a break. Google Maps was our trusted companion for real-time bus information throughout England.

Walking vs. Bus Tips

• Walking lets you discover hidden courtyards and architectural details
• Buses don’t always follow tourist-friendly routes but are great for tired feet
• Most attractions are within a 15-30 minute walk of each other
• Factor in extra time for photo stops – Oxford’s architecture is incredibly distracting!

We found Oxford to be very easy to navigate on foot and the city bus system is easy to use if you want to save wear and tear on your shoes (or knees). The routes may not run along the straight lines you’d think, though. It’s a working transit system so it’s optimized for students and residents, not tourists. It’s also a tap-to-pay system so you don’t need anything more than than your Visa debit/credit card to ride the bus. Google maps was very accurate and helpful to provide bus stop locations and which bus to ride. We found this to be true all over England.

Oxford Museums Walking Itinerary

1. History of Science Museum

• Location: Broad Street, Oxford OX1 3AZ
• Opening Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 12-5pm. Last admission: 4.50pm
• Suggested Time: 1-2 hours
• Admission is free: Donations accepted
• Accessibility: The History of Science Museum in Oxford is currently inaccessible to wheelchair users due to an out-of-service external platform lift. The museum is housed in a historic building with stair-only access to its three floors. An accessible toilet is available upon request, and public Blue Badge parking is located nearby on Broad Street. For more info click here

This is not a large museum though the exhibits do span multiple floors. There is a significant focus on measuring methods of all types as mathematics and accurate measurements of distance, time, weight and mass are all critical to scientific advancement. Navigation and astronomy get fair play as does communications specifically and technology in general.

The exhibit regarding Henry Mosely’s work on spectrographic X-Rays is quite interesting but the highlight of all the exhibits to me was the coin-operated orrery in the lowest level.

The building has some great details so it’s certainly worth paying attention to the architectural details like doors and windows as you make your way through the various galleries.

Plan to spend an hour or so unless you have a serious interest in any of the subjects covered; I could certainly imagine taking two hours to get through if I were more interested in antique measuring or navigation devices. There are a lot of interesting artifacts but for some of us, if you’ve seen one sextant, you’ve kind of seen them all.

Don’t miss:

• Einstein’s blackboard (an unexpected treasure)
• The coin-operated orrery in the basement
• The extensive collection of scientific instruments
• The building’s architectural details

Pro Tip: If you use any mobility aids, check with the museum’s staff about navigation routes – some galleries have tight spaces.

Want more? Visit our Youtube Channel for video highlights of our exploration of the History of Science Museum in Oxford

2. Museum of Natural History

• Location: Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PW
• Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday 10:00 – 17:00, Last admission: 16:45
• Suggested Time: 1.5-2 hours
• Admission is free: Donations accepted
• Accessibility: step-free entrances, lifts to all floors, accessible restrooms, and designated parking for Blue Badge holders. Assistance animals are welcome, and sensory resources are available to enhance the visitor experience. More info here

This is a massive and imposing space. The gothic arches and columns are incredible. Be sure to note that the columns are made from a variety of stone. In the gallery there are placards indicating the type and source of each one.

If you’re at all a fan of gothic architecture you’ll love this building

This is where you go to get your short-term fossil fix. A couple of dinosaur skeletons have pride of place in the center of the main floor

Suitable space is given over to bugs and butterflies, as well. The displays run the gamut of earth’s history and include geographic and astronomic along with birds and mammals.

Key highlights:

• Dinosaur skeletons in the central hall
• Diverse geological specimens
• Collection of bugs and butterflies
• Architectural features including columns made from different types of stone

Pro Tip: There’s a small café upstairs for refreshments. Perfect timing for a break before heading to the Pitt Rivers Museum.

Want more? Visit our YouTube Channel for video highlights of our exploration of the Museum of Natural History in Oxford

3. Pitt Rivers Museum

• Location: adjacent to the Natural History Museum
• Opening Hours: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Suggested Time: 1-2 hours
• Admission is free: Donations accepted
• Accessibility: Accessible entrances, lifts to all floors, accessible restrooms, and support for visitors with hearing or sensory needs. Assistance animals are welcome. Accessible parking and guides are available upon request. More info here

This museum is contained within the same space as the Natural Science Museum so it’s kind of a twofer. The Pitt Rivers Museum has the most eclectic blend of artifacts we’ve ever seen in one place. Even though they’ve removed the shrunken heads….

If you have an interest in weaponry, this is a can’t miss museum for sure. The exhibit space devoted to blunt, edged and projectile weapons is amazing.

Firearms of all types are on hand – from primitive to modern and plain to fancy

Armor and shields are showcased along with sections on various craft specialties like leatherwork, metalwork and woodwork.

Items for both daily use and decor are abundant; smoking accessories, bags and pouches, religious totems and much, much more. This is a truly eclectic assortment

Must-see sections:

• Extensive weaponry displays
• Traditional crafts from around the world
• Cultural artifacts and daily use items
• Historic firearms collection

Pro Tip: The lighting is deliberately dim to protect the artifacts, so take your time to let your eyes adjust.

Want more? Visit our YouTube Channel for video highlights of our exploration of the Museum of Natural History in Oxford

The Oxford University Museum of Natural History is only a 1/2 mile from the History of Science Museum. However, there are myriad potential distractions along the way. If you are interested in spending just a casual day wandering the colleges and peering into ancient courtyards, these three museums will fill out a reasonable day of sightseeing. This itinerary allows plenty of additional time to head into the Bodleian Library and have a look around, spend a few extra minutes at Radcliffe Camera, take more than one snack break, detour down Holywell Street past New College….

Choose Your Bonus Activity

Option 1: Oxford Botanic Garden

Perfect for afternoon relaxation after museum-hopping. Features:

• Various themed gardens including literary connections
• Plants featured in works from Shakespeare to Lewis Carroll
• Beautiful riverside location
• Advance booking discount available (£7.20 vs. £8 at the door)
• Accessibility: Fully wheelchair accessible and they have a wheelchair available for public use ( you must book the wheelchair in advance. For more info click here

Pretty much equidistant from the History of Science Museum as the Museum of Natural History (about a 1/2 mile) but in the opposite direction, you’ll find an absolutely amazing Botanic Garden.

There are garden sections organized in several different ways – various families of plants….

…commercial agriculture crops with historical notes…

…and my favorite – the literary section features plants (and a few sculptures) tied to popular works – From Shakespeare and Agatha Christie to Lewis Carrol

We spent over two hours at the Botanic Garden. Admission was somehow $20.50 so I guess we paid £8 each and the exchange rate was weird that day <?> It’s £7.20 if you book in advance through their website

Pro Tip: You can buy a ticket on the door on the day of your visit. However, we recommend that you pre-book online otherwise you may not get in if the place is packed, as tickets may not be available.

Want more? Visit our YouTube Channel for video highlights of our exploration of the Oxford Botanic Garden

Option 2: Oxford Castle Quarter

If gardens aren’t your thing, explore this historic complex:

• Free to wander the grounds
• Guided tours available for prison access
• Rich history dating to William the Conqueror
• Close to evening dining options at Westgate

Guided tours are offered at Oxford Castle and Prison if you want to go in-depth (entrance to the prison is ONLY available as part of the guided tour) or you can wander the grounds for free (which is what we did). Like the Botanic Garden, we visited the Castle/Prison as a stand-alone activity. We came in to Westgate primarily to do some grocery shopping at the Sainsbury but since we’d come ‘all the way into town’, we spent some time wandering, too.

The Castle Quarter covers quite a large area and is a whole complex of buildings. Construction dates to the time of William the Conqueror with many of the stone buildings constructed or rebuilt in the 12th and early 13th centuries

There are markers inset to highlight historically significant dates in the life of the Castle and Prison. “1388 – The castle is in poor repair and prisoners are able to escape” says one of them

Many of the buildings are identified with these sort of informational discs.

Want more? Visit our YouTube Channel for video highlights of our exploration of the Oxford Castle and Prison

Suggested Itineraries

Full Day Version

We chose to visit the Botanic Garden as a stand-alone activity one day but if you were properly motivated you could do all of these in a single day. Opening hours for all 4 of these locations start at 10 a.m. and closing is at 5 p.m. so you could spend 10 -12 at the Museum of Natural History/Pitt Rivers Museum, walk 10-15 minutes down to Broad Street and have some lunch then visit the History of Science Museum until 2 and finally, walk another 10-15 minutes to the Botanic Garden (last entry is at 3 p.m.) and wind down your day there. It’s also possible to get around by bus; you’ll see more of the city that way as the routes aren’t necessarily straight lines.

Obviously, adjust times to suit your interests. You may need more or less time in any of those locations. If you are easily distracted by amazing architecture, adjust your walking times accordingly. It took us closer to 30 minutes to cover the 1/2 mile from the History of Science Museum to the Museum of Natural History. The various colleges present any number of interesting doorways, archways, passages and courtyards to explore.

• 10:00 AM: Start at Museum of Natural History/Pitt Rivers
• 12:30 PM: Lunch break near Broad Street
• 1:30 PM: History of Science Museum
• 3:00 PM: Choose your bonus activity – Oxford Botanic Garden or Oxford Castle Quarter

If you start your day at the Museum of Natural History and end it with the Oxford Castle Quarter, you’ll be quite near Westgate Oxford Shopping Mall which has a fair few restaurants to choose from. You’ll also find that a lot of what you’ll want to see in the castle quarter is outdoors so there’s no real ‘closing time’. If you are running up to the end of the day when you get to this side of town, start in the gift shop to look at the castle model and ‘old walls’. The quarter also had several pubs and cafes that looked interesting although we didn’t eat while we here.

Two-Day Split

Day 1:

• Morning: Museum of Natural History
• Afternoon: Pitt Rivers Museum

Day 2:

• Morning: History of Science Museum
• Afternoon: Botanic Garden or Castle Quarter

Where to Take Breaks

We discovered several charming spots perfect for rest stops:

• The Natural History Museum café
• Various coffee shops along Broad Street
• Parks and gardens throughout the university area
• Westgate Shopping Mall’s food court for more extensive options at the end of the day

Money-Saving Tips

• Visit museums during free admission times
• Book Botanic Garden tickets online in advance
• Use bus day passes if planning multiple rides
• Pack snacks to avoid cafe prices
• Consider staying outside city center (like we did in South Hinksey)

A Money-Saving Accommodation Tip: Staying Outside Oxford

While planning our Oxford visit, we discovered a budget-friendly secret: staying in South Hinksey. As full-time travelers carefully balancing our expenses, we chose this quiet village over central Oxford accommodations – a decision that cut our housing costs by more than half.

We admit that the location is is an awkward if you’re not big on walking. Although it is close to town, there is no direct route by road; it’s mostly walking trails. It was worth it to us as it was less than half the cost of staying in Oxford and we don’t mind walking. We walked in to New Hinksey (about 1.3 miles to the bus stop) and caught the bus a couple of times and we also just walked in to Westgate ( approx 2.3 miles) a couple of times.

The Trade-Off: Location vs. Cost

Like many of our travel choices, staying in South Hinksey involved weighing convenience against cost. Here’s what we discovered:

• Distance to Oxford: While South Hinksey is physically close to Oxford, there’s no direct sidewalk route
• Walking Options:
  • To New Hinksey bus stops: About 1.3 miles
  • To Westgate Shopping Centre: Approximately 2.3 miles
  • Pleasant walking paths through the countryside

Our approach varied depending on our energy levels and plans for the day. Some days we enjoyed the full walk into Westgate, while others we strolled to New Hinksey and caught the bus. This flexibility helped us stay within our budget while still enjoying everything Oxford had to offer.

Pro Tip: If you’re comfortable walking and want to stretch your travel budget, consider looking for accommodations in the villages surrounding Oxford. Just be sure to check walking routes and bus connections before booking.

Final Thoughts

Oxford’s museums offer an incredible value for travelers – world-class collections with free admission. Whether you’re on a long-term journey like us or just visiting for a few days, this walkable circuit of museums gives you a perfect mix of science, nature, and cultural history.