Family Days Out in Oxford

October 30, 2026

Family days out in Oxford

Oxford works for children when you choose a few attractions and avoid the adult-only ones. The options below are grouped by age and cost. Prices are in pounds.

Under five

Story Museum, 42 Pembroke Street: the Small Worlds space for under-5s costs £8.25, as does gallery entry for ages 1 to 4. Under-1s are free. Opening hours are Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 to 16:30 in term time, and daily 10:00 to 17:30 in school holidays.
Cutteslowe and Sunnymead Park: three playgrounds, an aviary, mini-golf and a cafe. A splash feature opens for the warmer months, so check its dates.
Natural History Museum: free, with touchable minerals, open daily 10:00 to 17:00.

Carfax Tower does not admit under-5s, and punting is not a good choice for toddlers because of the water.

Ages five to ten

The Story Museum galleries cost £16 a head from age 5. Christ Church charges £17.50 on weekdays and £19.50 at weekends for a child aged 5 to 17 in Michaelmas term, and the multimedia guide included in the ticket has an Alice-themed version for families. The Great Hall closes 12:00 to 14:00 on weekdays, so pick a morning slot.

Oxford Castle and Prison charges from about £10.80 a child online. Ask the operator whether the cells and the Spooky Tours are right for your children before booking.

The Pitt Rivers Museum is free and is entered through the Natural History Museum. It is open Monday 12:00 to 17:00 and Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 to 17:00, and no human remains are on display.

Ages eleven and up

Bodleian library tours accept visitors aged 11 and over, and the University Church tower accepts ages 8 and over. Climbing the 127 steps is a good family challenge. Nobody under 16 can hire a Cherwell Boathouse punt, so younger children go along only with an adult hirer.

Trips beyond the city

Blenheim Palace offers an Adventure Play add-on, about £5 for adults and £7 for children. A Palace pass for a child is £24. Cotswold Wildlife Park charges £14.00 for children aged 3 to 16 at the gate. Both are covered in Oxford day trips .

A note on parks

Families after a playground should go to Cutteslowe Park. Its miniature railway is run by the City of Oxford Society of Model Engineers on a short list of running days from April to October, from 13:00 with last admission at 16:30. Check the society’s website before you go.

Safety on and by the water

The rivers have weirs and locks, which are drowning hazards, so keep children back from the edges. Port Meadow floods in winter. Do not let children swim or paddle in the Thames or the Cherwell.

Booking

Family tour listings are on Viator . For museum details see the Story Museum and the Natural History Museum .