Oxford Sightseeing Across Museums and Meadows
Oxford sightseeing across museums and meadows
Most of what you want to see in Oxford is within a short walk, and four of the museums charge nothing. Use this page to pick stops and to check the hours that catch people out. Prices are in pounds.
Radcliffe Square
The Radcliffe Camera is still a working reading room of the Bodleian, so it is best admired from outside in the square. A Saturday or Sunday walking tour at £30 is the only way in. Read more: Oxford attraction tours .
The museums
| Museum | Hours | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ashmolean | daily 10:00 to 17:00 | free, home of the Alfred Jewel |
| Natural History Museum | daily 10:00 to 17:00, last entry 16:45 | free, Dodo and Megalosaurus |
| Pitt Rivers Museum | Monday 12:00 to 17:00, Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 to 17:00 | free, entered through the Natural History Museum |
| History of Science Museum | Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 to 17:00 | free, Einstein’s blackboard, no level access |
| Museum of Oxford | Monday to Saturday 10:00 to 17:00, closed Sunday | small charge since January 2026 |
The Ashmolean’s special exhibition, Aphrodite, runs from 8 October 2026 to 11 April 2027 and needs a ticket. See the Ashmolean site for current entry details. The Museum of Oxford sits in the Town Hall, and you can confirm the current fee on its visitor page .
Green spaces
Christ Church Meadow is open every day except 25 December. The Botanic Garden keeps seasonal hours, from 10:00 to 16:00 in winter up to 10:00 to 18:00 in summer, with last entry an hour before closing. Check the garden hours for the ticket price.
The Bridge of Sighs
Hertford Bridge, better known as the Bridge of Sighs, was built in 1913 and 1914. It joins two parts of Hertford College and can be seen from the street at no cost.
Colleges and towers
Christ Church, Magdalen, New College and Balliol sell tickets at £22.95, £10, £12 and £6 respectively for adults. Each sets its own hours. Colleges can close at short notice for exams, mostly between late April and June.
For views, Carfax Tower has 99 steps and costs £4. The University Church tower has 127 steps and costs £7. Each is climbed on foot, and each has age limits for small children.
Martyrs’ Memorial and the Broad Street cross
On St Giles stands the Martyrs’ Memorial. In Broad Street an iron cross marks where burnings took place in 1555 and 1556. These are solemn places, so stop quietly and photograph with care.
Planning
Do not try to see everything in a day. Museums combine well in a rainy morning, with the colleges and the meadow after lunch. A guided option that groups the main sights can be found on GetYourGuide .