Family Fun In Oxford: Must-See Sights And Hidden Gems
Why visit Oxford with children?
Oxford, the ‘city of dreaming spires’, is a fantatsic walkable city to visit with children of all ages. This is the ultimate guide to the best family activities in Oxford, tried and tested by our family of five. Whether you are looking for a day trip to Oxford or a longer stay, we’ve got you covered with both free and paid for, family-friendly activities to make the most of your time.
Choose between a plethora of family-friendly museums, literary walking tours and the romantic architecture of the university colleges, or spend time exploring the botanical gardens and parks, punting on the river or exploring hidden gems. Beyond the impressive, honey-coloured university buildings, are quirky neighbourhoods, peaceful parks and gardens. Oxford will leave you wanting to return again and again. There are plenty of wet weather options (often essential) and every step is steeped in history; a story hiding around every corner.
Oxford is only an hour from London by train, making it a great option for a day trip or weekend visit. Beyond the city limits, Oxford lies on the edge of the picture-perfect Cotswolds with plenty more great options for exploring.
Six of The Best Museums in Oxford to visit with Children
1. Oxford University Museum of Natural History
Free entry/ Donation. Open daily 10am – 5pm
Children (and adults) of all ages adore the Natural History Museum. We visit least twice a year and always have to be torn away at the end of the afternoon. The museum is housed in a spectacular, Victorian neo-Gothic cathedral of a building, which is both an artwork and education in itself. Internal pillars are carved from different types of rock, topped with botanical carvings of different flora.
Budding palaeontologists can follow the family dinosaur trail, finding skeletons from a tiny Compsognathus to colossal T-Rex and Edmontasaurus. See the Oxford Dodo which inspired Lewis Carroll and marvel at the animal skeleton parade.
Upstairs boasts an incredible collection of insects and minerals, a working beehive and visiting exhibitions. With a thoughtfully curated shop and a wonderful, sustainable cafe (currently being run by Vaults and Garden) you can easily while away a very pleasant afternoon.
There is an ongoing upgrade to the glass display cases. The re-imagined exhibits combine artefacts, video, photography and visual displays in thought provoking and inspiring ways which bring complex topics, such as evolution and adaptation, to life.
2. Pitt Rivers Museum
Fascinating objects showing the history of human ingenuity and problem solving.
Free entry/ Donation
Open daily from 10am (12 on Mondays) – 5pm
Accessed though the Natural History Museum, the Pitt Rivers Museum evokes curiosity and inspires awe and wonder at every turn. The huge collection of objects (over 500,000) from across the globe are organised by function: weapons, musical instruments, masks and jewellery to name just a few. Visitors can draw parallels between similar objects from different areas of the world, and see the effect of place and environment in solving problems common to humans. It is a treasure trove of wonder and can be a very difficult place to leave, eating up hours of time happily spent imagining life in other times and places and marvelling at the incredible range of skills humans are capable of. During school holidays there are additional family trails and activities.
In recent years, the museum has begun important work to decolonise the collection, including information acknowledging and explaining the museum’s colonial legacy and the ethics surrounding these complex issues. I recommend starting a visit reading the information board at the bottom left of the stairs, explaining the background and work to being done.
3. The Story Museum
Tickets vary from £3 – £12 per person. Occasional ‘pay what you can’ Sundays.
Open Tuesday – Sunday 10am – 4:30pm
Visit the Story Museum and step into a magical world where stories come to life and imagination infuses the very air. Visit the whispering wood where the trees tell stories; explore books in the enchanted library; search for literary treasure or board the Storycraft for an epic journey through Oxford’s bookish history. For under 5s there’s a separate gallery for stories, picture books and imagination, complete with double decker bus. In addition, there is a theatre with a range of events over the year and a cafe with delicious home-made meals and treats. If you are visiting with children of different ages, it can be a bit tricky to decide which tickets to buy, but consult with museum staff for the best advice.
4. Ashmolean Museum
Free general entry / donation. Some visiting exhibitions have an additional charge.
Open daily 10am – 5pm
The Ashmolean Museum is Oxford’s museum of global art and archaeology, spanning from the ancient Egyptians and Greeks to the present day. Families are well catered for with family trails, an interactive digital adventure (book in advance prices from £10 for a family of 2), free family-friendly tours and a lunch room. Our family particularly enjoyed the digital ‘Ashmolean adventure’ trail, which uses a tablet to guide you around 11 of the museum’s most fascinating exhibits with a variety of interactive activities including games, stories and quizzes.
5. History of Science Museum
Free entry / Donation. Open Tuesday – Saturday 12 – 5pm
Visit the 100 year old History of Science Museum to discover the fascinating history of science through the ages, told through a variety of intriguing objects. The museum houses collections of instruments, devices and inventions from throughout human history. The progression in scientific thinking is thoughtfully demonstrated through the displays. There is a huge collection of gorgeous, detailed astrolabes (models of the universe) alongside mind bending collections of curious medical instruments and other scientific inventions. Fans of Philip Pullman’s ‘His Dark Materials’ will love examining Lyra’s alethiometer, the instruments that inspired Pullman’s invention, and other props from the films.
6. Museum of Oxford
Free entry / Donation. Open Monday – Saturday 10am – 5pm
The Museum of Oxford , located inside the Victorian Town Hall, is a museum dedicated to the history of the people of Oxford. This is a fantastic small museum, which caters brilliantly to families with the option of borrowing family explorer backpacks, sensory kits, costumes to try on and family explorer trails. In school holidays there is an even wider range of activities and crafts to take part in.
Family Activities in Oxford
Go punting on the Cherwell
Open February to November from 9:30am – Sunset (or 9pm).
Pop along to Magdalen Bridge Boathouse and hire a wooden punt, rowing boat or pedalo for an hour or two along the Cherwell River. Bring a picnic for lunch on the river. Prices are from £32 an hour per boat. If you don’t fancy rowing, try the leisurely route an hire a chauffeured punt so you can soak up the atmosphere whilst the driver does the hard work. This option has a much smaller chance of falling in.
We opted for a punt converted into a pedalo. This was great fun and easy to control. Our kids loved feeding the cheeky ducks on the way round. If you’re visiting The Botanic Gardens or Magdalen College, you’ll find the boathouse nearby, down a small slope.
Relax in the Botanical Gardens
Adults £7.20, accompanying children go free. Open daily 10am – 5pm.
Oxford Botanic Garden, the oldest in the UK, is a petite wonder in the centre of Oxford. Here you will find glasshouses bursting with tropical plants, snowdrops and daffodills gently nod in springtime before summer and autumn see the gardens filled with colour. In April you can relax underneath the most magnificent Magnolia tree I have ever seen. Time your visit with a picnic so you can linger in this delightful space for longer. Fans of His Dark Materials can find Will and Lyra’s bench in the gardens too.
Go on a walking tour
Oxford has a long history of inspiring great writers inlcuding C.S Lewis, JRR Tolkein, Philip Pullman and Lewis Carroll. A walking tour is a great way to see the sights that inspired the writers, discover their old haunts (which include so many pubs you wonder how they wrote anything) and indulge your own imagination. Try the literary tour with Oxford Walking Tours whose knowledgeable guides often tailor their content to suit the audience.
On our tour we saw the lamppost and lion carved door that inspired Narnia, heard many stories of ‘the inklings’ in various pubs around town and scenes from the Harry Potter movies. My book obsessed 12 year old was in heaven, particularly when we were shown into a secret room in Blackwell’s bookshop. Our guide did a brilliant job of maintaining everyone’s interest throughout aa he regaled us with tales of the antics of the inklings. It was also a great way to see a few of the Oxford colleges.
If books aren’t your thing there are plenty of other options including a ghost tour which will appeal to for older kids.
Climb the tower of University Church of St Mary
The Church itself is free to visit, and is spectacular in itself. With children aged 8 and over you can opt to pay £6 per person to climb the Tower. After ascending you are rewarded with unparalleled views across Oxford. Peek down inside the neighbouring colleges and radcliffe Camera, whilst admiring the gargoyles decorating the tower.
The tower is accessed via a very narrow spiral staircase. Tickets are available from the shop inside the church. The grounds of the church house the lovely Vaults and Garden Cafe. Check opening times online.
See a different side of Oxford on a treasure trail
To keep the kids occupied whilst seeing a different side of Oxford, try the Oxford University Parks and River trail. The 3 mile, self-guided, circular trail follows a route through the University Parks whilst ‘secret agents’ search for clues. It’s good way to discover an area you might not have seen. This trail took us through the park and ‘Mesopatamia’ to a lovely neighbourhood and back again, often following the River Cherwell. We discovered so many little details that we would never have noticed and some new areas which we loved exploring.
There are other trail options more centrally which also look great. These self-guided, downloadable trails are just £9.99.
Walk through historic Port Meadow
Not far from the neighbourhood of Jericho, Port Meadow is a huge green space still grazed by livestock and bordered by woodland. It is a great space to burn off some energy, and feels a million miles away from the city whilst being in easy walking distance.
You can continue the walk through Port Meadow to Wolvercote and The Trout Pub (see also below). As this is a flood plain, do not make our mistake and attempt this route in winter. An alternative route follows the canal back to town.
Walk to Wolvercote and visit the ruins of Godstow Abbey and The Trout Inn
For a great afternoon out, walk or take the bus from town to Wolvercote for ancient ruins and a fantastic pub. Read more about our experience and the logistics here.
Take a tour of the Bodelian Library
One of England’s oldest libraries, the beautiful architecture of the Bodelian library (actually a collection of buildings) is a is a great option for families with children over the age of 11. The only way to access the library is either to be a student at the university, or to book a tour.
On a very grey December day, my 12 year old daughter and I tried the 30 minute option. We both thoroughly enjoyed the tour, standing in awe of the opulent architecture a of the Divinity School building. The ceiling contains over 400 intricately carved ceiling bosses, celebrating hundreds of financial donors to the building.
During the second part of the tour, we visited Duke Humphrey’s Library and learnt about the foundation of the library with just 12 books. The library is an evocative space, all dark wooden shelving, ladders, huge leather-bound books and oil painted ceilings.
We would have loved to learn more, and plan to choose a longer tour for our next visit.
Visit a University College
With over 30 colleges, there are plenty of options for exploring these academic institutions. Along the way you will stumble upon elegant courtyards with manicured grass, wood panelling galore, cobblestones and cloisters and a feeling you have stepped into the past.
Christ Church College
For Harry Potter fanatics and anyone who loves grand spaces. See the Great Hall, stairs and cloisters used in the Harry Potter film sets. The college, built during the Tudor period, is well worth a visit. Tickets are not cheap at between £17 and £24 depending on the day and age of visitor. Tickets are £2 cheaper if booked in advance and are released weekly on Friday mornings.
Christchurch Meadows
This tranquil space adjoining Christchurch College is free to visit and a wonderful place to wander or picnic whilst admiring the exterior of the impressive buildings.
Magdalen College
One of Oxford’s largest colleges, Magdalen surprises visitors with tranquil grounds filled with wildflowers and even a small herd of deer. Once you step into the college grounds, you feel far away from the bustle of the city centre, despite being only seconds away. The college buildings include a library accessed by a secret spiral staircase and the Great Tower, a chapel and gorgeous cloisters. The statues standing around the walls of the internal quadrangle, which can be viewed from the cloisters, are reminiscent of the stone statues in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. In fact, C.S. Lewis is known to have enjoyed meandering along the 1.3km Addison’s Walk, a looped path along the river Cherwell, inside the college grounds.
Tickets are £10/ £9 per adult/ child over 7 or £28 for a family ticket. Alternatively, purchase the combined ticket for Magdalen College and the Botanic Gardens which are located directly opposite. If you have energy to spare Magdalen Boathouse is just outside.
Mansfield College
Mansfield is one of Oxford’s smallest colleges, with wood panelled library straight out of a storybook, a quadrangle of stately buildings surrounding the pristine, oval lawn and a terrfic atmosphere. We stayed the night here, which was a special experience and allowed us a peek into Oxford University life. Simple rooms within the college can be booked outside of university term time are a memorable and affordable way to stay in Oxford.
Colleges with free entry
All Souls’ College in Radcliffe square is free to visit on Sundays and weekdays between 2pm and 4pm.
Corpus Christi College on Merton Street welcomes visitors between 2pm and 5pm daily.
Thirsty Meeples Board Game Cafe
The Thirsty Meeples Board Game Cafe is a good option for a wet afternoon. After you have paid the cover charge, you have 3 hours to play games of your choice from their selection of over 2,000 games. There are sections for every type of game imaginable, including a large children’s selection. There is also a shop which is a great place to buy game related gifts. The cafe is situated on Gloucester Green where there is an outdoor food market from Wednesday – Saturday.
Visit a historic Bookshop
If the weather isn’t in your favour, Oxford has several fantastic bookshops to while away a few hours in.
On the corner of Broad Street and Cornmarket, the Oxford Waterstones bookshop has 5 floors of books and gifts, a cafe and a whole floor dedicated to children’s books. Former children’s laureate Cressida Cowell sometimes pops in during the Oxford Literary Festival (March/ April) and you can find several of her quirky drawings directly on the walls.
At the other end of Broad Street, the main Blackwell’s book shop holds the record for the largest single room selling books. The enormous, underground Norrington room has over 2 miles of shelving! Nearby you will find other branches dedicated to rare books, science fiction and manga.
Gulp fiction is a lovely independent bookshop inside The Covered Market.
Visit the historic Covered Market
Hidden away in central Oxford, you will find Oxford’s eclectic covered market. The market, which has operated since the 1700s, is a great place to find independent shops and low-key eateries. There are several entrances, including the main entrance on Market Street.
My kids love iScream for delicious gelato and sorbet, Moo Moos for weird and wonderful milkshake flavours and Pieminister for scrumptious pies. Gulp fiction, an indie bookshop and coffee house is my personal favourite.
Travelling around Oxford
Car – I strongly advise you to avoid using a car if you possibly can. Parking is both hard to find and expensive. The best option is to use one of the park and ride car parks which have regular, reasonably priced buses to the town centre.
Walking – Oxford is a compact city which is easy to get around on foot. Walking in Oxford often rewards you with unexpected sights and there are a multitude of hidden alleys and interesting viewpoints to be explored.
Bike – The most popular form of transport for locals and students. Adult bikes can be hired from Bainton Bikes using the Donkey Republic app. Alternatively, opt for for a cycle tour.
Bus – There is an excellent bus network, with single tickets currently priced at just £2 for any length of journey.
Train – Oxford’s train station is a very short walk from the town centre and has services to London and other UK cities.
Family Eating in Oxford
Quick bites: The covered market has several options and is centrally located with bench seating available.
Near the train station, Gloucester Green Outdoor Market has a huge variety of global food stands. Open Wednesday – Saturday from 9am to 4 or 5 pm.
Picnic spots: If you are near the museums, University Parks, is accessed from Parks Road and is a lovely, green escape. In the centre of town Christchurch Meadows, adjacent to Christchurch College, is a good option.
Pubs and restaurants: Try the Jericho region of town for local pubs or Brown’s brasserie on Woodstock Road.
Cafes: For local, homemade food, Vaults & Garden in either Radcliffe Square or their pop-up cafe in The Natural History Museum are lovely. The Story Museum Cafe is always a hit with kids too.
Out of town: The Trout Inn in Wolvercote does a great Sunday lunch in a lovely setting.
