A display of Oxford-themed merchandise in the Museum of Oxford shop, including magnets, coasters, food trays, t-shirts and tea towels.

Uncover the real Oxford

Here at the Museum of Oxford (MOX), we show the changing story of Oxford through its history and people. From football to fairgrounds, marmalade to Morris Motors, patron saints to pubs, barges, bones, and all types of quirky customs—there’s something for everyone in the fascinating history of Oxford.

You’ll find us nestled inside the Grade II listed Oxford Town Hall, a beautiful Victorian building right in the centre of Oxford. Inside our two galleries, you’ll find collection items, video, audio, and interactive displays, and special exhibitions that uncover what makes Oxford such a special place to live, work and study. It’s a great place for locals to explore their community stories and for visitors to discover our amazing city (if we do say so ourselves).

50 years and counting

In 2025, the Museum will be celebrating its 50th birthday – we know, we look great for our age. We’re planning a year-long public programme of exhibitions and events to celebrate Oxford’s history and bring new voices into our collections. We hope you’ll be joining us!

1975

The Museum of Oxford first opened its doors in December 1975, with the aim to share the story of Oxford and its communities through exhibitions and displays. Some of the items included in our original collection include a Roman kiln and the interior of a 19th-century barge! In 1980, the Museum introduced free entry and in six months visitor numbers doubled.

1990s-2000s

At the end of the 1990s, Oxford City Council took over management of the Museum from Oxfordshire County Museums Service. We continued to acquire new items, including several items belonging to Alice Liddell.

Sadly, in the 2000s, the Museum was threatened with closure. However, the community rallied to support the Museum. Thanks to the efforts of the Oxford Civic Society, the Museum remained open, and many of their members became some of our first volunteers.

2010s

In 2010, the decision was made to update the Museum and in 2011 work began on the Explore Oxford Galleries. An exciting new event venue was created in the old museum space. This was accompanied by new outreach projects, family activities and community-curated exhibitions.

In 2015, the Museum applied to the National Lottery Heritage Fund to fund a redevelopment project – and was successful! We received permission to begin a major construction project to build our new Museum.

2018-2020

Construction on the new Museum began in 2018. During this time, the Micro-Museum was opened in the Town Hall between October 2018 and February 2020, which allowed the public to visit us while the building work was taking place.

2021 to today

In October 2021, the Museum reopened. The redevelopment project tripled the size of our galleries and increased the size of our collection by almost two and a half times. Along with our new galleries, we opened new activity spaces for community groups, schools, families and events.

Over the last three years, we’ve welcomed thousands of visitors, hosted hundreds of events, displayed 7 co-curated community exhibitions and welcomed local schools, older people and families to our workshops. We’ve loved every minute of sharing Oxford’s history with you.

Our work since reopening

Adults and children dance and wave streamers as part of the African Families in the UK family fun day in one of the museum's basement activity spaces.
An older woman with a light brown bob takes an object that is being passed to her by another person. She is sat among an audience of other older adults.
Actors reenact a protest in front of an audience sat in the round in the Museum's basement activity space.
Work We've Done Since Reopening 4 Object Handling Workshops With Schools
A group gather around a tour guide in the Museum's exhibition space. The exhibition is on the history of river swimming in Oxford, and includes black and white photographs and posters.
A photograph of an exhibition showing black and white late Victorian/early Edwardian portrait photographs contrasted with modern colour portrait photographs.
The Museum of Oxford's stall at Oxford Pride on the indoor lawn at the Westgate shopping centre. A man in a red 'MOX' (Museum of Oxford) t-shirt smiles and poses for the camera alongside a cargo bike with a blue cargo box and a table decorated with a red 'MOX' tablecloth and paper activities.
A smiling toddler, about two years old, reaches into a basket of squishy pom-poms with a pair of toy tongs. His parent or carer sits cross-legged behind him and watches, smiling.
Adult's and children's hands stuffing vine leaves on wooden chopping boards as part of a cultural food exchange workshop.

Support Us

We need your help to continue sharing Oxford’s story.

We don’t charge for entry, which means we rely on donations to look after our collections and deliver our programmes of outreach events to Oxford’s communities. Any amount you can give today makes a big difference.

Make a donation
Close-up of intricately carved wooden wall brackets on display in the museum. The brackets are carved with highly detailed faces.
Think you know Oxford?
Close up of a flooring made of animal bones on display in the museum. Through a glass panel, you can see the bones stuck down in mortar.
Museum Highlights
A volunteer uses a makeup brush and hoover to gently clean a pavement on open display in the museum.
Volunteering
The side of a yellow building with painted white writing reading 'Welcome to the sunny side of Oxford'.
Special exhibitions