Curious collections
Quirky and
specialist museums in Oxford.
Einstein’s chalk marks, stories you can step into and musical instruments: five Oxford collections that reward a closer look.
At a glance
- Free entry
- Pitt Rivers, Natural History, History of Science and Bate general admission.
- Paid attraction
- The Story Museum; Galleries and Small Worlds are separate tickets.
- Best paired visit
- Natural History and Pitt Rivers, in the same building.
- Bate detour
- Schwarzman Centre; published hours Mon/Thu, 2–5pm.
A blackboard that escaped the cleaning cloth, a forest of storytelling trees and instruments made to be heard: Oxford’s collections can turn a spare hour into the most memorable part of a visit. Choose one interest and follow it.
More about this guide
Pitt Rivers and Natural History make a free two-museum visit on Parks Road. On Broad Street, the History of Science Museum is another option. The Story Museum on Pembroke Street charges admission.
The Bate Collection has moved to the Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities. Treat it as a separate north-of-centre detour with limited opening days.
Curious collections
Five singular stops,
for curious minds.
Objects and their stories
The Pitt Rivers Museum
Enter through the Museum of Natural History into densely arranged cases of masks, boats, instruments and everyday objects. The Pitt Rivers groups many displays by object type. Look closely at the labels: the people who made and used these objects, and how they reached Oxford, are part of the story.
A surviving chalkboard
History of Science Museum & Einstein's Blackboard
On Broad Street, the History of Science Museum brings you face to face with Einstein’s chalked equations from a lecture on 16 May 1931. Astrolabes and other scientific instruments reward a slower look. Entry is free. The museum closes on Mondays and has significant access limitations.
Inside the story
The Story Museum on Pembroke Street
The Story Museum’s Whispering Wood, Enchanted Library and Story Arcade turn storytelling into rooms and scenes you can explore. The main Galleries are recommended for ages five-plus. Younger children have the separately ticketed Small Worlds sessions. Adults can also look for storytelling performances.
A separate musical detour
The Bate Collection at the Schwarzman Centre
The Bate Collection’s new permanent exhibition, Resonant Histories, explores instruments, sound and craftsmanship at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities. It is no longer on St Aldate’s. Entry is free, with published visitor hours of 2–5pm on Mondays and Thursdays. Plan this stop separately around those limited hours.
Beneath the glass roof
Oxford University Museum of Natural History
Dinosaur skeletons and natural-history specimens fill the Museum of Natural History’s light-filled court. It is free to visit and shares a building with Pitt Rivers, so you can explore both collections without another journey.
Editor’s note
Opening days and access shape the route.
Pitt Rivers normally opens at noon on Mondays, with earlier opening on bank-holiday and half-term Mondays. Natural History opens daily, while History of Science closes on Mondays.
History of Science currently reports its basement-access lift out of action, so level access is unavailable. Check its access page before travelling. Pitt Rivers lists accessible entrances and a lift to all floors. Bate’s opening hours are limited, so check them separately.
Questions & Advice
Frequently asked questions
before you go.
What is Oxford's most unusual or eccentric museum?
Try Pitt Rivers for closely packed displays grouped by object type, or the History of Science Museum for ingenious instruments and Einstein’s blackboard. Start with the collection that interests you most and leave time to explore it.
Where can you see Albert Einstein's blackboard in Oxford?
At the History of Science Museum on Broad Street. The preserved board comes from Einstein’s second Oxford lecture on 16 May 1931. Ask staff where it’s displayed, as gallery layouts can change.
Are Oxford's specialist museums free to visit?
General admission is free at Pitt Rivers, Natural History, History of Science and the Bate Collection. The Story Museum charges admission, and all five have their own opening and access arrangements.
Is The Story Museum suitable for adults as well as children?
Yes. Adults can enjoy the immersive Galleries and the museum’s storytelling events. See the programme for age guidance. Family gallery visits and adult performances are separate events.
Know before you go
The practical bit.
- Free entry
- Pitt Rivers, Natural History, History of Science and Bate general admission.
- Paid attraction
- The Story Museum; Galleries and Small Worlds are separate tickets.
- Best paired visit
- Natural History and Pitt Rivers, in the same building.
- Bate detour
- Schwarzman Centre; published hours Mon/Thu, 2–5pm.
Sources & visitor information 9 sources · Sources checked 12 Oct 2026
We use the linked sources for practical visitor details. Each date shows when we checked a source. Confirm opening times, prices and booking arrangements before you travel.
- Pitt Rivers: entry, opening hours and visitor entrance
- Pitt Rivers: accessible entrances and lifts
- History of Science: admission, Monday closure and lift warning
- History of Science: Einstein’s blackboard
- Story Museum: current Galleries and online collection
- Story Museum: Small Worlds sessions
- Bate Collection: free entry and current exhibition
- Bate Collection: new address and limited visitor hours
- Museum of Natural History: free entry and visitor facilities
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