NB: The Ashmolean Museum will be closed from 23 December 2008 to November 2009. The café will also be closed during this period, but their rather fine gift shop will stay open for business as usual. The Western Art Print Room, will remain accessible BY APPOINTMENT to specialist/academic visitors.
The Ashmolean Museum in Beaumont Street (tel 01865 278000) is owned by the University of Oxford and celebrated its 300th anniversary in 1983. It is undoubtedly one of the finest provincial museums in the country. The nucleus of the original collection (the first of its kind in Britain) was the Cabinet of Rarities of John Tradescant, which was inherited by Elias Ashmole and donated to the University on condition that they provided somewhere suitable to house the exhibits. The University accordingly constructed the Old Ashmolean. This building, sometimes ascribed to Sir Christopher Wren, is now The Museum of the History of Science (tel 01865 277280), Broad Street, containing an interesting collection of early scientific instruments.
The present Ashmolean Museum building was completed in 1845. Its collections of Greek, Egyptian and Oriental antiquities are particularly extensive and there are many fine paintings in the galleries. Particular curiosities which may be of interest are the Alfred Jewel (enamel under rock crystal in a gold setting and inscribed "Alfred had me made") and the lantern used by Guy Fawkes under the Palace of Westminster.
Need somewhere to stay while you are visiting Oxford? Visit our Hotels, Guesthouses and B&Bs page!
