We had a great time exploring the Pitt Rivers Museum! There is SO much on display it's almost hard…read moreto take it all in. If you're an anthropology buff, this is your place. So many neat things to see and everything you can imagine, too many to list. From clothing to masks to weapons to toys all from different cultures and different times. We even saw a Totem Pole! Overall a fascinating place to visit, just wish we'd had more time to explore!

What you think of Oxford's Pitt Rivers Museum likely depends on how you like your museums. With…read moremore than 500,000 objects on display, Pitt Rivers is ripe for exploration. There's multi-level display cases everywhere, each seemingly containing more than the last. And don't get me started on the drawers; they're everywhere too, and when you pull them out you'll find hundreds more items in each. So if you like your museums with a few paintings on each wall this might not be your jam but you'll still probably be happy you went. You've likely never seen anything like this. A young woman in a shop mentioned, several days before my visit, that she particularly liked this museum and the way she described the entrance intrigued me. As it should: the entrance to this museum is found when you're already inside another museum (The Museum of Natural History; both are free of charge). Officially, the Pitt Rivers Museum displays both the archeological and anthropological collections of the University of Oxford. But unofficially, it's like entering someone's giant garage, very well organized but also packed to the rafters. One could spend months in here and only skim the surface.

For two days in early September, after the summer tourists have gone home and before the students…read moreget back, the people of Oxford celebrate. I'm not quite sure what we celebrate but it is great fun. I no longer go on rides that swing you high in the air or turn you upside down but if you are young enough to enjoy that sort of thing then there is something special about catching glimpses of secret court-yards, quadrangles and lawns behind the yellow walls of the colleges just before you are flung upside down again or hurled towards the ground. For the more sedentary of us there are more traditional rides such as the wonderful merry-go-round and helter skelter. Or you can just wander around enjoying the sights, sounds (and it can be very noisy), smells and tastes (sugar cane as well as candy floss last year) Rumour has it that the rides are longer in the afternoon before it gets busy. If you aren't going to the fair then be warned that all the buses that normally go along St Giles are diverted for 2 days and the road is closed to traffic.

Evolved from a 17th-century parish wake, St Giles fair is a yearly spectacle in the centre of…read moreOxford. Every September excitement grows as bigger and better rides are added to the substantial collection of fairground attractions. Our Oxford teams love this annual event.

My favorite bar / place to party in Oxford!…read more This is a super spacious, BEAUTIFUL building. It was originally an old church that's since been refurbished. You can still admire the beautiful stained glass windows, though. There's a ton of space to mingle with friends or strangers. When we came at night it tended to be dimly lit with loud music playing, definitely a club type atmosphere, so you could get lost in the crowd pretty easily. Of course, they may have since changed that vibe since it's been a few years since I visited...but I loved it at the time. The friendly bar staff also fixed me the best White Russian I've ever had, too, so that definitely helps with the nostalgia factor. :)

A church converted into a pizza and beer and wine spot, this spot made a tasty thin crust pizza…read more There's come cool, hopefully, local art adorning the walls. At 7 p.m., the place was empty. Man, if this was the states, everybody and their mother would be waiting for a table. One pizza is about medium size and just enough for one person. My only small complaint was that it was extra oily but take a napkin and sop it up. Indoor and outdoor seating available.

Pretty cool cinema. I saw a documentary at the cinema and it was very interesting. Buying my ticket…read morewas quite simple and the movie went over quite well. The coffee shop made it feel very welcoming and snug. I enjoyed that there weren't too many screens.

Was at Oxford University for an exchange MBA program thing, had to watch iron man 3 on opening day…read more(it wasnt going to open in the US for another 2 weeks)... came here, its familiar like any other theater on this planet. seat are comfy, place is clean, and this place is deceptively large for what i thought it would look like from the outside... i mean, how the hell did they find this much space for a theater?? from the outside it looks like a small piece of crap... *** LIKES: youre in oxford... do you really have a choice for another theater? DISLIKES: nothing OVERALL: you dont have a choice.... youre going to come here if you want to watch a new movie.

The Ashmolean was a wonderful surprise during our stay in Oxford. I had heard of the museum and did…read morea little research so I knew what to focus on, but it far surpassed my expectations. There's archeological artifacts, art, and so much more from so many varying parts of the world and times. Best of all, it's FREE! If you're planning a visit to Oxford, carve out some time and be sure to visit the museum. (Great rooftop restaurant to boot)

We were visiting Oxford as part of a tour and had several hours of free time to explore on our own…read more My wife convinced me to that we should visit the Ashmolesn Museum and she wasn't wrong. As with most of the museums we visited in Britain, this one was also FREE. The Ashmolean was fantastic. In some respects it reminded me of the British Museum but it was a much more manageable (enjoyable) size. The exhibits were superb yet not overwhelming. We enjoyed the 2 hours we had to spend here and were sorry we didn't have more time.

This is an annual event. We went yesterday and it was a lovely atmosphere. It is held on actual…read moreallotments. Very reminiscent of country fetes that used to be held in someone's (huge) village garden. Was worth being stuck in traffic forever on our 1 1/2 hour journey there. Huw Lloyd-Langton (formerly of Hawkwind) kindly donated his time again, and this was who we went to see really. The Assassins of Science also did a 40 min set with Huw joining them in some numbers. The Elder Stubbs Festival is a highlight of the Cowley calendar, bringing together allotment holders, members of the Elder Stubbs Garden Group, artists, musicians craftspeople and the public at large from all over the local area in a celebration of work and talents. Two stages allow for musical and poetic expression, and many stalls throughout the site represent local organisations involved in social and environmental work. Fresh vegetables, plants and homemade jams and pickles are available if you get there fast enough, and refreshments are also sold on site. Book stalls, plants, face painting, organic produce amongst others. Hot veggie food and meat stuff. Families. Twisted tree sculptures. Arts, crafts, poetry. The Elder Stubbs Festival began as a small event (2000+ visitors each year now) thirteen years ago as a joint venture between Elder Stubbs and RESTORE as an attempt to generate community support for projects. This proved a great success, and the large amounts of publicity generated have meant it has become a fixture in local life, raising money for RESTORE and the profile of both organisations. There is now strong competition to play on both stages! One of a funniest highlights was the fly past by The RED BARROWS! Team members running round the site in a line pushing red wheelbarrows. Elder Stubbs Festival is special: animals for petting, magicians, belly dancers, bagpipers, weavers, martial artists, poets and rock stars standing shoulder to shoulder amongst flowers, sculptures and vegetables. Set on the Elder Stubbs allotment site, there was a diverse array of attractions from performing arts and workshops to stalls, speakers, children's activities and the vegetable show, as well as a wide choice of foods. Around 50 different stallholders use the festival as a forum to share information about local groups and organisations, sell home-made goods, run an activity or vend an assortment of world cuisines. All proceeds are to charity (£1 entrance fee. Bit of info/history: Elder Stubbs Charity is the proud owner and manager of Elder Stubbs Allotments, at Rymers Lane in Cowley, Oxford. The site is a leading example of the successful reinvention of allotment management, and provides a working model for the involvement of disparate members of the local community in city land use. It provides over 100 allotments for local residents. In addition it has diversified by letting tenancies to other charities with similar aims to itself. Notable amongst these are The Porch Steppin' Stone project which cultivates an area of land to grow the organic vegetables used at its day-centre to provide meals for the long-term unemployed, and the Elder Stubbs Garden Group, part of RESTORE, which cultivates 2 acres as an organic market-garden and orchard run as an horticultural therapy project for people recovering from mental illness. Elder Stubbs Allotments were an award to the poor of Cowley under the Inclosure Act of 1852 in compensation for the enclosure and subsequent loss of their Common on Shotover. 150 years later the charity still provides over 100 allotments for local residents. In addition it has diversified by letting tenancies to other charities with similar aims to itself. Really worth a look next year for something different.

I wish Id known about this earlier definately would have gone,will check it out for next year,thanxread more

The botanic gardens here aren't huge, but they're fun and relaxing. There are some nice strolls…read morearound the grounds, plus interesting greenhouses with a large variety of flowers and greenery to enjoy. The admission is slightly steep for what you get, but worth at least one visit.

Lovely. This…read moregarden is charmingly well laid-out and really genuinely inviting. The gift shop is full of lovely little items and there is a cafe. The feel in the gardens is really restful. That having been said, the plants are well-labelled and the displays are really informative.

Visited the museum while in Oxford for the day. Lots of history and neat exhibits to visit. We…read moresaw insects, fossils and tons of other things, almost too many to list. The day of our visit, there were a few schools visiting but everyone we encountered from the staff to the young preschool students were friendly and considerate. Definitely worth a visit if you're in Oxford.

A museum of natural history would generally be on my list of "museums I don't wish to visit" but…read morethe Oxford Museum of Natural History proved that I barely know myself. First, it's free of charge which automatically makes it attractive. But though free may get me in the door it won't guarantee I'll enjoy it. This museum isn't just free but it is also gorgeous and interesting, a real home run. And, in the event that Natural History isn't your jam even here, this place contains the portal to the almost indescribable Pitt Rivers Museum (also free). One of these is bound to be your happy place.

Even if you are visiting Oxford for a short period of time, you should really try to see the…read moreSheldonian Theatre. The Theatre was built in the 1600's by Christopher Wren and has been in active use ever since by the university, amateur players and conference organizers. If you can see a show here, you will be amazed by the interior of the building. Extraordinarily precise baroque architecture and perfect acoustics. A great venue for musicals. If you can see a musical here, i would recommend it. One word of advice: the seats aren't particularly comfortable (sometimes hard wooden benches), so if you can smuggle a cushion in, good for you!

A 70 foot span, no Gothic vaulting or columns to hold it up - the ceiling of the Sheldonian Theatre…read morein Oxford. This was in 1663 and a real poser for Sir Christopher Wren - all before pocket calculators and Google. How did he do it?? Well, come and see for yourself, climb up to the Cupola and stand on the very ceiling - you might not want to thud across it, knowing it's 340 years old and just a big bunch of space for 60 feet below. If you're interested, Wren actually achieved the 70 foot feat by creating a matrix of trussses, which rotate and interlock with each other, a bit like weaving - yes woven wooden beams and that was a first! Just hope it'll last! At least long enough for your safe visit. You can be reassured that when inspected, the surveyors considered it likely to '...remain in such good Repair and Condition, for one hundred or two hundred Years yet to come' (1720). Mmmmm. (It has been checked more recently, by the way.) Up in the Cupola itself, wonderful views of Oxford across all points of the compass. And all this, without even mentioning the imposing Theatre hall itself. Look at the other side of the ceiling, from bottom up and view the magnificent painting by Robert Streaker, created from 1668-1669. Look out for Rapine, with her 'fiery eyes, grinning Teeth, sharp Twangs, her Hands imbrewed in Blood, holding a Bloody Dagger in one hand, in the other a Burning Flambeau..' She's nice, but maybe think twice about asking her on a date. The Theatre is the ceremonial hall of the University and is named after Gilbert Sheldon, Warden of All Saints College and later Archbishop of Canterbury, who paid for its building between 1664-9. It was the first major design (did I forget to mention that before?) of Sir Christopher Wren, Professor of Astronomy (1632-1723). It is now used for lectures and concerts. Well worth the £3.00 entrance fee. (Parachutes extra.)

This is a fine bar, not more than fine as it is not that special…read more The student nights are a great succes and not too expensive. Its not too big on the inside as it can get pretty crowded, usally combined with an intense heat and sweaty people. Therefore I prefer to spend my night elsewhere, but ofcourse, I know lots whod love the place. Once been there when Jordan (aka Katie Price) came to visit, and made a group of guys strip in front of the audience. Lots of fun! Although, as you can understand, most of the crowd where guys..only having eye for Jordan, waiting for her to show off her bodyparts, instead of the naked guys on stage...

Not to be confused with the theatre, The Old Fire Station bar (OFS) is famous for it's Tueday…read morestudent nights. The drinks are pretty cheap and it attract a good looking bunch of people. DJ's are hit and miss and the place isn't huge compared to the Bridge or Park End, but it's fun and has a god atmosphere. Monday nights at OFS is 'Flirt', a gay night. So if you are not of that persuasion head over to one of the other student nights!