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    Pitt Rivers Museum

    4.8 (53 reviews)
    InexpensiveMuseums, Art Galleries

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    Ava S.

    The Pitt Rivers Museum is a quirky and neat little museum to visit. I have never seen so many skeletons of different animals in one area. This was a really unique and interesting museum to visit!

    Jen S.

    Free! Free! Free! This is an interesting museum of artifacts and collections, ranging from bones to bugs to instruments to crack the betel nut. It seems a little disorganized in one of the rooms. Items seem to have been mushed into one room, collected from different cultures, having no rhyme or reason. I did like the upstairs exhibit which featured insects especially the cockroaches. Really gross but very intriguing to look at. Not a must-see but worth checking out if you have time.

    That's a mighty big totem pole.
    Damien F.

    Pitt Rivers. What a name. It's the Victorian equivalent of James Bond. Or Dirk Diggler. Probably both all rolled up into one. This guy was, to put it a mildly, a dude. I mean, check out this picture: http://history.prm.ox.ac.uk/graphics/named_collectors/pitt-rivers-portrait.jpg I bet that well waxed moustache and those magnificent sideburns went down well at the debutante ball. Of course he probably didn't have time to chase women given he spent most of his time plundering the world's primitive societies for their most valuable and sacred items. He was Britain at its best, a pirate in all but name! This is an amazing museum, although it's more of a large room at the back of the natural history museum. This guy got around (the world, not the debutante ball). I saw totem poles, eskimo outfits, and Egyptian jewellery, plus lots more. On a lot of the items you can still see his original notes inventorying its provenance. Cool. Oh yeah, and don't forget that the drawers can be opened and contain ten times more stuff than the glass enclosures. And it's free!

    This toad supposedly had some kind of magical power.
    Dana G.

    The Pitt Rivers Museum is both hilarious and fascinating. General Rivers agreed to donate all the random artifacts he had collected during his life on the condition that the museum organize everything his way, even if that way didn't really make sense. The result is a room packed randomly with items ranging from the breath-taking to the bizarre, from totem poles and canoes to shrunken heads and witches in bottles, all labeled by Rivers's own hand (I'm pretty sure.) You could wander around this room for hours and still not really see all that's inside. A definite must-see site for anyone visiting Oxford.

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    5 years ago

    Always fascinating and attached to the Natural History Museum so it's easy to combine both!

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    18 years ago

    This place is a must if you are staying in Oxford.

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    Pitt Rivers Museum Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Pitt Rivers Museum

    It's hidden at the back of the Natural History museum, which adds a bit of excitement and adventure in trying to find it.

    Mentioned in 9 reviews

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    Museum of the History of Science - Display at History of Science Museum

    Museum of the History of Science

    4.3(15 reviews)
    0.3 mi

    Oxford is amazing no matter where you go!! It's so steeped in history and this museum delivers!! We…read moresaw the chalkboard with Einstein's scribble of his theory of Relativity!! If that isn't a humbling experience, look at all the other artifacts that this museum houses!!! It's brilliant and incredible!! Too much to list and do, you just have to go and see for yourself!!! Highly recommend stopping in and just immersing yourself in history!!!

    Quality/Quantity - Fortunate enough to come on a kids event…read moreday. A hosted event, not only inside the museum but they also set up tents outside for all the kids. Very small museum, so if it wasn't for the event today, this would not have been a 5 star review. Cut and pasted from their website as I can NOT say/write it better: "The Museum now holds an unrivaled collection of early astronomical and mathematical instruments from Europe and the Islamic world and an exceptionally rich set of microscopes. Complementing the wide range of objects are manuscripts and early printed works, early photographs, portraits of scientists and scientific prints." Atmosphere - Next to the photogenic Bodleian, Weston Library, see picture. Open 6 days a week from noon to 5pm; closed Mondays. Service - Good, they also gave us free local maps and suggestions of places to visit. Price - FREE!! Donations welcome, please donate. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since 1683 and in 1924 (1935 name change) as the Museum of History and Science.

    Photos
    Museum of the History of Science - Merchandise in Gift Shop at History of Science Museum

    Merchandise in Gift Shop at History of Science Museum

    Museum of the History of Science - At History of Science Museum

    At History of Science Museum

    Museum of the History of Science - Display at History of Science Museum

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    Display at History of Science Museum

    The Oxford Castle - Mug Shot at Oxford Castle & Prison

    The Oxford Castle

    4.5(14 reviews)
    0.6 mi

    A great tour of the Oxford Castle & Prison…read more The tour was a fantastic experience. Packed with history, storytelling with a fun tour guide that all ages could appreciate. Well worth the time and money. The demonstration of a real pillory was icing on the cake.

    This is a must-see if you visit Oxford. The guided tour takes you through the vestiges of the…read morecastle to view its architecture and give you an idea of its original use as a fortress. The moderate climb to the tower is worthwhile as you get a nice panoramic view of the city. As the tour transitions to the use of the castle in more recent times as a prison, there is an interesting display concerning that era highlighting criminal justice practices over the past couple of centuries. The "mug shots" of prisoners held there were fascinating and often poignant. This was particularly true for those stories of the children incarcerated for things like petty theft, acts they committed just to survive. The instruments of "correction" such as stocks were also described in detail. Notorious prisoners held at the castle prison were highlighted and their tales were intriguing. The stories of Mary Blandy and the Black Panther were especially memorable. Our guide did a fabulous job of informing us about the history and significance of the structure in a very engaging manner. The Castle Mound at the front of the grounds is also worth climbing as the views are terrific. This is definitely worth the time and price of admission if you are in Oxford.

    Photos
    The Oxford Castle - Cell Block at Oxford Castle & Prison

    Cell Block at Oxford Castle & Prison

    The Oxford Castle - At Oxford Castle & Prison

    At Oxford Castle & Prison

    The Oxford Castle - At Oxford Castle & Prison

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    At Oxford Castle & Prison

    Pitt Rivers Museum - museums - Updated May 2026

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