Oxford Landmarks, Museums and Green Spaces
Oxford landmarks, museums and green spaces
Most of Oxford’s best-known sights are within a short walk of each other, and the big museums charge nothing. Use the opening hours below to order your day, and remember that colleges and towers each follow their own timetable. Prices are in pounds sterling.
Opening hours at a glance
| Place | Hours | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Ashmolean Museum | Daily 10:00 to 17:00 | Free |
| Natural History Museum | Daily 10:00 to 17:00, last entry 16:45 | Free |
| Pitt Rivers Museum | Monday 12:00 to 17:00, Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 to 17:00 | Free |
| History of Science Museum | Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 to 17:00 | Free |
| Museum of Oxford | Monday to Saturday 10:00 to 17:00, closed Sunday | Small charge |
| Christ Church Meadow | Open all year except 25 December | Free |
Radcliffe Square
The Radcliffe Camera still serves as a Bodleian reading room, so most visitors photograph it from the square. Getting inside means booking the Saturday or Sunday Radcliffe Camera and City of Oxford Walking Tour at £30. It is the only public entry.
What the museums are known for
- The Ashmolean holds the Alfred Jewel. Its ticketed Aphrodite exhibition runs from 8 October 2026 to 11 April 2027, and special exhibitions need a booked ticket.
- The Natural History Museum shows the Dodo and a Megalosaurus. The Pitt Rivers Museum is entered through it.
- The History of Science Museum has an Einstein blackboard, but it has no level access.
- The Museum of Oxford sits in the Town Hall and began charging in January 2026. Check its visiting page for the fee.
Outdoors
Christ Church Meadow is open to walk through nearly every day of the year. The Botanic Garden keeps seasonal hours, from 10:00 to 16:00 in winter to 10:00 to 18:00 from May to August, with last entry an hour before closing. Its glasshouses sometimes shut for maintenance, and the hours page has the latest.
Bridge of Sighs
Hertford Bridge, better known as the Bridge of Sighs, was built in 1913 and 1914 and links two parts of Hertford College. You can see it from the street at no cost. It was not used as a film location.
Film settings
Harry Potter fans can find the Divinity School (the Hogwarts infirmary), the Hall staircase at Christ Church and the New College cloisters. Christ Church Great Hall inspired the Hogwarts hall but was never filmed in.
Views from the top
Carfax Tower is £4 for adults and has 99 steps. The University Church tower is £7 for 127 steps, with last admission at 16:30. The Sheldonian Experience, £8.25, includes the Cupola.
Two places for quiet reflection
The Martyrs’ Memorial on St Giles and the iron cross in Broad Street mark the burnings of 1555 and 1556. They are places of remembrance, so keep your voice low and treat them with respect.
Colleges
Christ Church starts at £22.95 and Magdalen is £10. Each college sets its own hours and may close for exams, ceremonies or events, most often between late April and June. Look at a college’s closures page in the week of your visit.
Guided options
If you prefer a guide, GetYourGuide lists several city tours. For a first visit, see how these sights fit together in the two-day Oxford itinerary , and read more about walking tours in Oxford .