Ashmolean Museum

Where it is & how to get there

• On foot: On Beaumont Street, opposite the Randolph Hotel.
• From the station: About 10 minutes' walk from Oxford railway station.
• Opening: Open daily; free entry to the permanent collection.

The story of the Ashmolean Museum

The Ashmolean opened in 1683 to house the collection given to the University of Oxford by Elias Ashmole, making it the oldest public museum in Britain.

Its galleries span ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, Chinese ceramics, European paintings and a rich collection of Islamic art, from ceramics and metalwork to manuscripts. A rooftop restaurant overlooks the city.

Best time to visit

Tips before you go

• Entry is free. The rooftop café has great views.
• Visit the Islamic Middle East gallery.
• Have tea at the rooftop restaurant.

What's around the Ashmolean Museum

• Randolph HotelOpposite the museum.
• Pitt Rivers MuseumAnthropology museum.
• Natural History MuseumDinosaurs under a glass roof.
• Radcliffe Camera10 minutes' walk.

Questions travellers ask