Oxford University Museum of Natural History

Oxford University Museum of Natural History Official Facebook of Museum of Natural History, University of Oxford, a stunning Victorian building home to 7 million objects. Free entry, open 10-5 every day.
(1136)

Megalith performance and interactive exhibition by MECHANIMALRocks. Beats. Geological bodies. Stone circles. Copper mini...
27/08/2026

Megalith performance and interactive exhibition by MECHANIMAL

Rocks. Beats. Geological bodies. Stone circles. Copper mining. A fun, loud and lyrical smash-fest, performed by MECHANIMAL, with projection design from award-winning Limbic Cinema, and geological commentary from Professor Jon Blundy.

The Museum is hosting a performance, with shows on 30 & 31 October, along with an interactive exhibition that is open from 24 October to 2 November.

Megalith is presented by the Schwarzman Centre and MECHANIMAL, in collaboration with Oxford University Museum of Natural History. Please note this event is taking place at the Museum, and not at the Schwarzman Centre.

Get your tickets now https://oumnh.ox.ac.uk/event/megalith

Meet Ella and Rob and hear about their work with the Museum's microscope slides:Our project has been working through the...
26/08/2026

Meet Ella and Rob and hear about their work with the Museum's microscope slides:

Our project has been working through the museum’s microscope slide collection, recording what each of the specimens are, ahead of them being moved to storage. We have catalogued over 7500 slides covering the diversity of life from jellyfish to microscopic mites to chick embryology series. It has been fascinating to study slides from as early as 1890 and get a flavour of the scientific work occurring at different stages.

Platinum is a key component of the catalytic convertors in are cars that help filter exhaust gases, making them less har...
25/08/2026

Platinum is a key component of the catalytic convertors in are cars that help filter exhaust gases, making them less harmful. It is one of the densest elements: a cube just 15 cm wide weighs as much as a human being, and a single gram can be stretched into a wire over two kilometres in length.

Our free exhibition 34: The critical raw materials shaping our future is open now until 13 April 2027

Meet Ptychodus, a large, extinct, shell-crushing shark. This model of the Ptychodus Is the first of its kind and you can...
24/08/2026

Meet Ptychodus, a large, extinct, shell-crushing shark. This model of the Ptychodus Is the first of its kind and you can see it now in our new permanent displays about Oxfordshire’s prehistoric past.

I'm Helena, a palaeontology student at the University of Birmingham, and I have been taking part in the Undergraduate Bu...
20/08/2026

I'm Helena, a palaeontology student at the University of Birmingham, and I have been taking part in the Undergraduate Bursary Scheme at the Museum. I've been working with Dr Julia Schwab to research the morphology of limb bones in mammals, particularly focusing on how evolutionary changes have happened through their transition from land to water - think of how whales have flippers rather than legs! I have spent 6 weeks learning how to process CT scans, surface scan physical specimens, and also how undertake quantitative analysis.

This experience has been invaluable to my future career plans, giving me practical skills that I could not access within a classroom setting as well as being integrated into an incredible community who are so welcoming and provide amazing advice and guidance. Hopefully this is only the start of my research career in palaeontology and that I can return to the museum one day!

19/08/2026

Calling all fiction writers, geology junkies and mythic mineralogists! Learn more at oxfordflashfictionprize.com

18/08/2026

Helium is the second most abundant element in the universe, but rare on Earth. Helium’s boiling point is a chilly –269C, so liquid helium is perfect for cooling the powerful magnets in MRl machines. But once it’s used, it is released into the atmosphere and can’t be recovered. Helium is extracted from the Earth as a by-product of drilling in certain natural gas deposits.

Helium is the second most abundant element in the universe, but rare on Earth. Helium’s boiling point is a chilly –269C,...
18/08/2026

Helium is the second most abundant element in the universe, but rare on Earth. Helium’s boiling point is a chilly –269C, so liquid helium is perfect for cooling the powerful magnets in MRl machines. But once it's used, it is released into the atmosphere and can’t be recovered. Helium is extracted from the Earth as a by-product of drilling in certain natural gas deposits.

Address

Parks Road
Oxford
OX13PW

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
Sunday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

01865 272950

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Oxford University Museum of Natural History posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Museum

Send a message to Oxford University Museum of Natural History:

Shortcuts

Share

Category