Stories of Oxford tours

These guided tours are led by our dedicated volunteer team and will give you an introduction to the people and stories of Oxford. Our guides will take you on their personalised highlights tour around the Museum, lasting 30-45 minutes, with time for questions at the end.

From football to fairgrounds, marmalade to Morris Motors, patron saints to pubs, barges, bones, and all types of quirky customs — there’s something for everyone in the stories of Oxford and its people.

Meet in the Museum of Oxford Shop, inside the Oxford Town Hall.

You can reserve your space via Eventbrite or the Museum Shop.

Each tour has a capacity of 10 people. We recommend the tours for adults and children aged 12+.

Tour tickets include access to our Museum Galleries.

If you wish to have a guided tour outside of the times offered, please submit an enquiry at this link.

Scaffolding at Oxford Town Hall:

From August 2025, scaffolding will be in place outside Oxford Town Hall. Both entrances to the Town Hall (main steps and level access entrance) will remain fully open and accessible while these essential maintenance works are carried out. More information can be found on our .

Access

The Museum of Oxford is accessible for wheelchair users and baby carriers. There is step-free, level entry access to the Town Hall via the entrance closest to Carfax (to the left of the main steps as you face the Town Hall). Accessible toilets are available in the Museum (close to Museum Makers) and in the Town Hall on the ground floor, before entering the Museum.

Please contact the Museum team if you'd like to talk to a member of staff about your access requirements. Further access information can be found on our website: access at the Museum of Oxford.

Photo consent

Please be aware that photographs may be taken at this event for use in marketing. If you (or a member of your group) would prefer not to be photographed, please let a member of staff know during the event.

Info: What is it that is unique about Oxford? The city is well known around the world. This tour identifies some of the features that have made the city so special. From the Saxon period when the city was already an important settlement, through the development of the university, the important role played by the city in the English Civil Wars, to more recent features such as the growth of the car industry under the leadership of William Morris, the Covered Market and the important literary figures linked to the city, the tour will give you an insight which should stimulate interest in finding out more. The Museum is an ideal starting point for you to discover Oxford’s amazing past.

Info: Since medieval times Oxford has been famous for its vibrant social and cultural scene, making it one of the best places for a night out in the UK. In this tour, we will explore four aspects of a night out in Oxford through the ages: pubs, music venues, cinema and theatre, and St. Giles Fair, highlighting topics of celebrity, disorder, and hygiene.

Info: What connects James Bond’s favourite breakfast with the South Pole? How did a small Oxford boutique become the “Holy Grail” of fashion? Encompassing cutting-edge design, folk frivolities, and extremely rare architecture, (not the spire kind); Oxford Arts is unique. Explore our city’s rich creative heritage through a hand-picked selection of artisan objects.

Info: Always wanted to know about our city? Come and listen to our guide take you from Saxon times to the present day. Our guide will use six objects to explain our history, including the city origins, the city and the University, the English Civil War, literary Oxford, scientific Oxford and industrial Oxford.

Info: This tour will explore the stories of the city, and the city of stories. This includes Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Oxford’s cinemas, and Oxford as a film location and place of inspiration for stories.

Info: What connects James Bond’s favourite breakfast with the South Pole? How did a small Oxford boutique become the “Holy Grail” of fashion? Encompassing cutting-edge design, folk frivolities, and extremely rare architecture, (not the spire kind); Oxford Arts is unique. Explore our city’s rich creative heritage through a hand-picked selection of artisan objects.

Info: Since medieval times Oxford has been famous for its vibrant social and cultural scene, making it one of the best places for a night out in the UK. In this tour, we will explore four aspects of a night out in Oxford through the ages: pubs, music venues, cinema and theatre, and St. Giles Fair, highlighting topics of celebrity, disorder, and hygiene.

Info: Always wanted to know about our city? Come and listen to our guide take you from Saxon times to the present day. Our guide will use six objects to explain our history, including the city origins, the city and the University, the English Civil War, literary Oxford, scientific Oxford and industrial Oxford.

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