Oxford University Museum of Natural History

Oxford University Museum of Natural History is a public museum and research institution in Oxford, England, that opened in 1860 to house the university’s natural-history collections. The building is notable for its Victorian neo-Gothic architecture and an iron-and-stone interior designed to display large scientific collections.

The museum’s principal attractions include the dramatic main hall with mounted skeletons and large exhibits, fossil and dinosaur displays, and extensive mineralogy and zoology collections. Exhibition galleries present specimens used in research, and the museum supports university teaching alongside its public role.

The museum was commissioned and constructed in the mid-19th century to consolidate several university collections and to provide a public display space; it was completed and opened in 1860. It also hosted key scientific meetings in the 19th century connected to debates on natural history and evolution.

Situated on Parks Road beside the University Parks in central Oxford, the museum is within walking distance of the city centre and other university museums and colleges.

• Admission: Admission to the museum's galleries is free; it operates as part of the University of Oxford and combines public displays with active research collections.
• Notable specimens: Holds historically important specimens including the Oxford Dodo remains and early Megalosaurus material associated with 19th-century palaeontology at Oxford.

What to See #

• Hintze Hall: The museum's main vaulted hall with exposed cast-iron trusses and stone columns, hosting large mounted skeletons and focal displays.
• Fossil and dinosaur displays: A display area for fossil specimens and dinosaur material, reflecting the museum's long history of palaeontological collections and research.
• Mineral collections: Extensive mineral and geological collections displayed in the public galleries and used for teaching and research.