Ashmolean Museum

A World of Stories

The Ashmolean Museum is one of Oxford’s most historic and exciting places. Founded in 1683, it is the oldest public museum in Britain and the world’s first university museum. It began with a donation from Elias Ashmole, who believed that learning about nature and human history was important for everyone.

Today, the museum holds objects from many cultures and thousands of years of history. You’ll find Egyptian mummies, Greek and Roman statues, Chinese ceramics, Japanese samurai armour, Islamic art, and modern paintings. The museum shows how people lived, created, and understood the world in different times and places.

During your visit, you may see well-known objects such as the Alfred Jewel, the Guy Fawkes Lantern, and Powhatan’s Mantle from North America. Each gallery tells a story about the people who made these items — artists, rulers, travellers, and everyday communities across the world.

The Ashmolean is more than a place to look at old objects. It is a journey through world cultures, filled with surprising stories, creative ideas, and objects that shaped history. As you walk through the galleries, you’ll discover how humans have expressed themselves, solved problems, and told their stories over thousands of years.

Get ready to explore ancient artefacts, world-famous art, and objects that reveal what life was like in many different cultures.

The Ashmolean Museum has shared knowledge and culture for more than 300 years. When it first opened, it gave scholars and curious visitors the chance to see rare and remarkable objects from many parts of the world. Since then, the collection has expanded to include important artworks, archaeological discoveries, and scientific instruments.

Today, the Ashmolean is a lively centre for learning. It offers exhibitions, family trails, talks, and activities that help visitors explore history in interactive ways.

Your visit will show you how people in different times and cultures created objects, solved challenges, and tried to understand the world around them.

The Timetable for the Trip

0:00 – Meet at Ruskin College for a welcome and safety briefing by Activity Leaders.
0:05 – Depart Ruskin College and travel by public transport to the Ashmolean Museum.
0:30 – Arrive at the Ashmolean Museum.
0:35 – The group gathers outside the main entrance. Activity Leader gives an introduction to the museum’s history and what to expect during the visit.
0:40 – Begin the self-guided tour of the Ashmolean Museum.
1:40 – Regroup in a central gallery or the museum’s rooftop terrace for a wrap-up. Activity Leaders answer questions, collect feedback, and take a group photo.
1:45 – Prepare for departure; students gather belongings and use restrooms if needed.
1:50 – Leave the Ashmolean Museum and begin the return journey by public transport.
2:15 – Arrive back at Ruskin College.

The Grand Entrance

Step through the Ashmolean’s impressive neoclassical entrance, with its tall pillars and grand pediment. The museum opened in 1683, making it the oldest public museum in Britain and the world’s first university museum. It was founded with the collection of Elias Ashmole, who wanted everyone to learn from rare and curious objects from around the world.

Look out for: The original “cabinet of curiosities” on display, and the beautiful architecture mixing old and new styles.

Fun fact: The Ashmolean’s first treasures included a stuffed dodo and Powhatan’s Mantle from America!

Egyptian Mummies

The Ashmolean is home to some of the most fascinating objects from ancient Egypt, including real mummies, painted coffins, and magical amulets. The Egyptian galleries let you explore what life and death were like thousands of years ago.

Look out for: The mummy of Meresamun, ancient hieroglyphs, and statues of gods and pharaohs.

Fun fact: The Ashmolean has the most important collection of Egyptian pre-Dynastic sculpture and ceramics outside Cairo!

The Alfred Jewel

Discover the Alfred Jewel, one of the Ashmolean’s most famous treasures. Made over 1,000 years ago for King Alfred the Great, this jewel is decorated with gold, enamel, and crystal. It was probably used as a pointer for reading.
Look out for: Other Anglo-Saxon finds, including coins, weapons, and jewellery.
Fun fact: The jewel was found buried in a field in Somerset in 1693 and is a symbol of English history!

The Guy Fawkes Lantern

See the lantern said to have been carried by Guy Fawkes during the famous Gunpowder Plot of 1605. This plot was an attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament! The lantern is part of the Ashmolean’s original collection and helps bring history to life.
Look out for: The lantern itself, and other objects from England’s past, like Oliver Cromwell’s death mask.
Imagine: What would it have been like to be in London on the night of the Gunpowder Plot?

World Art

The Ashmolean’s galleries are filled with art from all over the world—paintings, sculptures, ceramics, and more. You’ll find works by famous artists like Cézanne, Picasso, Turner, and Raphael, as well as Chinese, Islamic, and Japanese art.
Look out for: The world’s greatest collection of Raphael drawings, beautiful Asian ceramics, and modern Chinese paintings.
Top tip: Don’t miss the rooftop terrace for a great view of Oxford, or check for special exhibitions in the Sainsbury Galleries!

Raphael, Michelangelo & Masterpieces of Western Art

The Ashmolean is home to the world’s greatest collection of drawings by Raphael, as well as works by Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Turner, Manet, and Van Gogh. These treasures are displayed in bright, modern galleries where you can get close to the details and see how these artists worked.
Look out for: Raphael’s delicate sketches, Turner’s view of Oxford’s High Street, and paintings by the Impressionists.
Fun fact: The Ashmolean’s collection of Pre-Raphaelite drawings and watercolours is one of the best in the world, and the museum regularly hosts special exhibitions of famous artists’ works.

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