Oxford University Museum of Natural History
Oxford University Museum of Natural History, Natural history museum at Parks Road, Oxford, United Kingdom.
Oxford University Museum of Natural History is a natural history institution on Parks Road in Oxford, United Kingdom. Its halls spread beneath a tall glass roof supported by slender iron columns and hold zoological, geological and entomological collections.
The institution was founded in 1860 on the initiative of Henry Acland and was the first building designed specifically for natural history. Its opening marked a new approach to scientific teaching at English universities.
The building takes its name from the university that commissioned it to unite its natural science collections. Visitors see today skeletons and fossils arranged in iron and wood cabinets grouped beneath a glass roof.
The building sits roughly 15 minutes on foot from the center of Oxford and opens daily from 10 AM to 5 PM without admission charge. The main hall is accessible at ground level and offers seating.
The collection includes the remains of the last known dodo and specimens Charles Darwin gathered during his travels. The Megalosaurus fossils belong to the first scientifically named dinosaur species.
Location: Oxford
Inception: 1860
Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible
Fee: No
Operator: University of Oxford
Part of: University of Oxford, Gardens, Libraries and Museums of the University of Oxford, The University Museum and Pitt Rivers Museum
Address: Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PW
Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday 10:00-17:00
Phone: +441865272950
Email: library@oum.ox.ac.uk
Website: http://oum.ox.ac.uk
GPS coordinates: 51.75903,-1.25642
Latest update: December 19, 2025 23:19
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