Town Hall & Museum Of Oxford, Oxford

The Museum of Oxford is located in the Town Hall on Saint Aldate’s and is the place to visit if you want to discover all about the city’s and the University’s history.

It is a very interesting museum full of pre-historical items, such as a mammoth tooth and an excellent example of a Roman pottery kiln. There are many artefacts from the University and several reconstructed rooms.

These rooms include an Elizabethan inn, a Victorian kitchen on what is obviously a washing day, an 18th century college classroom and a nineteen thirties living room.

In the “A to Z of Literary Oxford” section of the museum you will find details of the lives and stories about Oxford’s literati. One of the most important of these is Charles Dodgson – better known as Lewis Carroll, the creator of “Alice in Wonderland”. Along with his history you will also find the story of Alice Liddell, the girl who inspired the heroine’s name in the “Alice” books.

There are several of Carroll’s and Ann’s personal treasures – a fob watch, sliver scissors, calling card cases and a biscuit tin given to Alice by Carroll and which she kept as a souvenir.

The museum has a very good gift shop where you will find copies of Lewis Carroll’s books and other books about the history of Oxford and the University.