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Welcome to Oxford University Museum of Natural History

We're thrilled you're here. The Museum was founded in 1860, and today it holds an internationally-significant collection of natural history specimens and archives. Housed in a stunning neo-Gothic building inspired by the Pre-Raphaelites, the Museum is home to a lively programme of research, teaching and public events that we'd love you to get involved with.

Please be aware that the Museum is revamping the main court, and some items may not be on display temporarily. Find out more about the redisplay project here.

What's on

There's always something on at the Museum; from object handling to lectures, our lively programme of events offers something for all ages - families, young people, and adults.

Cambrian sea floor, Yunnan Province, China - 518 million years ago.

First Animals exhibition

12 July 2019 - 1 September 2020

Animal life first evolved in the oceans over half a billion years ago. Exceptional fossils from across the globe help to tell the remarkable story of the origin of animals.

Free and unticketed.

HOPE for the Future: Heritage, Outreach and Preservation of Entomology

As part of this project we will:

Rehouse and document over one million British insects with volunteers and new apprentices.
Design and deliver a wide reaching learning and community programme at the Museum and beyond.
Restore and make accessible our historic Pre-Raphaelite-designed Westwood Room.
Made possible by the generosity of the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Blog: A Museum Evolving

This blog post features fascinating archival information on the changes that have occured throughout the Museum's history.

Blog: That's Amore

Life trapped in a sponge with ones beloved? Read our new blog by OUMNH events managers Laura Ashby and Megan MacLean on love in the natural world.

Secondary schools young people at the Museum

Visiting with a group

Groups of larger than ten (including school groups and foreign language/summer school groups), must book in advance.

Join Natural History Investigators

We're now open for this years' application for 'Natural History Investigators' (suitable for key stage 4 students). Investigators interested in the natural world have an opportunity to pursue an extended project of their choice. Investigators meet on Saturdays from 10.30am to 12.30pm for ten weeks.

Early career opportunities

We welcome approaches from postdoctoral researchers carrying out collections-based research in these areas who are interested in holding externally funded fellowships in the Museum. For applications for Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships in 2020, we ask that potential applicants send us a one-page summary of their planned research, including details of how they will make use of collections and other facilities at the Museum, together with a CV with up to five best publications highlighted by 30th June 2019.