Virtually a century older than the British Museum in London, the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford is the oldest public museum within the UK – and if merely courting from 1683 isn’t the most important promoting level for your loved ones, right here’s why a go to to the Ashmolean Museum with youngsters is definitely a incredible day trip.
It’s not simply the collections that are tempting, though as these vary from the Historic Egyptians and Greeks to Anglo-Saxons and Man Fawkes, together with shows on Persia, China, Japan and India, Viking hoards and artworks galore, there’s plenty to find inside.
As a result of the museum has additionally put in a whole lot of effort to make it family-friendly. After we visited in the summertime, we determined to check out the particular interactive household information however year-round, there are additionally free trails to comply with, together with ones for under-fives, in addition to some designed for older youngsters.
In complete, there are over 60 galleries and greater than 200,000 objects within the assortment – though not all on show – in addition to a whopping 300,000+ cash. So the query isn’t whether or not it’s best to go to the Ashmolean Museum with youngsters, it’s which half to go to first.
After all, you can simply stroll in and wander – the museum is free to enter and also you don’t have to prebook tickets.
For extra issues to do in Oxford with youngsters
However it’s properly price trying out the completely different galleries beforehand or going to the web site to obtain the map (copies are additionally accessible within the museum, for a requested donation of £2) to keep away from lacking the highlights and rising overwhelmed.
We additionally adopted the Prime 10 Treasure Path, which begins in the direction of the highest of the museum with a Samurai helmet and masks, whisking you thru China’s imperial courtroom, to the time of Alfred the Nice, previous a divine bull and an intricate octopus to a smiling sarcophagus, a Native American artefact and Man Fawkes’ lantern.
It’s a enjoyable strategy to get a flavour of the whole lot, together with a number of the museum’s key items, and in case you’re wanting time it’s a great way to maintain youngsters engaged – there are many questions within the path, from counting dragons to imagining what’s inflicting the carved face on the sarcophagus to smile.
But when that doesn’t tempt, you’re spoiled for alternative for different concepts: inventive youngsters can get drawing as they discover, whereas the Historic Egyptian Animal Journey or Sam Snail’s Artwork Path are excellent for the youngest guests, getting them to do the whole lot from making hippo noises and crocodile imitations to mimicking a clock.
Canine lovers can comply with a path centered on Useful Hounds, discovering the whole lot from guardian canines to royal companions, or problem your youngsters to be a hero of Historic Greece, posing like Zeus and arising with thrilling risks to defeat.
You may combine and match all of them too, plus there are audio excursions to obtain to your smartphone – simply scan the QR code while you’re there (higher for older youngsters) – in addition to exercise stations dotted round.
After a number of hours of concentrated exploring, my daughter cherished sitting all the way down to make her personal geometric design, impressed by the attractive Islamic tiles and different artefacts on show close by, whereas employees had been additionally operating faculty vacation craft periods at numerous factors in the course of the day.
And when you needn’t spend a penny, in case you’re in search of a free household day trip in Oxford, we actually loved the Ashmolean Journey digital information – priced from £10 for a household of two.
With linked gadgets, one individual will get to guide the journey: you’re inspired to maintain swapping all through to maintain arguments at a minimal – though I shortly allowed my 11-year-old to take cost.
And it’s a extremely enjoyable addition to all the opposite family-friendly actions. Starting by one of many mummies in Historic Egypt, we had been challenged to identify numerous symbols, rub out the sarcophagus to disclose the skeleton and write his identify – the tongue-twisting ‘Djed-Djehuty-Iuef-Ankh’ – in hieroglyphics, only for starters.
Transferring on to Minoan Crete and the Minotaur, there was an animated retelling of the parable and quiz, which introduced again pleased reminiscences of our personal journey to Knossos.
Then a treasure hunt by Islamic design, an opportunity to identify one of many world’s oldest financial institution notes and design your individual cash, and uncover how conventional Japanese kimonos influenced a method of artwork and fashions in the present day.
In truth, after spending almost two hours working our method by the listing of 11 objects (with a couple of detours to the close by galleries and the cafe), we had been nonetheless solely round half-way by – and had our eye on the opposite trails and the opposite galleries as properly.
A lot for my authentic plan that we might whereas away an hour or two earlier than lunch: I used to be beginning to remorse not having put aside the complete day to discover – visiting with a good friend and her five-year-old, they simply stuffed a few hours doing a number of the different trails as properly. You would fairly simply lose days in right here!
So with a lot to cowl, this submit can be extra of a listing than a overview if I attempted to listing the whole lot there’s to see and do, however so as to add in a couple of private highlights, we cherished the exhibition on cash, exhibiting early cash and financial institution notes, counterfeiting measures, shows on how a lot you can purchase together with your cash over time and a complete lot extra.
The close by shows on the event of writing had been equally fascinating, together with some interactive enjoyable akin to attempting to put in writing in cuneiform (not straightforward!)
That was removed from the one probability to get arms on – we spun the wheel of future to see what the traditional Mesopotamian solar god would predict for us.
My daughter escaped a king’s curse, however he was much less determined about my destiny, with ‘possibly’ arising over and over.
Shamash may not have been in a position to make up his thoughts, however there was little doubt in mine – whether or not you’re in search of concepts for a wet day in Oxford with youngsters, or it’s the sunny summer season holidays, a day trip on the Ashmolean Museum with youngsters is among the many finest issues to do within the metropolis.
Visiting the Ashmolean Museum with youngsters: Must know
Entrance to the Ashmolean Museum is free, and there’s no have to e-book timed ticket slots – simply flip up and discover everytime you fancy. Inevitably, it’s busier at school holidays.
If you wish to do the interactive household path, or one of many different particular actions which run on the Ashmolean Museum for teenagers, tickets can be found from the museum web site – our digital tour price £10 for 2 folks, with choices for larger households.
You’ll additionally discover household excursions and a string of different actions – go to the Ashmolean Museum web site for the newest particulars of occasions for households. You too can obtain the free trails earlier than you go to.
Open every day, the museum opening hours are 10am-5pm.
How you can get there – the Ashmolean museum is strolling distance from the city centre, round 10-Quarter-hour on foot from the prepare station, or only a brief journey by bus.
The place to eat? There’s a restaurant within the backside ground of the museum, with drinks, sandwiches, scorching meals and cake, or the museum can be in straightforward strolling distance of locations to eat in Oxford with youngsters.
If you wish to convey your individual meals, the household lunch room is open from 12-2pm at weekends and in the course of the faculty holidays on the decrease floor flor.
Different household necessities? There are additionally bathrooms on the identical ground in addition to child altering on the decrease floor ground and the highest ground. There are accessible bathrooms as properly, and free nappies on the welcome desk.
You may convey your pushchair, or retailer it on the bottom ground on the entrance, and lockers can be found for a £1 charge.
For extra concepts of issues to do in Oxford with youngsters, take a look at my overview of Oxford Fort with youngsters and a Harry Potter strolling tour of Oxford
Photographs copyright MummyTravels
