Oxford University Museum of Natural History (Oxford)

For a child the University Museum of Natural Science can be a source of fascination or of nightmares. Initially for me it was the latter. I much preferred to visit the University Parks which are adjacent to the museum and run up and down Rainbow Bridge or feed the ducks rather than enter the tomb like building housing “skellingtons”.

As I grew older the fascinating contents of the Pitt rivers museum which is accessed through ...
...passage through the scary monster bit to discover the millions of more interesting exhibits in the Pitt Rivers collection.

On reflection it seems strange to think that I was scared of dinosaur skeletons but not worried in the slightest of the far more frightening “shrunken heads” and other equally barbaric exhibits in the Pitt Rivers collection.

My own children, however, are of a new generation and preferred ... more

For a child the University Museum of Natural Science can be a source of fascination or of nightmares. Initially for me it was the latter. I much preferred to visit the University Parks which are adjacent to the museum and run up and down Rainbow Bridge or feed the ducks rather than enter the tomb like building housing “skellingtons”.

As I grew older the fascinating contents of the Pitt rivers museum which is accessed through the University Museum persuaded me that I would risk the passage through the scary monster bit to discover the millions of more interesting exhibits in the Pitt Rivers collection.

On reflection it seems strange to think that I was scared of dinosaur skeletons but not worried in the slightest of the far more frightening “shrunken heads” and other equally barbaric exhibits in the Pitt Rivers collection.

My own children, however, are of a new generation and preferred dinosaurs to ducks any day.

The University museum is a truly fascinating place for adults and kids, scholars, scientists and historians. As I have grown older I have learned to appreciate not only its contents but also the building itself and its history.

The collections contained within the museum are second only to London’s but unlike the museum in the capitol Oxford’s remains the archetypal museum. There are no interactive exhibits but simply an awful lot of dead animals and fossils.

The building has been described as the “Temple” of the new age – but not in the sense we now understand it. It was the new age in which science began to take precedence over its contemporary rival religion. This first temple of science in turn spawned the extensive University science area.

It seems quite incredible that until that time ‘science’ as a subject had been largely ignored. It all began when progressive science professors, headed by John Acland, campaigned for a central home for the study of the natural sciences. Almost as soon as it was opened in 1860 it became the scene of the famous debate between bishop Wilberforce and Huxley over Darwin’s ‘Origin of Species’ and has existed in controversy of some sort or another ever since if only with regard to its ‘beauty’ or ‘ugliness’.

John Ruskin, the champion of art and the working man, was also inextricably connected with the museum project although quite how he became involved is not certain. Ruskin was into Gothic craftsmanship and fought for the “recognition of the labourer as a creative member of society”. So Ruskin had a great influence in the design and decoration of the building.

The museum building is a tribute to the subtle marriage of art and architecture, fabric and fantasy and ethos and engineering. It epitomises Ruskin’s ideals of ‘useful’ art executed by the craftsman. A stunning example of this are the 126 columns in the museum – each of a different British decorative rock and with their capitals covered in carvings of plants which represent different botanical species.
Many of these were carved by the O’Shea brothers, the Irish masons specially brought in from Dublin, copying from specimens from the local botanical gardens.

Although there are many superb carvings to be found both inside and outside the museum they were never fully completed. The volatile O’Sheas downed tools after some unwanted interference from dons but not before they had managed to incorporate carved insults to those who had upset them into the very fabric of the building.

Approaching the museum you will find yourself faced with the Venetian gothic front façade of the museum and on the lawn in front of the museum children will be thrilled to follow the tracks of the giant carnivorous dinosaur, Megalosaurus, which stretch from the ancient conifer tree to the right hand corner of the museum. The strange looking annexe to the right of the museum with its four tall chimneys at each corner was originally the chemistry laboratory which was modelled on the abbot’s kitchen at Glastonbury. It was set apart from the main building to avoid the problem of noxious smells,

As you enter the museum you are immediately faced with its most impressive features -the large central court, with its elegant cast iron columns supporting the great glass roof, which contains the enormous casts of two dinosaur skeletons, an impressive 45 foot long Tyrannosaurus rex and an iguanodon - other dinosaurs are also on display.

On either side of the main court are glass exhibition cases containing interesting displays some of which have local interest while others cover a wider spectrum. When I last visited there was a case with all the animals and birds mentioned in Alice in wonderland with explanations – it obviously contains the white rabbit clutching his pocket watch. The University museum is of course the home of the famous Dodo which Lewis Carrol immortalised in the book. The remains of the Dodo, the extinct flightless bird, together with Jan Savery's painting of it are on the left as you enter.

On the right hand side a spectacular collage display of butterflies and insects demanded attention while behind this are case after case containing the most beautiful minerals. Tucked further back not demanding much attention are endless displays of fossils.

On the left hand side of the main area are the animal exhibits – a mixture of skeletons, elephants, giraffes and stuffed animals such as giant turtles, ostriches and a huge crocodile. Upstairs are more exhibits including displays such as the making of honey and all the species of British birds.

Although the museum is interesting unfortunately its seems to lack any facilities at all. There are no refreshments available at all and this is made doubly worse by the fact there are none within easy reach either. There are a couple of pubs and a café in St. Giles otherwise the city centre, about 10 minutes walk, is nearest. So if you plan to visit, especially with children it is best to take some refreshments with you and enjoy a picnic in the adjacent quite beautiful parks.

It does, however, have a small shop. This sells an assortment of museum mementoes starting at very reasonable prices. Small minerals and semi precious stones are available from only 30p and there are other small things available for children. The dodo is very well represented but considering children’s interest in all things dinosaur this area was very poor. They have very few dinosaur models and only two rather useless postcards. The shop was also very busy when we visited and to add to the frustration of waiting to be served was the problem that when we finally were served they did not have enough change.

There is apparently a tape guide to the museum available for hire but there is no other guide available. There are a couple of books on the museum one on its contents and one on the building but no plan of the building or suggestions guide to where certain important exhibits are.

The Museum is open every day from 12 noon to 5pm throughout the year, except for short breaks over Easter and Christmas. If you wish to combine a visit with Pitt Rivers museum the latter is only open 1.00-4.30 pm Mon - Sat, Sunday 2.00 - 4.30 pm.

Admission to both Museums is free but donations of £2 are requested.

For further information see http://www.oum.ox.ac.uk/
 

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