Oxford tips

[lolawasashowgirl]

Hello! My partner is taking our 11 year old son to Oxford next weekend to a Phoenix Comic event at The Story Museum. Would really appreciate any tips for interesting Oxford spots that my artistic book loving son might like. Also any suggestions for decent brunch venues? Thanks! ❤️

Might like to look around a college or two: inspiration for the future...? Similarly the Bodleian/Radcliffe Square area.

Ashmolean has some good stuff; it's huge so decide in advance what to look at based on his interests and don't try to do it all.

There's a brunch place on George St which is very popular. Never been as always big queues but presumably you can book.

Oh - and Blackwells! Norrington Room: a massive underground bookshop.

I don't know how you are getting there but use the park and ride. Taking a car into central Oxford (i.e. inside the ring road) is hell on earth.

Ahh thanks @HappyHolidai these are awesome suggestions! 😊

How are you intending to travel? Because the viaduct on the London Paddington route is closed with a bus ‘service’ , and the Botley road from the west is completely closed, so the ring road will be a nightmare.

Oxford is pretty much out of reach at the moment.

@JimmyDurham thank you - good point. Luckily he is staying at a Premier Inn on the ring road and won't be taking the car any further!

@Allthegoodnamesarechosen he's driving down from Sheffield early in the morning and staying at the Premier Inn on the ring road 😃

If the 11 year old is a Harry Potter fan, Christ Church was the set for lots of interiors (Hall, stairs, bits of cloister and quad) for the two first films.

My DS used to like the shrunken heads in the Pitt-Rivers museum, the Lebanese on Park End St, taking out a punt (mostly because I’m a shocking punter) and G and D’s ice cream.

he is a Harry Potter fan and the shrunken heads idea is brilliant thanks @Feemie !

Another vote for the Pitt Rivers - gosh I can loose myself in there. And you have to go through the Natural history museum to reach it so you have dinosaurs too.

Thanks @DPotter Pitt Rivers is obviously a must then! 😃

Blackwells Art and Poster Shop on Broad Street, opposite the main Blackwell’s. Loads of prints, graphic novels, comic books, games - very easy to spend an absolute fortune.

@Feemie and @lolawasashowgirl the shrunken heads (and all other human remains) have been removed from display at the Pitt Rivers. Still lots of other strange curios, however, and the natural history museum is a fantastic space.

https://www.prm.ox.ac.uk/shrunken-heads

Yes, the two interlinked museum's are great, but it looks like the shrunken heads are no longer on display. Before anyone goes there especially.

Cross posted with @JumpToRecipe

Thanks @StitchyMcStitchFace and @JumpToRecipe that's very interesting and sounds like the right decision. Pitt Rivers sounds amazing though 😊

History of Science Museum on Broad Street is quirky and has some fun things. And, of course, everything that PP have said, especially the Pitt Rivers! (Has he seen or read 'His Dark Materials'?)

Thanks @PhotoDad ! Yes he LOVES His Dark Materials! 😃

Ah, if he loves His Dark Materials you can go to Will and Lyra’s bench in the Botanical Gardens: https://www.obga.ox.ac.uk/lower-garden

The Pitt Rivers museum is important in the books (and less so in the TV series). Right next to it are the University Parks which are also mentioned in them, and could be a nice place to mooch around in decent weather. See if he can find the Tolkien Memorial Bench! The Botanic Gardens, down by Magdalen Bridge on the other side of town, are where the book and TV show end (so sad).

I live in Oxfordshire and Pitts rivers is our favourite especially the draws you can open we must have been at least 10 times and still see something new.

Oxford really good city for a wander for a bit of a walk they could catch the bus then walk a bit to the trout pub or walk along the river to it from Oxford https://g.co/kgs/zCNZrM

Oh, and... finding the Turf Tavern (for lunch/brunch?) feels like an adventure in itself.

Turf tavern or the covered market for lunch, or the rooftop restaurant at the ashmolean, punting under Magdalen bridge, Christchurch college, and the carfax tower. The Radcliffe camera area for the bridge of sighs and looking into the college doorways

My kids are going to Pheonix Fest too - but we live in Oxford so it’s much easier logistically. The nicest brunch in town is at the Handlebar - https://www.handlebaroxford.co.uk/the-handle-bar-cafe-and-kitchen or the covered market for loads of different small places to eat - from greasy spoon to Thai and Greek food. There are various walking tours that you can go on - I think there’s a Harry Potter themed one.

I was going to suggest the Will and Lyra bench in the Botanic gardens, definitely Pitt Rivers and some colleges. Oxford is wonderful!