Oxford: most picturesque college

[gramercy]

OK, apologies that this is not really on topic, but thought I might get an insider's view here!

Off to Oxford for a day trip, and want to walk round the colleges, but I see that they all charge a not insignificant entrance fee now.

Which college would you pick out as the most attractive/impressive to visit, and also, if anyone knows, which Evensong would you recommend? I will be accompanied by the dcs, but they are fairly civilised.

Thanks v much!

It's a real city as well.

Just off to hide out on the early weaning / dummies are only used by idiots / AIBU to pour frootshoots in my eyeballs threads for a nice calm discussion with reasonable people .

I'd go for New College, too, esp for the choir and the gorgeous gardens.

Yep, another vote for Magdalen, and the Pitt Rivers if you get time - esp with kids - dinosaurs and shrunken heads! My old college (Queens) is pretty, but not worth paying for

Thank you! I shall print out this thread. (Will conceal it in plain folder to avoid being outed in middle of Pitt Rivers museum...)

That's one of the best things about parts of the Pitt Rivers - lots of places to hide (oops, maybe not one to share with children ;) ).

It is really interesting the way they lay it out.

The other thing I'd advise is a good large-scale map - that way you can look at Cornmarket and find a different way to go norh/south on foot if in tourist season...

Pitt Rivers best museum ever. It and the elongated skulls there feature in Pullman's Northern Lights.

For attractive grounds I would def go for Worcester or Magdalen. But Merton has the best chapel , although I would probably go for evensong at Christ Church, as it is bigger, and I don't like feeling like the conspicuous stranger.

You can go on a tour of the Bodleian Library, and they usually have interesting exhibitions too, would reccommend that.

That's where it definitely comes down to style - the odd time I've been into Merton chapel I've loved it, and friends say it's the best for that sort of architecture. Worcester chapel is one of kind due to Burges' work (but some say it's a bit like marmite ).

Ashmolean has reopened too.

when we went to Pitt Rivers one of the staff gave dds a little torch each and told them they could open any drawers they liked and have a good peer in. they loved it. it was like they were discovering it all themselves. the same guy showed them his favourite drawers - and it was like he was letting them into some great secret that he didn;t tell other people about. absolutely marvellous. imo the best museums are those with genuinely enthused staff who love sharing their passion with kids. no amount of hi-tech/cutting edge exhibitionism* can beat that.

• I fear this is the wrong word....but you get my drift.

Oh, so agree, hatwoman.

We really enjoyed the Salisbury Museum last year. It was raining, the museum was totally empty (in middle of summer holidays!?!) and there was this elderly curator who kept following us around giving interesting facts about his dusty old artefacts.

Hate, HATE, H A T E hands-on museums - after five minutes the exhibits are mostly broken and grimy and they are full of... kids.

Do you know that this is almost making me want to go to Oxford, which is quite impressive seeing as when I went for my interview I hated it and asked to be excused (god, hope my dad never reads that bit - I just told him I failed!)

or was it just the college my sixth form recommended? 'Twas Wadham...

Ooh yes, covered market is good (as long as you don't have DCs at the 'I want...' stage ).

TRIP REPORT!!!

Went to Oxford - and had a print-out of this thread concealed in my capacious bag.

Enjoyed looking round Christ Church - dcs especially impressed by the dining hall.

Went to Evensong in New College - thanks for that recommendation - it was just what I had had in mind. There were a few other people there so we didn't stick out too much.

Pitt Rivers v good and the dcs really enjoyed the Natural History Museum.

At end of day asked ds if he'd like to go to Oxford one day (yeah, yeah, but a mum can dream). "I think I'd rather go somewhere with a Forbidden Planet" came the reply [silent scream emoticon]

@gramercy - shame - he'll just have to go to Cambridge instead, poor thing.

Glad you had a good day.

Ha ha - Cambridge it is, then!