6 Hours in Oxford - what would you do?

[OnceMoreWithAttitude]

I enjoy museums, galleries, interesting shops, walking, architecture, nature, good but budget food.
No organised tours or Harry Potter stuff.
January / February: no punting.

My favourite museum is there. Pitt Rivers Museum. I could probably spend 6 hours just in there.

Sounds good! I was wondering how to choose between Ashmolean and Pitt Rivers!

You can do both in 6 hours!

Science Museum too

Depending on the weather, I'd go for:

Ashmolean, or the Natural History and Pitt Rivers museums (shared building).

A good mooch around the Covered Market and lunch at either Brothers, or Sasi Thai.

A walk round the University Parks or Christchurch Meadow.

Find the Daily Info website and nab their map of the colleges then use it as a self-guided tour to look at the architecture. Some are free to enter on some weekdays - websites will tell you which.

All the University museums (Ashmolean, Pitt Rivers, Natural History and History of Science) are free admission. You can go in to the Weston Library (part of the Bodleian) free as well and they have free exhibitions running.

I was coming here to say "remember that all the museums are closed on a Monday" but I've just checked and it looks like only the History of Science is now closed on a Monday (Progress!)

I would do the Ash, have lunch in a nice cafe (or splurge and have it in the upstairs restaurant in the Ash) then spend the afternoon in the MNH, or pick one and spend the other half of the day looking round the shops and have lunch in the WestGate

You can do both: start with Pitt Rivers, lunch around High St or Little Clarendon St, then Ashmolean and possibly a drink at their bar (good view) or the Randolph hotel next door

Museum of natural history / Pitt Rivers.

don’t go to the cafe there: it’s overpriced and mediocre. Instead head to Little Clarendon Street (round the side of Keble, past St Giles’ church) where there are lots of nice food options including G&D’s which is a lovely ice cream cafe. Walk down to the Ashmolean (which has a nice cafe and shop) and afterwards wander along to the Sheldonian, taking in Blackwells if you like a bookshop. At the end turn right and go past the Radcliffe Camera and out onto the High Street (the covered market has an entrance nearby and this is worth a wander through - has lovely shops and cafes.) If the sun is shining turn left at Carfax and wander down to Christ Church meadow to have a walk by the river. If it’s wet then go straight ahead until you get to the Westgate centre and enjoy retail heaven.

i haven’t mentioned the museum if the history of science or the story telling museum but both are good. There’s also an ice rink but you need to book ahead. HTH!

This is all fantastic, thank you so much!
really looking forward to it.

I absolutely would not pay to go into any college, if you want to have a look at Christchurch, you can go to Tom Gate (opposite and just down from G&Ds -St Aldates) and say you are there to worship at the cathedral and you will be allowed to access the cathedral (not the hall or the rest of the college).

The Footsteps free walking tours are great. You donate to the guide what you think it's worth or can afford at the end. The guides are usually really knowledgeable and entertaining

Oops sorry - no organised tours. They're really great though

Natural history museum, Bodleian library lunch in the covered market at Rozanas Lebanese takeaway. Up the Carfax tower, walk round Christchurch meadows

Oxford Castle is also worth a visit if you have the time.