The place higher to lose your self in tales than Oxford, a metropolis of authors and libraries, which has impressed youngsters’s tales galore – as my daughter and I set off for our Story Museum assessment go to, I used to be already half-way to Narnia, Center Earth and Wonderland.
assessment go to*
As a result of if you happen to love books, you’ll love The Story Museum in Oxford. Re-opened in 2020 after a multimillion pound transformation, we couldn’t wait to lastly set foot inside – and (spoiler) liked it a lot that we’ve been again since.
Reliving childhood reminiscences of bedtime tales, entering into fictional worlds we’ve liked for years, embracing the magic of brand name new tales – no marvel we weren’t upset. So, are you sitting comfortably? Then my Oxford Story Museum assessment will start…
What’s at The Story Museum in Oxford?
The museum itself is about inside three buildings organized round a courtyard, with momentary exhibitions alongside the everlasting areas.
The Galleries is the primary space, with tickets together with entry to the Story Arcade and the present exhibition – Thriller Academy: Faculty for Younger Detectives is the most recent, on account of run till Spring 2027.
Try my full assessment of the Thriller Academy exhibition right here
Small Worlds, which is geared toward youngsters aged 0 to five, is ideal if you happen to’re visiting Oxford with toddlers and preschoolers, with a separate ticket for entry. Its 5 zones are all themed round tales – go on a Bear Hunt, and experience on the Story Bus, for instance – with hour-long classes that embrace singing, storytelling and an opportunity to discover, plus crafts and messy play on some weekdays.
The principle museum is about within the Galleries, residence to the Whispering Wooden and Enchanted Library, and for many guests, that is the place you’ll spend your time.
Permit not less than 60-90 minutes to wander via these two areas alone, notably in order for you time to take in all of the little particulars, when you can very simply spend one other hour within the momentary exhibition within the Treasure Chamber.
When you’ve emerged from the Enchanted Library, there’s one other everlasting gallery within the courtyard, The Story Arcade, trying on the approach video video games affect the way in which we inform tales – with all the things from custom-built arcade machines to a Aspect-Quest path and board video games, in addition to a number of tablets dotted round.
The Metropolis of Tales movie expertise, which was working once we first visited, is not happening, whereas the Magic Widespread Room is just often open for particular occasions
There’s additionally a store and bogs, plus a restaurant with meals appropriate for very hungry caterpillars of all ages – together with a few Alice in Wonderland-themed tables, the place you may resolve which character you’d desire to be as you sit down. Hold a watch out for the cupcakes marked ‘Eat me’ in the event that they’re on provide too. I used to be very glad to comply with directions!
For concepts of extra issues to do in Oxford with youngsters, take a look at my prime picks
Oxford Story Museum: assessment
Even my first sight of the Story Museum made me smile – lamps saying ‘Communicate Buddy and enter’ to thrill followers of Lord of the Rings, and a vibrant explosion of color contained in the courtyard.
Scampering up the steps, we entered into the Portal the place the primary of a string of pleasant employees members stopped to elucidate a bit extra about how the go to works, and inspired us to choose a personality to look out for.
Changing the headphones and wand of our authentic go to, I made a decision I positively wasn’t too grown-up to affix in and selected a dragon earlier than stepping inside to be welcomed into the Whispering Wooden.
A couple of of the displays have modified since we had been final there, however the ambiance hasn’t – welcomed by a speaking tree and the white hare Firouz from historic tales, we caught the top of a storyteller bringing the fable of the crocodile and the monkey to life.
There’s all the time an additional element or three to identify as you enterprise via the Whispering Wooden too. Elevate a flap to peek inside an illuminated window behind, select to resolve one of many interactive puzzles or uncover in case your alternative of treasure will please the gods, as you stroll via the Whispering Wooden.
The tales themselves are a mixture of fantasy and legend, fable and fairytale. Some we knew, together with the Brothers Grimm and Aesop, however every time we go to, there’s soemthing that’s new to me – one beautiful story of the hat vendor and the monkeys was one other instance of how inclusive all of it felt, with tales from all over the world not merely western Europe.
We listened to the exploits of trickster god Loki and tried to tug the sword from the stone on each go to, to see if it was our future to rule (it wasn’t)…
After tying a ribbon across the wishing tree, we headed out to discover the remainder of the Galleries. There are sometimes additional trails to take pleasure in as you go – our authentic go to had an animal-themed path within the Whispering Wooden, whereas our newest noticed a particular summer season path working via the Enchanted Library.
And whereas we love the Whispering Wooden, The Enchanted Library is much more fantastic – even the identify makes me need to rush forward and discover.
Together with shows on tales via the ages, there are a sequence particular rooms the place you may step inside a favorite youngsters’s e book.
We performed digital Pooh sticks, watching a stick and pinecone swirl alongside the river from our white wood bridge, and pushed via the fur coats to walk previous the lamppost in Narnia, serving to to choose up Mr Tumnus’s digital parcels within the snow.
Who hasn’t wished to stroll via the wardrobe into Narnia not less than as soon as, in any case?
Then it was down the rabbit gap with Alice. One among our favorite rooms on our first go to, it’s had a makeover to grow to be extra interactive, with all the things from tongue-twisters to some dress-up.
The white rabbit is there, and you’ll peek down the rabbit gap, in addition to having fun with a number of quirky decorations and puzzles to resolve.
There are different rooms to discover too – an opportunity to step into The Snowman, and watch it on TV, to listen to Lyra Belacqua discuss from the rooftops of her Oxford, her daemon beside her – The Northern Lights trilogy shot onto my daughter’s wishlist on our first go to, and we had been nonetheless debating what our personal daemons can be this time.
For tweens and youths, there’s additionally a room themed round Noughts and Crosses – a reminder that you simply’re by no means too previous for story.
Don’t race via the corridors both, nevertheless tempting it’s to take a look at the subsequent room.
There’s simply a lot element to find on this space alone, that that is actually solely a taster – we might have spent for much longer poring over one show case filled with figures and memorabilia of characters from TV and films, seeing what number of we recognised – you’ll journey via 200 years of tales, with over 150 gadgets.
And whereas these everlasting galleries kind the guts of the museum, between the Whispering Wooden and the Enchanted Library, you’ll additionally discover some improbable momentary exhibitions to find.
Our personal go to had been timed to tie in with the most recent one – Thriller Academy: Faculty for Younger Detectives, a improbable mixture of interactive actions, an opportunity to resolve your individual brain-teaser, and a fantastic introduction to detective fiction throughout greater than a century.
The scene is about on the open day for the Thriller Academy… however the head trainer Christie Moyo has mysteriously vanished. Are you able to assist discover her? With the assistance of some clues, and a few classes within the important abilities required for any detective.
Within the centre, a Cluedo board on the top trainer’s desk, and in every of the 4 corners, a room devoted to at least one facet of detective tales – logic, statement, disguise and forensic science. You’ll additionally discover different smaller rooms in between them.
Created by creator Sharna Jackson, together with inventive enter from Robin Stevens (whose Homicide Most Unladylike sequence was lengthy one in all my daughter’s favourites), it’s additionally concerned the museum’s Story Curators, aged between 12 and 16 who work with the Story Museum workforce so that you’ve acquired experience from youngsters in addition to plotters.
And it’s executed very cleverly to attraction to totally different ages: in a single nook, you may gown up and draw your individual disguise, in one other you’re cracking (straightforward) codes and studying in regards to the Enigma machine.
Elsewhere it’s important to work out antidotes for poisons, whereas in one other, the crime-themed crossword had a few clues that nearly stumped each myself and my 14-year-old.
You possibly can write your individual story or newspaper article, create your individual message in code, and draw a map alongside the way in which – there are pens if you wish to get began within the museum itself, or they’re good to take residence if you happen to’re feeling impressed afterwards.
In every nook, there are books appropriate for various age teams too, which tie in to the ability, so that you’ll have loads of concepts for extra studying as properly.
However don’t get distracted by any purple herrings – you’re right here to resolve the thriller of Miss Moyo’s disappearance. Employees are there to assist – and it’s price speaking to them in regards to the puzzle too, as we realised we’d collected half the clues with out fully understanding what we had been meant to do!
I gained’t spoil it… however don’t overlook to maintain a watch out for the hairpins, and don’t miss the little particulars as you go. Having discovered the reply, we realised we’d spent properly over an hour trying round. Time flies whenever you’re chasing clues!
Stepping again into the daylight, I felt as if my very own creativeness had been recharged. The love of studying, of storytelling shines via in all places.
Whether or not you’re like my daughter, discovering the enjoyment of books and weaving her personal imaginative tales, or reliving previous favourites like me, the Story Museum in Oxford is a treasure.
From new readers to mini bookworms and youths, this story very positively has a cheerful ending.
For extra locations to go to with youngsters who love books, take a look at a few of my favourites, together with a Harry Potter tour of Oxford together with extra days out for Harry Potter followers plus extra inspiration for issues to do in Oxford with youngsters
Must know: The Story Museum in Oxford
Tickets to the Story Museum value £16 for adults, £8.25 for age 1-4 (the primary galleries are really helpful for age 5+). Tickets for Small Worlds value £8.25 (and under-ones are free) – if you happen to’re visiting in term-time, the 14:45 weekday session is half value.
Throughout August 2026, youngster costs are at the moment diminished additional as a part of the federal government’s Summer season Financial savings scheme which has lower VAT on attraction tickets
There are timed slots for Small Worlds, or your ticket for The Galleries is legitimate all day (final entry one hour earlier than closing).
The museum additionally has Entry Pleasant days twice a 12 months, throughout October and March, for SEND households with timeslot entry for individuals who’d desire a slower-paced go to.
The Story Museum is closed on Mondays in time period time, open each day throughout most college holidays. There’s a buggy park and lockers (£1 to make use of), plus in all places is wheelchair accessible.
*First revealed 2021, final up to date 2026*
PIN FOR LATER: THE STORY MUSEUM IN OXFORD
Disclosure: Our entry to the Galleries was free for the needs of assessment (however I purchased my very own cupcake!) – all opinions in my Oxford Story Museum assessment stay my very own (and my daughter’s)
Pictures copyright MummyTravels
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