Ashmolean Museum
Beaumont Street
Oxford
Oxfordshire
OX1 2PH
England
Website
Education Service
education.service@ashmus.ox.ac.uk
Museum shop
Telephone
01865 278000
Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum is the country’s oldest public museum and home to one of the most important collections of art and archaeology to be found anywhere.
Venue Type:
Museum
Additional info
Parking is available next to the Museum on St. Giles
The entire collection of the Ashmolean Museum is a Designated Collection of national importance.
The Ashmolean Museum was founded in 1683, the first institutional museum in Britain, and arguably in Europe. Notable among antiquities are the Egyptian collections, the Classical Greek collections including the ‘Arundel Marbles’ and the Felix Gem, and the Alfred Jewel. Paintings date from early Italian to Pre-Raphaelite and there are outstanding drawings by Raphael and Michelangelo. The arts of China, Japan, South East Asia and Islam are well represented, as are Maiolica, Renaissance bronzes and numismatics.
Collection details
World Cultures, Fine Art, Decorative and Applied Art, Coins and Medals, Archaeology
Key artists and exhibits
- Designated Collection
Master Drawings
The Ashmolean is home to one of the world’s most important collections of drawings.
Amongst its treasures are the largest group of works on paper by Raphael
drawings by Leonardo, Titian and Michelangelo
Rubens and Rembrandt
Turner, Degas and Cezanne
to Gwendolen John and David Hockney. To coincide with the Museum's 330th birthday, its summer exhibition selects some of the finest examples of works on paper by the greatest names in western art.
Suitable for
Admission
£5/ £4 concession, Under 18s free
Master Drawings
The Ashmolean is home to one of the world’s most important collections of drawings.
Amongst its treasures are the largest group of works on paper by Raphael
drawings by Leonardo, Titian and Michelangelo
Rubens and Rembrandt
Turner, Degas and Cezanne
to Gwendolen John and David Hockney. To coincide with the Museum's 330th birthday, its summer exhibition selects some of the finest examples of works on paper by the greatest names in western art.
Admission
£5/ £4 concession, Under 18s free
Stradivarius
Antonio Stradivari (c.1644–1737) – or Stradivarius as he is usually known – is the only maker of musical instruments whose name ranks alongside those of the great composers. For the first time will twenty of his instruments, from guitar to cello to violin, be on display together in the UK.
While the details of his life are not as familiar as those of Vivaldi or Mozart, his name succeeds in evoking a creative genius in the popular imagination. The Ashmolean’s summer 2013 exhibition will feature twenty of the world’s most important musical instruments, some of which have never been shown in public, on loan from international collections: from the early Silvestre violin of 1666, to the Fountaine violino piccolo, the Boissier-Sarasate of 1713, to his later violins of the 1730s. It will also show a recreation of Stradivarius’s workshop where visitors will be able to follow the creation of a violin from a log of spruce through to the finished instrument.
Suitable for
Admission
£6/ £4 concession, Under 18s free
Stradivarius
Antonio Stradivari (c.1644–1737) – or Stradivarius as he is usually known – is the only maker of musical instruments whose name ranks alongside those of the great composers. For the first time will twenty of his instruments, from guitar to cello to violin, be on display together in the UK.
While the details of his life are not as familiar as those of Vivaldi or Mozart, his name succeeds in evoking a creative genius in the popular imagination. The Ashmolean’s summer 2013 exhibition will feature twenty of the world’s most important musical instruments, some of which have never been shown in public, on loan from international collections: from the early Silvestre violin of 1666, to the Fountaine violino piccolo, the Boissier-Sarasate of 1713, to his later violins of the 1730s. It will also show a recreation of Stradivarius’s workshop where visitors will be able to follow the creation of a violin from a log of spruce through to the finished instrument.
Admission
£6/ £4 concession, Under 18s free
Chinese Landscape from the Ashmolean Collection
To complement the Xu Bing exhibition, the Museum displays traditional Chinese landscape paintings from the Ashmolean collection, including rarely shown works by masters of the 17th century.
Together with calligraphy, ink landscape painting has been regarded for a thousand years as the most prestigious form of art in China, and the exhibition provides an insight into its distinguished history. The fundamental vocabulary - rocks, trees, mountains and waters - seen in these landscapes also offers visitors a departure point towards understanding the new works by Xu Bing in our temporary exhibition where he, as one of contemporary China's most creative artists, breathes new life into an ancient tradition.
Suitable for
Admission
Free
Tales in the Round: Manju Netsuke from the Ashmolean
This exhibition highlights the Ashmolean’s collection of a particular type of netsuke, the manju, which is named after a round, sweet-bean paste bun.
These manj? netsuke illustrate scenes from Japanese history, religion, folklore and everyday life. They display carving of remarkable skill and bring us a fascinating glimpse of Japanese culture during the late Edo and early Meiji periods, yet they are little known in comparison with the arguably more accessible sculptural or katabori netsuke. In this exhibition they will be displayed alongside woodblock prints illustrating the stories carved on the netsuke.
Suitable for
Admission
Free
Tales in the Round: Manju Netsuke from the Ashmolean
This exhibition highlights the Ashmolean’s collection of a particular type of netsuke, the manju, which is named after a round, sweet-bean paste bun.
These manj? netsuke illustrate scenes from Japanese history, religion, folklore and everyday life. They display carving of remarkable skill and bring us a fascinating glimpse of Japanese culture during the late Edo and early Meiji periods, yet they are little known in comparison with the arguably more accessible sculptural or katabori netsuke. In this exhibition they will be displayed alongside woodblock prints illustrating the stories carved on the netsuke.
Admission
Free
Francis Bacon / Henry Moore
This major exhibition will feature 20 works by each artist, carefully selected to bring out similarities and differences.
Despite working in different media, Bacon and Moore were exhibited together from end of the Second World War into the 1960s. This new exhibition aims to bring a fresh perspective to Francis Bacon and Henry Moore highlighting the important influences and experiences which they shared and exploring specific themes in their work.
Suitable for
Admission
£8/ £6 concession, Under 18s free
Francis Bacon / Henry Moore
This major exhibition will feature 20 works by each artist, carefully selected to bring out similarities and differences.
Despite working in different media, Bacon and Moore were exhibited together from end of the Second World War into the 1960s. This new exhibition aims to bring a fresh perspective to Francis Bacon and Henry Moore highlighting the important influences and experiences which they shared and exploring specific themes in their work.
Admission
£8/ £6 concession, Under 18s free
Drawing Tutorial
Use the Ashmolean's collections as the subject matter to improve your skills with instruction from tutor Amanda Beck in the galleries. Please bring your own materials (no charcoal, pastels or wet media). Free, booking essential. Book Now: www.ashmolean.org/whatsonbooking
Suitable for
- 16-17
- 18+
When
2-4pm
TreasureTrove
Search the Museum for our glittering gold and sparkling silver then have fun making your own junk-jewellery and coins.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
Admission
All family activities are free, with a suggested donation of £1 per child. Reminder: Children must be accompanied by an adult at all events.
Wilderness in the City
The award-winning Wilderness Festival will be stepping out of the wilds to create an enchanting evening of musical performances, theatrical spectacles, literary symposiums, workshops, magic and games at the Ashmolean. With ancient arts inspired by nature and love of adventure central to Wilderness' ethos, this will be an unforgettable journey through the arts in one of the oldest museums in the world.
Suitable for
- Any age
When
7-10:30pm
The Invention of Drawings
The uses of drawing in this period explain much about the momentous changes that we associate with painting in Renaissance Italy. This lecture will describe the new approach to drawing and how it has affected the practice of painting from then until the present day. Book on: www.ashmolean.org/whatsonbooking.
Suitable for
- Any age
When
11am-12pm
Admission
£4.00/£3.00 concessions, booking essential. The Ashmolean collection includes paintings featured on the Your Paintings website.
The Slade School Phenomenon
The response of British artists to the French avant-garde was fundametally shaped by the foundation of the Slade School of Fine Art in 1871. Learn about the unique character of British art of this period and recent critical reapprisal of early 20th-century British art. Talk with Q&A. The Ashmolean collection includes paintings featured on the Your Paintings website.
Suitable for
- 16-17
- 18+
- Not suitable for children
When
2-3:30pm
Admission
£8.00 / £7.00 (inc. tea & cake), booking essential on www.ashmolean.org/whatsonbooking.
Drawing Tutorial
Use the Ashmolean's collections as the subject matter to improve your skills with instruction from tutor Amanda Beck in the galleries. Please bring your own materials (no charcoal, pastels or wet media). Book on: www.ashmolean.org/whatsonbooking
Suitable for
- 16-17
- 18+
When
2-4pm
Director's Lecture: Bernini - Art and Theatre
Drawing parallels between the visual and theatrical arts, and highlighting the dramatic amplification of religious art in the period, Dr Genevieve Warwick provides a model that can be extended beyond Bernini to enable us to reconsider 17th-century visual culture as a whole. With Q&A. The Ashmolean Collection includes paintings featured on the Your Paintings website.
Suitable for
- Any age
- Family friendly
When
11am-12pm
Admission
£8.00 / £7.00 concessions, booking essential.
Japanese Tea Ceremony
An introduction to the art of tea in Japan, with demonstrations and a tour of the Ashmolean's Japanese tea house. 1-2pm & 3-4pm
Free, booking essential: education.service@ashmus.ox.ac.uk
01865 278 015
Suitable for
When
1-4pm
Admission
Free
Japanese Tea Ceremony
An introduction to the art of tea in Japan, with demonstrations and a tour of the Ashmolean's Japanese tea house. 1-2pm & 3-4pm
Free, booking essential: education.service@ashmus.ox.ac.uk
01865 278 015
Suitable for
When
1-4pm
Admission
Free
Musical Museum
Join us for musical fun. Make a noisy rattle then have a song and dance in the galleries.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
When
2-4pm
Admission
All family activities are free, with a suggested donation of £1 per child. Reminder: Children must be accompanied by an adult at all events.
Musical Museum
Join us for musical fun. Make a noisy rattle then have a song and dance in the galleries.
When
2-4pm
Admission
All family activities are free, with a suggested donation of £1 per child. Reminder: Children must be accompanied by an adult at all events.
In Conversation: Cornelia Parker and Iwona Blazwick
Iwona Blazwick, Director of the Whitechapel Gallery and author of a new monograph talks to Cornelia Parker about her work as a sculptor and installation artist. They will discuss Parker's career from her early small-scale sculptures to the huge installations for which she is well-known.
Suitable for
When
2-3:30pm
Admission
In partnership with 'artisjustaword' £15/£12, booking essential.
In Conversation: Cornelia Parker and Iwona Blazwick
Iwona Blazwick, Director of the Whitechapel Gallery and author of a new monograph talks to Cornelia Parker about her work as a sculptor and installation artist. They will discuss Parker's career from her early small-scale sculptures to the huge installations for which she is well-known. In partnership with 'artisjustaword', The Whitechapel Gallery collection includes paintings featured on the Your Paintings website.
Suitable for
- 18+
- Not suitable for children
When
2-3:30pm
Admission
£15.00/£12.00, booking essential.
Playing Strad - Copying Stradivarius
Why are they considered superior, and what is it like to play one? The second part considers the practice of copying Stradivari's work, both as a way of learning the art of violin making and, on the other side of a very thin line, intending to deceive. Booking essential on: www.ashmolean.org/whatsonbooking
Suitable for
- Any age
- Family friendly
When
11am-12pm
Admission
£4.00/£3.00 concessions.
Playing Strad - Copying Stradivarius
Why are they considered superior, and what is it like to play one? The second part considers the practice of copying Stradivari's work, both as a way of learning the art of violin making and, on the other side of a very thin line, intending to deceive. Booking essential at www.ashmolean.org/whatsonbooking.
Suitable for
- Any age
When
11am-12pm
Admission
£4.00/£3.00 concessions.
Come Draw With Me!
Workshops and demonstrations will give you the opportunity to take up drawing or perfect a technique. With some of the greatest names in the history of art on the walls in the museum, this is the opportunity to learn from Old Masters and contemporary artists.
Suitable for
- Any age
When
7-10:30pm
Come Draw with Me!
During the 'Master Drawings; exhibition, for one night only the galleries at the Ashmolean will become drawing studios filled with artists ready to help you start drawing or develop your skills.With some of the greatest names in the history of art on the walls in the museum, this is the opportunity to learn from Old Masters and contemporary artists. The Ashmolean collection includes paintings featured on the Your Paintings website.
Suitable for
- Any age
When
7-10:30pm
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