A cultural weekend in Oxford
Two days of colleges, libraries, museums, music and the river, built around what is actually open this autumn.
Photo: Toby Ord, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
Oxford rewards a weekend more than a day trip: long enough to go inside things rather than just past them. This itinerary is built for autumn 2026 and takes account of what is closed, which matters more than it used to: the Eagle and Child pub has been shut since 2020, Christ Church Picture Gallery is closed for renovation, and punts stop for the winter at the end of November.
At a glance
| When | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday morning | Christ Church: Tom Quad, the Hall, the Cathedral | Ticketed, multimedia guide included |
| Saturday lunch | The Covered Market | Pay as you go |
| Saturday afternoon | Radcliffe Square, the Divinity School, a Bodleian tour | Divinity School £3; tours from £12.50 |
| Saturday evening | A concert at the Sheldonian, or a pub on St Giles’ | From free |
| Sunday morning | Coffee Concert at the Holywell, or the Ashmolean | Concert ticketed; museum free |
| Sunday afternoon | Museum of Natural History and Pitt Rivers, then a punt | Museums free; punt £35 an hour |
Saturday: colleges and libraries
Start at Christ Church on St Aldate’s as it opens. The visit takes in Tom Quad under Wren’s Tom Tower, the Hall, the Cathedral, which is also the college chapel and home to the shrine of St Frideswide, Oxford’s patron saint, and Peckwater Quadrangle. A multimedia guide is included with the ticket. Then walk the Broad Walk across Christ Church Meadow.
For lunch, go to the Covered Market off the High Street: more than 50 independent shops, cafés and food stalls under one roof since 1774.
In the afternoon, walk up to Radcliffe Square for the Radcliffe Camera, then into the Old Bodleian for the Divinity School (£3, 15 minutes, booking required) or a Bodleian tour (from £12.50) that includes Duke Humfrey’s Library. The Divinity School has appeared on screen, in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire among others. For the view over all of it, the tower of the University Church of St Mary the Virgin on the High Street is open to visitors; check its website for times and prices.
Saturday evening: music or a pint
The Oxford Philharmonic’s autumn season at the Sheldonian Theatre includes English Melodies on 7 October, Thomas Adès on 22 October, Tchaikovsky Five on 5 November and Monteverdi’s Vespers on 21 November 2026. Or go to Choral Evensong at Christ Church Cathedral earlier in the evening; see our classical music guide.
For a pub, the Lamb & Flag on St Giles’ is the Inklings pub that is open; the Eagle and Child opposite is closed while it is restored. The Turf Tavern, off Holywell Street, and The Bear on Alfred Street are the other classics; our historic pubs guide sorts the true stories from the tall ones.
Sunday: museums and the river
If you like chamber music, start with an Oxford Coffee Concert at the Holywell Music Room at 11.15am, where the ticket includes a coffee at The King’s Arms beforehand. Otherwise spend the morning at the Ashmolean on Beaumont Street, free and open from 10am; from 8 October its autumn exhibition, Aphrodite: The Making of a Goddess, is ticketed.
After lunch, walk to Parks Road for the Museum of Natural History and, through the back of it, the Pitt Rivers Museum; both are free. Allow an hour for the Pitt Rivers alone.
End on the water. The Magdalen Bridge Boathouse, below Magdalen Tower at the bottom of the High Street, hires self-drive punts for up to five people at £35 an hour, or chauffeured punts at £50 per 30 minutes, until 30 November. Book ahead at weekends. If you finish with time to spare, the Botanic Garden opposite is open until 5pm, last entry 4pm.
Frequently asked questions
Can I go punting in autumn?
Yes, until 30 November. Magdalen Bridge Boathouse is open daily from 1 February to 30 November, weather permitting; self-drive punts cost £35 an hour.
Is the Eagle and Child open?
No. It has been closed since March 2020 and is under restoration. The Lamb & Flag across St Giles’ is open.
Do I need to book in advance?
For Christ Church, the Divinity School, Bodleian tours, weekend punts and ticketed exhibitions, yes. General entry to the Ashmolean, the Museum of Natural History and the Pitt Rivers needs no booking.
Sources
- chch.ox.ac.uk, visit Christ Church
- visit.bodleian.ox.ac.uk, tours and the Divinity School
- ashmolean.org, plan your visit
- oumnh.ox.ac.uk, Museum of Natural History
- prm.ox.ac.uk, visit the Pitt Rivers Museum
- oxford-coveredmarket.co.uk, the Covered Market
- oxfordpunting.co.uk, Magdalen Bridge Boathouse
- obga.ox.ac.uk, the Botanic Garden
- oxfordphil.com, 2026/27 season
- coffeeconcerts.com, Oxford Coffee Concerts
- en.wikipedia.org, The Eagle and Child
This article was written by the Oxford Society editorial desk from the public sources listed above. We are not affiliated with the people, companies or institutions it describes.
← Back to Guides