FAQs About Your Visit
Keeping visitors and staff safe from 19 July 2021:
We will be maintaining Covid-secure measures to prioritise the safety of our visitors and staff.
We will continue to maintain a reduced capacity to allow for social distancing. Our team will continue to wear face coverings.
We strongly request that visitors wear face coverings on site; face coverings must be worn in library reading rooms and museum research rooms. We also encourage all visitors to check in with the NHS Test & Trace app. Pre-booking is still required, so visitors should book in advance to guarantee entry. Book tickets online here.
We will review this guidance at end of August to ensure the safety of our visitors and staff.
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Hand sanitiser stations are located throughout the Museum.
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There is a one-way route clockwise around the Museum colonnade; please follow the directional arrow signs.
Visitor Safety
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Limiting numbers with timed and ticketed entries. The Museum has introduced a ticketing system to control the number of visitors in order to adhere to social distancing guidelines.
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Outdoor ticket booth and queuing system. Pre-booked tickets must be scanned at the ticket booth outside the Museum before entry to the Museum. A queuing system is in place to help visitors maintain 2-metre social distancing. You may need to queue outside so please be prepared to stand in the cold or rain.
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One-way systems. To help manage social distancing, some areas of the Museum will use one-way systems. We ask visitors to please follow any signage or advice from our Museum staff.
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Face coverings. From 19 July 2021, we are strongly requesting that visitors wear face coverings on site; face coverings must be worn in library reading rooms and museum research rooms. Our team will continue to wear face coverings.
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Enhanced cleaning. Hand sanitiser stations will be available throughout the museum for your use and we have introduced an enhanced cleaning regime.
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Touchable specimens have been removed or cordoned off. Visitors familiar with the Museum may remember that there were a number of touchable specimens on display. For your safety, we have removed or roped off all touchable specimens. Interactive screens will be switched off.
From 19 July 2021, we are strongly requesting that visitors wear face coverings on site; face coverings must be worn in library reading rooms and museum research rooms. Our team will continue to wear face coverings.
With your permission, the Museum of Natural History and Pitt Rivers Museum are collecting information that will help support the government’s Test and Trace programme. All of this information, along with any information that we would usually collect during the booking process is collected and used in line with GDPR. Our Privacy Policy can be read at the following link: https://www.glam.ox.ac.uk/privacy-policy-ticketing
Ticketing Information
To book tickets for the Museum, please go to our Visit Us page. Tickets can be booked through our online booking system.
Yes, all visitors will need to book a timed ticket in advance to help us manage the Museum’s reduced capacity, which allows for social distancing. Tickets are free, and there is no booking fee, but it is possible to make a donation to the Museum when booking.
You can book tickets on the day of your visit if tickets are still available for that day. Tickets are for entry to both the Museum of Natural History and Pitt Rivers Museum.
Timed entry slots help us to manage the flow of visitors through the doors and minimise the need for queuing. Entry times will be every 15 minutes, and will be available from 10am until 4pm (1 hour before the Museum closes at 5pm). To avoid disappointment, please arrive at the entry time of your ticket.
Your ticket will give you entry to both the Museum of Natural History and Pitt Rivers Museum.
Yes, all tickets must be scanned at the ticket booth prior to entry. Visitors who book online will receive an e-ticket attachment on their confirmation email and must either show the ticket on their phone/device, or bring a printed ticket with them. Visitors who arrive without a ticket may be refused entry.
Please arrive promptly at the entry time stated on your ticket. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee entry if you arrive after your allotted entry time. Equally, please do not arrive more than 10 minutes before your time slot as we are unable to allow entrance before your ticket time.
Tickets are not time-limited; you can stay in the Museums for as long as you wish until closing time.
It is possible to book advance tickets online on the day, subject to availability, but we are not able to accommodate visitors who have not booked a ticket in advance.
In accordance with government guidance, we cannot at the moment accommodate groups, other than school and higher education group bookings. For more information on group bookings, please click here.
Yes, all people visiting the museums are required to book a free ticket to enter.
Information About Your Visit
For the safety of our visitors and staff, guided talks and tours are not running at present.
Yes, there is lift access to all areas of the Museums. Use is prioritised for people with mobility issues and we ask that people who do not need a lift please use the stairs when possible. To ensure social distancing and safety, only one person or members of the household or social bubble may be in the lift at one time.
Yes, we welcome visitors with young children and buggies to come and enjoy the Museum. There is an accessible entrance and lift, if required. To keep routes in the Museum open and accessible, we ask that visitors please keep their buggy with them for the duration of their visit - there is no buggy parking available at this time.
Yes, our toilets, accessible toilets, and changing facilities will all be open and can be used during your visit. Toilets are being regularly checked and cleaned throughout the day.
