Welcome

ASHMOLEAN FROM HOME

Click here to discover the Ashmolean, and enjoy the collections, from home.

The Ashmolean is the University of Oxford’s museum of art and archaeology, founded in 1683. Our world famous collections range from Egyptian mummies to contemporary art, telling human stories across cultures and across time.

The Museum is temporarily closed and will reopen when government guidance allows.

king feisal coronation baghdad august 1921

2 Mar

OWNING THE PAST

A talk exploring the complex history binding Iraq and the UK, from the First World War through the mandate and...

A talk exploring the complex history binding Iraq and the UK, from the First World War through the mandate and creation of the Hashemite monarchy

Online

The Day Dream, by Dante Gabriel Rossetti WA1939.6

FULLY BOOKED

4 Mar

PRE-RAPHAELITE PORTRAITURE

A workshop exploring the methods behind the delicate and exquisite drawings of Rossetti, with Artist, Kieran S...

A workshop exploring the methods behind the delicate and exquisite drawings of Rossetti, with Artist, Kieran Stiles.

Online

FULLY BOOKED

5 Mar

BABY ASHMOLES ONLINE

Singing and sensory play for babies. For parents/caregivers of babies under 1.

Online

7 Mar

SPRING FUSION

Multi-faith storytelling, performance & craft as part of our One World Festival series. Watch for FREE onl...

Multi-faith storytelling, performance & craft as part of our One World Festival series. Watch for FREE online.

Online

Landscape watercolour of two woman praying with a gold background

8 Mar

WOMEN'S WORK

In this online talk Alice Foster will unveil images of women at work throughout the ages.

Online

Brighton Pierrots (1915) by Walter Sickert at the Ashmolean Museum

11 Mar

20TH CENTURY BRITISH ART

A 3-week course looking at the important changes in British 20th Century Art, with Alice Foster, Art Historian...

A 3-week course looking at the important changes in British 20th Century Art, with Alice Foster, Art Historian.

Online

FULLY BOOKED

12 Mar

BABY ASHMOLES ONLINE

Singing and sensory play for babies. For parents/caregivers of babies under 1.

Online

FULLY BOOKED

19 Mar

BABY ASHMOLES ONLINE

Singing and sensory play for babies. For parents/caregivers of babies under 1.

Online

An Eastern Muslim (Indian) ship plying the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean, Ms Ar 5847 f.119v, Abu Zayd and Al-Harith sailing from Basra to Oman, miniature from Maqamat of al-Hariri (The Meetings), c.1240 by Yahya ibn Mahmud Al Wasiti, Gouache on Paper

19 Mar

KNOWLEDGE, NETWORKS AND NARRATIVES: THE INTERCONNECTED WORLDS OF THE INDIAN OCEAN

The book, the Archaeology of Knowledge Traditions of the Indian Ocean World historicises the shared heritage of...

The book, the Archaeology of Knowledge Traditions of the Indian Ocean World historicises the shared heritage of the pre-modern Indian Ocean region. A free online book discussion event...

The book, the Archaeology of Knowledge Traditions of the Indian Ocean World historicises the shared heritage of the pre-modern Indian Ocean region. A free online book discussion event with Dr Shailendra Bhandare,...

The book, the Archaeology of Knowledge Traditions of the Indian Ocean World historicises the shared heritage of the pre-modern Indian Ocean region. A free online book discussion event with Dr Shailendra Bhandare, Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford.

Online

Ancient Greek inscriptions on stone plaque

22 Mar

ANCIENT ATHENIAN INSCRIPTIONS IN THE ASHMOLEAN MUSEUM

This talk draws on the work of the AIUK project to explore the insights they offer about life and death in ancient...

This talk draws on the work of the AIUK project to explore the insights they offer about life and death in ancient Athens, and about early British engagement with ancient Greek material...

This talk draws on the work of the AIUK project to explore the insights they offer about life and death in ancient Athens, and about early British engagement with ancient Greek material culture in the 17th and 18th...

This talk draws on the work of the AIUK project to explore the insights they offer about life and death in ancient Athens, and about early British engagement with ancient Greek material culture in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Online

24 Mar

INTERPRETING THE ANCIENT ATHENIAN INSCRIPTIONS IN THE ASHMOLEAN MUSEUM

In this small workshop we examine ancient Athenian texts and iconography, thinking about their ancient readers...

In this small workshop we examine ancient Athenian texts and iconography, thinking about their ancient readers and audiences.

Online

Edward Coley Burne-Jones, The Knight's Farewell

24 Mar

THE QUEST FOR PERFECTION

A talk with Dr Fiona Mann exploring the complexities faced by Burne-Jones in working with traditional material...

A talk with Dr Fiona Mann exploring the complexities faced by Burne-Jones in working with traditional materials.

Online

Selection of Valentine's Day Shop Products

UP TO 50% OFF

ONLINE SHOP

Browse our spring shop sale, be inspired by our Mother's Day gift ideas, and find puzzles, games and boredom-busters.

Every purchase supports the Ashmolean.

SHOP ONLINE

FIND AN EPISODE

MUSEUM SECRETS

Our curators have been recording bite-sized tales of the wonderful, and sometimes unexpected, life of a museum. Explore time & asparagus, symbols of hope in challenging times, Ancient Greek manscaping, and more!

LISTEN TO EP. 3

OBJECTS OUT LOUD

From a magician who inspired Shakespeare, to poems woven into Japanese prints, this new podcast series will delve into the poetry and literature hidden in the collections. Starts Friday 5 February.

landscape detail st jerome reading in a landscape by giovanni bellini with a tablet ashmolean museum wa1899 cdef p1

HELP ENRICH LIVES

Despite the challenges of COVID-19, the Ashmolean remains committed to making its collections available to all. You can help the Museum to share its remarkable treasures beyond its walls and continue to reach those who are unable to visit in person.

DONATE TO OUR APPEAL

Membership Card with logos and depictions of birds

BUY ONLINE

GIFT MEMBERSHIP

Support the Museum and treat someone to free, unlimited access to our 2021 exhibitions, The Pre-Raphaelites: Drawings & Watercolours and Tokyo: Art & Photography, plus exclusive events and discounts.

BROWSE THE PRINT SHOP

PRINTS & CANVASES

Browse our collection of fine art prints from current exhibition imagery to highlights from across our collection.

ONLINE COLLECTIONS

Discover thousands of objects and artworks Take a journey through thousands of years of art and history with our online collection. There are currently more than 200,000 objects available to search and browse online.

Netsuke in the form of a rat, Kano Tomokazu, 1800-40

TREASURES

Take a look at a selection of the Ashmolean's most treasured objects, chosen by our curators.

WATCH

THINKING WITH THINGS

A video series taking a closer look at the Ashmolean's hidden treasures from new viewpoints.

READ & WATCH

STORIES

Enjoy our collection of videos and articles and discover more about our recent exhibitions and some hidden stories in the collections.

LISTEN

MUSEUM SECRETS

Bite-sized tales of the wonderful, and sometimes unexpected, life of a museum.

Ascanius shooting the stag of Sylvia landscape

WATCH

VIEWING ART MINDFULLY

A series of short videos, curators from the Ashmolean will guide you mindfully through a series of objects from the Museum's collection.

WATCH

1-MINUTE VIDEOS

Learn about the Ashmolean collections in under 1 minute! From Ganesha and cuneiform, to Samurai warriors and Pre-Raphaelite art.

LISTEN

OBJECTS OUT LOUD

Join us each Friday from 5 February to learn about a piece of writing inspired by objects in our collections.

DRAWING ACTIVITIES

Create a textured portrait, or try to keep pen to paper to create a colourful drawing

JIGSAW PUZZLES

We've turned some of our treasures into online jigsaw puzzles. How quickly can you solve them?

COLOURING SHEETS

Download printable colouring sheets from the Oxford Doodle Club, inspired by the collections at the Oxford University Museums

ANIMAL CROSSING PATTERNS

We've turned some of the Ashmolean's treasures into miniature artworks you can import into Animal Crossing.

LEARNING RESOURCES

Find sketchbook ideas, short films, downloadable PDFs, and more.

HOME LEARNING

Find ways to play and learn from home, with our new videos, quizzes, activities and games

Online Exhibition

YOUNG REMBRANDT

Colourful and detailed embroidered cushion cover

Online Exhibition

MEDITERRANEAN THREADS

Woodcut print depicting a man laying on a bed looking at a laptop

See the winning entries

ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE

CURATOR VIDEO

SCENE THROUGH WOOD EXHIBITION

LEARNING RESOURCES

Browse this section of the site to find sketchbook ideas, short films, downloadable PDFs, and more

Decorative Still-Life Composition with a Porcelain Bowl, Fruit and Insects

OPEN ARTS FILMS

Watch a series of free films, about Ashmolean artefacts and many others, made by Open Arts Objects to support the teaching of Art History

A woman stands on the first floor looking out over the atrium

Explore the floors of the Museum

Use our interactive floor guide to browse the galleries of the Ashmolean floor by floor and images of the objects they contain

BROWSE

BUY

Hunt in the Forest China Cup

£12.00

BUY

Tobacco Leaf Tin Plate

£6.50

BUY

The Oxford Colouring Book

£6.00

BUY

Alfred Jewel Brooch

£95

Membership gives you unlimited access to exhibitions, members-only previews and curator-led talks and tours, a members’ magazine and events handbook sent to your door, as well as discounts across our shop, restaurant and café.

Join us today – your support helps keep our permanent collections free.

JOIN NOW

ASHMOLEAN FROM HOME

UPCOMING ONLINE EVENTS

OWNING THE PAST

PRE-RAPHAELITE PORTRAITURE

BABY ASHMOLES ONLINE

SPRING FUSION

WOMEN'S WORK

20TH CENTURY BRITISH ART

BABY ASHMOLES ONLINE

BABY ASHMOLES ONLINE

KNOWLEDGE, NETWORKS AND NARRATIVES: THE INTERCONNECTED WORLDS OF THE INDIAN OCEAN

ANCIENT ATHENIAN INSCRIPTIONS IN THE ASHMOLEAN MUSEUM

INTERPRETING THE ANCIENT ATHENIAN INSCRIPTIONS IN THE ASHMOLEAN MUSEUM

THE QUEST FOR PERFECTION

ONLINE SHOP

LISTEN TO OUR NEW PODCASTS

MUSEUM SECRETS

OBJECTS OUT LOUD

HELP ENRICH LIVES

GIFT MEMBERSHIP

PRINTS & CANVASES

EXPLORE THE COLLECTIONS

ONLINE COLLECTIONS

TREASURES

STORIES, VIDEOS & PODCASTS

THINKING WITH THINGS

STORIES

MUSEUM SECRETS

VIEWING ART MINDFULLY

1-MINUTE VIDEOS

OBJECTS OUT LOUD

FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

DRAWING ACTIVITIES

JIGSAW PUZZLES

COLOURING SHEETS

ANIMAL CROSSING PATTERNS

LEARNING RESOURCES

HOME LEARNING

ONLINE EXHIBITIONS

YOUNG REMBRANDT

MEDITERRANEAN THREADS

ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE

SCENE THROUGH WOOD EXHIBITION

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

LEARNING RESOURCES

LEARNING RESOURCES

OPEN ARTS FILMS

SHOP ONLINE

Hunt in the Forest China Cup

Tobacco Leaf Tin Plate

The Oxford Colouring Book

Alfred Jewel Brooch

YOUR SUPPORT

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