Pitt Rivers Museum
Ultimate Guide to the Pitt Rivers
The Pitt Rivers Museum is one of the best museums in the city. To help you with your trip, we’ve put together the ultimate guide to the Pitt Rivers Museum for you to enjoy!
The Pitt Rivers Museum is one of Oxford’s most popular attractions, famous for its period atmosphere and outstanding collections from many cultures around the world, past and present. The museum was founded in 1884 by Lt-General Augustus Pitt Rivers, who donated his collection to the University of Oxford with the condition that a permanent lecturer in anthropology must be appointed.
The original donation consisted of approximately 22,000 items; this has now grown to 500,000 items, many of which have been donated by travellers, scholars and missionaries. The highlights of their collection include:
- a number of shrunken heads, also known as tsantas, from South America
- a 2500-year-old cylindrical glass bead from Cyprus which features a human face on both sides
- an ox-scapula shovel found in Avebury which dates to between 2900 and 2600BC
The Museum staff are involved in teaching Archaeology and Anthropology at the University even today. They also have a wide range of family friendly events which you can check out here. You can find out more about all the Oxford museums and other amazing sights in the city by booking a Private Tour with us!
Mon 12:00 – 16:30
Tue – Sun 10:00 – 16:30
Details
Pitt Rivers Museum South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PP, England
Shrunken Heads
Getting Here By Tube
Oxford Train Station
Getting Here By Bus
High Street Bus Stop T3, T3, L3, L1, L2, T1, T2
Getting Here By Car
Broad Street Car Park, 52 Broad St, Oxford OX1 3BS
VISIT THIS SITE ON AN OXFORD PRIVATE TOUR
You can find out more information of this site, and some of the most iconic sites in the city, on a private Oxford Walking Tour!
For more information, click here