The Museum of Oxford needs your help!
The new Museum of Oxford will be an accessible, community-led space for collaborative, inclusive conversations about Oxford’s rich heritage and our place in our city’s history.
But we need your help to ensure we can open. The pandemic has halted a major redevelopment project and caused delays. We need you to support your Museum, to make sure it can open in 2021.
(Above, Erica wearing a lobster tail helmet, photographed by Paul Nelson as part of the 'This is my object' project, working with students from local college)
Who are we?
The Museum of Oxford stands apart in a city of world-class museums. During lockdown we have been working to continue engaging local communities. Projects to collect stories of how people experience the pandemic were shared and collected through our ‘Oxford City Stories’ website. Three members of the, very small, Museum Team (a third of the staff) were directly involved in the local response, supporting some of Oxford’s most vulnerable residents. No museum in the city is better placed in understanding and working with its local residents, but we need your help to ensure we can open and share these stories.
How you can help
Every pound you donate will be used to ensure local children and young people have a Museum to learn about their heritage and the people they share their city with when things return to normal.
(Above, a family enjoying a craft activity in our temporary Micro-Museum)
It will mean that we can continue working with some of Oxford’s most vulnerable residents through our Memories and Moments, older peoples’ programme.
(Above, photograph from 'Windrush Years - Next Generations' exhibition launch)
It will see Oxford’s diverse communities represented in ground-breaking exhibitions – such as the award winning ‘Queering Spires’.
New displays of fascinating objects with fascinating stories will be available for all to see.
(Above, Annabelinda suit jacket)
The effect of the pandemic
The current crisis has impacted Oxford as it has cities across the country. Work to the Museum stopped as resources were diverted to respond to those most in need. Construction was delayed and the impact of the crisis has brought in new working restrictions, stalling the delivery of specialist materials and items, such as lifts.
A new Museum of Oxford is so close to being a reality. We are at 80% of the total funding needed for this £3.2million. Your help could ensure this fantastic resource is available for future generations to enjoy.
Some great rewards
Of course, the real reward here is ensuring that this fantastic learning resource is available for future generations, that the city's older people can engage in reminiscence activities to improve their wellbeing, and that underrepresented communities have their stories shared. But there are also some amazing and unique awards for your support.
We have one off tours of the new Museum to say thank you and private tours with the staff who helped to create it. We have some wonderful, limited edition prints created by local artist Rachel Barbaresi (pictured below) created on the Bodleian Library's historic printing press.
We can’t wait to welcome you to your Museum!
(Below, Rachel Barbaresi's limited edition print of Oxford pubs from the St Ebbes area)
(Above, the Museum of Oxford will be available to visit inside Oxford's Grade II* listed Town Hall)