Oxford Univ Museum of Natural History

About this activity

The Oxford University Museum of Natural History is a fascinating day out for all the family. This museum houses the world-renowned University's scientific collections of zoological and geological specimens which makes for a fascinating exploration through the past!

You can bask in awe at enormous Japanese spider crabs or gaze in awe at fossils that go back 2.7 billion years! These are some of the oldest on Earth! The museum is a treat in itself being housed in a beautiful old Gothic building where dinosaurs, the dodo and over 250 000 other specimens make their home!

The Oxfordshire dinosaurs are some of the real stars of the show and always bring a crowd. Oxfordshire is a dinosaur hunters dream being home to the first dinosaur ever to be described, the mightily named Megalosaurus! This monstrous lizard is on display alongside the king of dinosaurs. the mighty T-Rex! Try and not get scared when you get outside because there's also some huge dinosaur footprints hidden amongst the grounds!

If you're looking for something even older than the dinosaurs than maybe the Nantan Meteorite might take your fancy! This rock is easily one of the oldest specimens in the museum's collection dating from 4 5 billion vears agol It's believed the meteorite broke up 1516 however it wasn't found in rural China till 1958. It originates from the asteroid belt, a group of rocks orbiting the sun between Mars and Jupiter. Out of this world!

If vou want to know more about this then the museum offers guided tours around all it's fascinating exhbits but the family trails are the stars of the showl Tackle the Tackle the "Dinosaur Detective'? Apparently there's dinosaurs lurking in the building and they need your help!

Whatever your interest in the natural world the Oxford University Museum of Natural History is the perfect fun family day out!