Get ready for Oxford Open Doors on 9-10 September
Find out more about the amazing variety of things to do around town during Oxford Open Doors
Oxford Open Doors returns for its fifteenth year on Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 September, with events planned at more than 110 venues planned all over the city. Whether you’re looking for family-friendly activities or a chance to learn about the history some of Oxford’s most remarkable places, there’s something for you.
There’s an incredible range of things to do, from climbing the 99 steps to the top of Carfax Tower and touring parts of University colleges, libraries and museums that are usually off limits to the public, to watching expert stone carvers at work or tracing the ‘hidden heritage’ recorded in Oxford’s long history of graffiti.
Numerous parts of the University are included in the schedule for the weekend, with opportunities to explore everything from the many faces of the Bodleian Libraries to cutting-edge medical research facilities or the stunning gardens of the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies.
Buildings managed by Estates Services including the Examination Schools and the Sheldonian Theatre will be taking part, with tours of both and a free live concert in the latter from the Pavlova Wind Quartet, and St Luke’s Chapel on the ROQ will be opening its doors on both Saturday and Sunday.
The University Parks will be taking part for the first time – the team there are planning a programme of events on Saturday and Sunday, including talks on the park’s history, an exhibition of historical photos, guided tours of the park and some of its most magnificent plants, and a chance to take an up-close look at some of the tractors and other machinery staff use today. Visitors will also be able to take part in seed-sowing activities, with the option of taking their newly-planted seeds home with them.
Artist Emma Coleman-Jones will also be displaying a selection of her drawings of the trees in the park and will be on hand to advise and encourage visitors to participate in sketching some of its trees. Paper, charcoal and chalk will be available along with sketch maps of the Parks highlighting a selection of Emma’s favourite trees.
Nature lovers will be also able to join Dr Keith Kirby, who has spent decades researching the vegetation of Wytham Woods, to walk in the woods and find out about this famous site’s ecology.
Oxford Archaeology will have a stall near Oxford Castle, again on both Saturday and Sunday, at which they’ll be displaying some of the fascinating finds they’ve made recently while excavating in and around the city – including while surveying the area around Begbroke Science Park in preparation for the University’s plans to develop a unique new innovation district there. Visitors will be able to meet archaeologists and see a selection of discoveries from past sites as well as present ones as OA celebrate 50 years of activity.
There is far too much happening to mention even a small fraction of it here, so take a look at the programme and see what appeals to you.
Everything on offer is free, but while you are free to drop in to some of the activities whenever you like, space on others is limited so booking in advance is essential.
