Sixty years of stories: The Oxfordshire Museum celebrates a milestone birthday
For six decades, The Oxfordshire Museum has welcomed people through its doors to discover the county’s stories. As it marks its 60th birthday, it is inviting residents and visitors to celebrate its past and join the celebrations.
The County Museum officially opened in Woodstock on 15 October 1966. It found a fitting home at Fletchers House, a place with a long history of its own: people have lived on the site since 1279, while its oldest surviving tree was planted in 1798.
Since then, the museum has become a place where generations of families, schoolchildren and visitors can explore Oxfordshire’s heritage, enjoy exhibitions and events, and make memories of their own.
Councillor Neil Fawcett, Deputy Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “For sixty years, The Oxfordshire Museum has brought the county’s history to life and created lasting memories for generations of visitors. This milestone is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate everything that makes the museum special, from its fascinating collections and exhibitions to its activities for families and schools.
“Its success is thanks to the dedication of staff, volunteers, the Friends and everyone who has supported it over the years. I hope people will join the celebrations, share their own memories and continue to enjoy this much-loved museum for many years to come.”
The museum has seen significant change during its sixty years. When budget pressures threatened it with closure in the early 1990s, the public rallied to support it. With the help of lottery funding, a major renovation followed, bringing new galleries, a café and a shop to the site.
Another memorable chapter arrived in 2009, when the museum welcomed its own Megalosaurus and fossilised dinosaur footprints. They became part of a newly designed Dinosaur Garden, complete with Jurassic planting. The project attracted national press attention and was promoted by wildlife presenter Chris Packham.
Something for everyone
Today, the museum continues to thrive, welcoming around 115,000 visitors each year with a varied programme of exhibitions and events for all ages and interests.
Its Open Art Competition 2026 is on display until 1 November, showcasing work by Oxfordshire residents. This year’s theme, ‘celebration’, was chosen in honour of the museum’s milestone birthday.
It has also been a special year for the museum’s Learning team, which received two national heritage education awards. Staff and volunteers welcomed more than 3,300 people to summer holiday activities alone during the 60th birthday year.
Visitors can discover more about the museum’s history and highlights from the past sixty years in a special display throughout the museum.
With support from the Friends of The Oxfordshire Museum, a film has also been created to capture people’s memories of the museum. It will be available to watch in the museum’s galleries and online.
Edward Dowler, Chair of the Friends of the Oxfordshire Museum, said: "For over half of the museum’s sixty years, the Friends of the Oxfordshire Museum have been proud to support the museum and its work. We were pleased to fund a special film for the museum’s birthday celebrations and to help promote the museum’s proud history and the people who have played a part in it.”
Everyone is welcome to come and discover what The Oxfordshire Museum has to offer. Find out more by visiting the Museum’s website, or visit the Friends of The Oxfordshire Museum website to find out how to become a Friend.
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