Social and cultural

Oxford isn’t just about dreaming spires and dusty libraries—it’s a vibrant hub of culture, social life, and student-friendly experiences.

Diverse Entertainment in Oxford

Oxford has so much to offer our young people in their leisure time – seven theatres, five cinemas, seven museums (including the world-famous Ashmolean Museum, the oldest in the western world), a large number of picture galleries (including the amazing Christ Church Picture Gallery and the Modern Art gallery), an ice rink and bowling rink, some fourteen swimming pools, numerous sports grounds and facilities and clubs of all kinds – even punting on the river in the summer!

Museums & Theatres: A Cultural Haven

Oxford is home to an array of world-class museums and historic theatres.

Ashmolean Museum

Britain’s first public museum and one of the oldest museums in the world, with a huge array of objects on display, from Egyptian mummies to modern art.

Pitt Rivers Museum

A fascinating collection of more than 600,000 eclectic anthropological and archaeological objects from all over the world.

Museum of Natural History

Housed in a magnificent neo-Gothic building, the museum features dinosaur skeletons, fossils and the famous dodo remains.

Modern Art Oxford

A contemporary art space featuring cutting-edge exhibitions, events, activities and workshops – as well as a great café!

Sheldonian Theatre

Attend a concert or a student play in one of Christopher Wren’s architectural masterpieces opened in 1669 as a venue for Oxford University graduation ceremonies.

Oxford Playhouse

One of the country’s leading regional theatres, Oxford Playhouse offers live performance, drama, dance, music and comedy – and a panto at Christmas!

Oxford's Vibrant Cultural Scene

For those interested in music, there are frequent performances and recitals at Oxford’s Holywell Music Room (the oldest concert hall in Europe), as well as in the Sheldonian Theatre, among the splendour of many Oxford University colleges, and in many of our theatres - and in October each year, the Oxford International Song Festival is held at various locations throughout the city.

Discover Other Gems Near Oxford

Of course, so many other places of interest are easy to get to from Oxford – the Bicester Village designer shopping centre is only 15 minutes by train, while London itself is just one hour.

We organise our own social activities and events as well as sharing events run by our Oxford partner schools and colleges, enabling our students also to mix with students from other local institutions. These include weekend day excursions by private coach to places like Warwick Castle, the Cotswolds, Bath, Stratford-upon-Avon and Windsor, as well as afternoon and evening activities like football, quizzes and film shows.

There are, in short, a myriad of after-school and weekend activities for our students to enjoy, either with their friends or by joining our own organised events.

Punting

A Classic Oxford Experience

No Oxford experience is complete without a punting adventure. Grab a group of friends and glide along the River Cherwell, taking in scenic views of the Botanic Gardens, Magdalen College, and Christ Church Meadows. You can hire a punt from Magdalen Bridge Boathouse or Cherwell Boathouse, and choose between self-punting or getting a chauffeured ride for a more relaxed outing.

Festivals & Events: Year-Round Fun

May Morning

a centuries-old tradition where the city gathers at dawn to welcome spring with choir singing, street performances and other celebrations.

Oxford Literary Festival

an opportunity to meet world-famous authors, journalists, intellectuals, historians and poets for dialogue and debate

Cowley Road Carnival

a colourful summer celebration of Oxford’s diverse culture with music, food and street performances.

Christmas Markets

get into the festive spirit with a huge number of stalls filling Broad Street, offering a huge range of seasonal gifts and produce.

Oxford Piano Festival

held every summer in some of Oxford’s most historic venues including the Sheldonian Theatre and Christ Church Cathedral.

St Giles’ Fair

dating from 1200, this funfair takes place in early September and fills the street of St Giles with stalls, rides, food, music – and people!

Diverse Food Scene in Oxford

There are countless numbers of cafés, sandwich bars, ice cream parlours and restaurants, sprinkled liberally throughout the city centre and some of the suburbs – Cowley Road alone has outlets selling food from more than 30 different nations.