One of the highlights of our trip to England was a visit to the Museum of Natural History in Oxford. Unknown previously to me, it was on our loose itinerary thanks to Chris and Rachel, our guides for most of the day we spent in Oxford. (They didn’t have any special insights into Oxford that warranted their role as guides, except that they had an extra evening in Oxford, and as we explored the masters level literature programs available at Roehampton University, they were able to pour over maps and information guides, excellently planning our wonderful day seeing all we could.)
There were a number of things that appealed to me. First, I appreciated the style of the architecture. I wish I could say what that style was exactly, but you can see from this photograph below that it had a wonderful ceiling and fairly ornate columns. As well, all around the outsides of the museum, on both levels, there were pillars made from marble collected from various parts of Great Britain. Each was labeled with its name and origin.
Second, the museum wasn’t that large, so in an hour or two you were able to browse the full collection and spend some time reading up on the various pieces. You didn’t have to rush through, but also didn’t feel that you missed anything. (My bad shoulder also appreciates museums that don’t let me linger for too many hours. It’s usually screaming at me after an hour supporting a bag with a camera and umbrella and not getting a chance to stretch, move and get a bit of exercise.)
Third, and most importantly, it was very accessible for all ages. It helps that it doesn’t cost anything to go in, but it also helps that the exhibits are a good mix of skeletons, stuffed animals (some of which are able to be gently touched and felt) and other creepy, crawly things in jars. This is just the kind of stuff that gets a child’s imagination running wild, and you could tell by the number of children in for field trips with babysitters and teachers that it accommodates very well for kids. They’re fascinated by it all and get visibly and audibly excited. Since the museum is really just one large open space, the sounds of the visitors speaking and sharing stories and exclamations, bounce off the ceiling and walls. This means the museum is not a hushed and solemn place, but also due to acoustic reasons beyond me, it’s not loud or full of echoes. It has just the right amount of ambient noise that you feel comfortable talking with your friends about all you’re seeing. (Maybe it’s all the concrete and stone around the outside and the high ceiling that absorbs some of the sound.)
Don’t believe me? Turn up the sound and hit play below for a sample.
Don’t forget to explore some of my other photographs over at my Flickr account and read some of Rachel’s accounts of the trip.
