FAQs About Your Visit

From 19 July we will be maintaining Covid-secure measures to prioritise the safety of our visitors and staff. Pre-booking is still required, as we will continue to maintain a reduced capacity to allow for social distancing. Visitors should book in advance to guarantee entry.

We strongly request that visitors wear face coverings on site. Our team will continue to wear face coverings. We also encourage all visitors to check in with the NHS Test & Trace app.

We will review this guidance at the end of August to ensure the safety of our visitors and staff.

Entry to the Museum is now ticketed. All visitors must book a timed entry ticket online here.
We strongly request that visitors wear face coverings on site and also encourage all visitors to check in with the NHS Test & Trace app.
We ask that you keep a safe 2 metre distance from any visitors who are not part of your household or social bubble. Please be considerate of other visitors and staff.
Hand sanitiser stations are located throughout the Museum. Please wash or sanitise your hands regularly.
There are one-way routes in place in parts of the Museum; please follow the directional arrow signs.
If you feel unwell or are showing any symptoms of COVID-19, please postpone your visit to a later date.
We have been awarded We're good to go status for our safety measures.

Visitor Safety

How is the Museum ensuring that visitors are safe during their visit?

Limiting numbers with timed and ticketed entries: The Museum has introduced a ticketing system to control the number of visitors, in order to adhere to social distancing guidelines.
Outdoor ticket booth and queuing system: Pre-booked tickets must be scanned at the ticket booth outside the Museum before entry. A queuing system is in place to help visitors maintain 2 metre social distancing.
One-way systems: To help manage social distancing, some areas of the Museum will use one-way systems. We ask visitors to please follow any signage or advice from our Museum staff.
Face coverings: You will notice that our members of staff are wearing face coverings or are shielded behind Plexiglass as you enter. All visitors aged 11+ are strongly requested to wear a face covering in the Museum - exemptions are listed below.
Enhanced cleaning: Hand sanitiser stations will be available throughout the Museum for your use and we have introduced an enhanced cleaning regime.

Will I need to wear a face covering? Are there exemptions?

We are asking all visitors to please wear a face covering throughout their visit if possible. There are several reasons in line with Access and Equality guidelines, which allow exemption from wearing a face covering. Examples of face covering exemptions are:

Children under the age of 11
If you have a physical, neurological, mental or emotional condition that means you cannot put on, wear, or remove a face covering
If putting on, wearing, or removing a face covering would cause you severe distress
If you are travelling with, or providing assistance to someone who relies on lip reading to communicate
If you are asked to remove your face covering by a member of staff
If you require First Aid assistance or need to signal for urgent assistance from staff

If you need a member of staff to remove their face covering to talk to you, for example to lip read, please ask. We will be happy to help.

Ticketing Information

How do I book a ticket?

To book tickets for the Museum, please go to our Visit Us page. Tickets can be booked through our online booking system.

Do I need to book in advance?

Yes, all visitors will need to book a timed ticket in advance, to help us manage the Museum's reduced capacity, which allows for social distancing. Tickets are free and there is no booking fee but it is possible to make a donation to the Museum when booking.

You can book tickets on the day of your visit if tickets are still available for that day. Tickets are for entry to both the Pitt Rivers Museum and the Museum of Natural History.

Timed entry slots help us to manage the flow of visitors through the doors and minimise the need for queuing. Entry times will be every 15 minutes and will be available from 10.00 until 16.00 (1 hour before the museums close at 17.00). To avoid disappointment, please arrive at the entry time on your ticket.

Tickets are limited - if the time slot or date you are looking to book is not showing up, it is fully booked. In this case, please select an alternate time or date for your visit.

What does my ticket give me access to?

Your ticket will give you entry to both the Pitt Rivers Museum and the Museum of Natural History.

Will I have to bring my tickets with me?

Yes, all tickets must be scanned at the ticket booth prior to entry. Visitors who book online will receive an e-ticket attachment on their confirmation email and must either show the ticket on their phone/device or bring a printed ticket with them Visitors who arrive without a ticket may be refused entry.

What if I miss my entry time?

Please arrive promptly at the entry time stated on your ticket. Unfortunately we cannot guarantee entry if you arrive after your allotted entry time.

Does my timed ticket mean I have a limited time to visit?

Tickets are not time-limited; you can stay in the museums for as long as you wish until closing time.

Can I turn up on the day if I haven't booked?

It is possible to book advance tickets on the day, subject to availability, but we are not able to accommodate visitors who have not booked a ticket in advance.

Is there a limit on how many tickets I can book? Can I visit with a group?

In accordance with government guidance, we cannot currently accommodate groups, other than school and higher education group bookings.

Do I need to book a ticket for my carer?

Yes, all people visiting the museums are required to book a free ticket to enter.

What will happen to the personal information collected when I booked?

With your permission, the Pitt Rivers Museum and the Museum of Natural History are collecting information that will help support the government's Test and Trace programme. All of this information, along with any information that we would usually collect during the booking process, is collected and used in line with GDPR. Our Privacy Policy can be read at the following link: https://www.glam.ox.ac.uk/privacy-policy-ticketing.

Information about Your Visit

What parts of the Museum will be open?

All floors of the Pitt Rivers Museum and the Museum of Natural History are now open.

Can we buy refreshments?

The Horsebox Cafe will be open on the Museum Lawn, serving hot drinks and homemade cakes for visitors to eat outside.

There are no spaces in the Museum to eat or drink and we ask that visitors do not consume any food or drink other than water inside the museums.

Will the shop be open?

Yes, a joint Pitt Rivers Museum and Museum of Natural History shop will be open on the ground floor of the Museum of Natural History. We ask that visitors maintain social distancing while browsing in the shop and queuing.

Will you be running tours and talks in the galleries

For the safety of our visitors and staff, guided talks and tours will not be taking place until further notice.

Are buggies allowed in the Museum?

Yes, we welcome visitors with young children and buggies to come and enjoy the Museum. There is an accessible entrance and lift if required.

Will the toilets be open?

Yes, our toilets, accessible toilets and changing facilities will all be open. Toilets are being regularly checked and cleaned throughout the day.