Historic Oxford city skyline with brick buildings and church spires under a bright blue sky

The Story Museum

Discover the Stories of the Past

The Story Museum highlights the human need for stories and celebrates the many ways that people can benefit from them.

Our vision is to enrich lives, especially young lives, through stories. Our mission is to achieve this by collecting great stories and sharing them in great ways at our most unusual Museum. Through immersive exhibitions and gallery spaces, events and outreach work, we celebrate stories in all forms and explore their enduring power to teach and delight.

SHARE GREAT STORIES IN GREAT WAYS WITH OUR VISITORS

Through our imaginative exhibitions and exciting programme of performances, events, workshops, clubs and skills-building courses, we engage people of all ages in great stories. Our activities are interactive, multi-sensory and designed to encourage parents, carers and children to spend time together enjoying stories in many different ways.

OFFER FUN, ENGAGING AND EFFECTIVE WORKSHOPS FOR SCHOOLS

Our schools workshops are based on many years of experience in engaging children with learning and literacy. Half and full-day workshops are led by teaching professionals, delivering curriculum-based and enriching activities that immerse participants in language, stories and ideas.

ALICE'S DAY

Each year on the first Saturday of July, The Story Museum coordinates a city-wide festival celebrating Alice in Wonderland. This family festival involves organisations across the city from museums and galleries to shops and community groups, all putting together a programme of events and activities, most of which are free.

CREATE IMPACTFUL PROJECTS WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Stories are a brilliant way of bringing people together, sharing experiences and nurturing skills. We work with selected schools and community partners to bring about positive change for groups and individuals.

RESEARCH, COLLECT AND SHARE 1001 STORIES

We’re collecting 1001 of the world’s greatest stories: from different times and places, and in different forms. This means gathering versions of each story as well as objects that relate to them and their creators. We consult widely with audiences and experts to select stories that are memorable and enjoyable. We research them and find new ways of bringing them to life. Our Collection is dynamic, evolving each year to reflect changing tastes and capture new stories as well as re-discovered classics.