Museum of the History of Science

Please note: Estates will be reviewing all departments access information via departmental administrators during michealmas 2010. If, in the meantime, you would like to update your information please contact disability@admin.ox.ac.uk. As some of the information is now out of date please use caution when refering to these webpages and contact the department direct for current Access information.

Broad Street. Tel. (01865) 277280

Museum of the History of Science Library Website

The museum of the History of Science is housed in the seventeenth century Old Ashmolean Building adjacent to the Sheldonian Theatre. It is a specialist Museum, open to the public Tuesday to Saturday, 12.00-4.00pm, Sunday 2.00-5.00pm; the Museum library is accessible to the public on request. The Museum gallery collections consist mainly of antique scientific instruments. The Museum and library are used as resources by Oxford University students taking History of Science MSc (covering the study of the history of science, technology, scientific instruments and museum studies), other history, science courses, and arts courses e.g. at the Ruskin School of Drawing. The Museum is seldom used by undergraduates, except those taking specific options in History finals or Part II Chemistry. It has not been possible to adapt this historic building to provide access for wheelchair users to the middle and upper galleries.

The main entrance to the museum is up 15 steep stone steps leading to heavy double doors that open onto the middle gallery. There are no rooms at the ground floor level. The upper and lower galleries and staff offices are reached from the middle gallery by a central staircase. The library is housed in the basement area and is accessed by an external staircase consisting of 21 stone steps.

A lift has recently been installed in the Sheldonian Yard, which is approached through the entrance to the yard adjacent to the Museum. There is a bell on the exterior wall of the left-hand side gate pillar, at the foot of the main steps on Broad Street, allowing people with a disability to call for assistance to use the lift. The lift provides access to the basement galleries, containing eighteenth and nineteenth century objects, the special exhibition gallery, the Museum's on-line website and database, the wheelchair accessible toilet, the library and the seminar rooms. Wheelchair users are advised to phone the Museum in advance of making a visit to ensure that access is available.