Ongoing until 31 October: The Burford Tolsey Museum has two exhibitions open throughout the summer, Burford during World War II, commemorating 80 years since the end of the War, and Helen Bryce: an artist’s lasting contribution to Burford. Entry to the museum and the exhibitions is free, seven days a week, 2pm-5pm.
Saturday 1 November, 7:30pm: Launch of the new book by Oxford-based writer and photographer Martin Stott, Bartlemas: Oxford’s hidden sanctuary, published to mark the 900th anniversary of the founding of the leper hospital at Bartlemas in East Oxford. Caper bookshop on Magdalen Road in East Oxford. There will an accompanying exhibition from 1 to 9 November at the same venue. More details here.
Friday 7 November, 7:30pm: Book launch reception for the latest book from the Tolsey Press, Burford’s Wartime Stories. Baptist Church, Burford. Find out more here.
Friday 7 November, 2:30pm to 4:00pm: a seminar on Oxford’s Black and Muslim migration stories, part of Who Makes History? hosted by Oxford University’s Community History Hub, at the Schwarzman Centre, Oxford. Free, but booking required. Find out more and book your place here.
Sunday 9 November to Sunday 7 December: 24 Men of Grandpont and Cold Harbour 1939-45, an exhibition to commemorate the men from South Oxford who died in the Second World War. Gives a fascinating insight into the war and how it affected one small suburban community. Visitors can learn about what Oxford – and South Oxford – were like in this period, about women’s roles, and wartime evacuees, and discover the stories of the local men who went to fight, their families and neighbours. St Matthew’s Church, Marlborough Road, OX1 4LW, open 10am to 12 noon on Mondays to Saturdays, and 2pm to 4pm on Sundays. Free and no need to book; further information here.
Wednesday 12 November, 1pm: The Museum of Oxford’s popular series of lunchtime talks continues, with historian Stephen Barker speaking on The Indian Army in the First World War: An Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry Perspective. Further information and booking here.
Friday 14 November, 2:30pm to 4:00pm: a seminar on The Car-Makers of Cowley, part of Who Makes History? hosted by Oxford University’s Community History Hub, at the Museum of Oxford. Free, but booking required. Find out more and book your place here.
Ongoing until Tuesday 18 November: From Conflict to Peace: Celebrating VE & VJ Day at the Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum (SOFO) in Woodstock. The exhibition explores what happened as the Second World War ended in Europe and the Pacific, from stories of Oxfordshire people and county regiments serving in the final stages of the conflict, to celebrations in the county itself. For more information and to share a story with the museum, click here.
Friday 21 November, 2:30pm to 4:00pm: a training workshop on Oral history skills, part of Who Makes History? hosted by Oxford University’s Community History Hub, at the Museum of Oxford. Free, but booking required. Find out more and book your place here.
Friday 28 November, 2:30pm to 4:00pm: Building your own community history project, with stalls featuring displays from organisations including the Oxfordshire History Centre, Oxfordshire Local History Association, and Oxford University’s Impact/Evaluation and Public/Community Engagement with Research teams, part of Who Makes History? hosted by Oxford University’s Community History Hub, at the Museum of Oxford. Free, but booking required. Find out more and book your place here.
Saturday 6 December, 5pm: a talk by architectural historian Harry Spain about the Church of St John the Evangelist in New Hinksey, South Oxford, and its nationally-renowned architect Sir John Ninian Comper. Part of the Dedication Festival to celebrate the church’s 125th anniversary. The talk is free and open to all; no need to book; find out more here.
Wednesday 10 December, 1pm: The Museum of Oxford’s popular series of lunchtime talks continues, with historian Tim Healey speaking on A 17th-century Christmas. Further information and booking here.
Saturday 10 January 2026: opening of a new exhibition, Warneford 200 – Mental Health Through the Ages at the Museum of Oxford. The exhibition is part of a project marking 200 years of mental health care at the Warneford Hospital in Oxford. The Warneford, which opened in July 1826, is the oldest psychiatric hospital still in clinical use in the UK. The Warneford 200 project will reflect on its long and complex history, recognising the experiences of patients, families, and staff whose stories have shaped the evolution of mental health care. Events running throughout 2026 will include a travelling exhibition, workshops, public lectures, oral histories, a garden installation and more, at locations all over Oxfordshire. Read more on the project website.
Ongoing until 31 January 2026: The latest free exhibition at the Vale & Downland Museum is Wantage Tramway – The Story of a Bucolic Roadside Steam Tramway. The display tells the remarkable story of the a roadside line that began as an ambitious local dream in the 1870s, became the world’s first steam-powered tramway, and served the community for over seventy years, carrying goods including coal and flour, wartime supplies, and market-day passengers. Further information here.
Ongoing until January 2026: The Museum of Oxford celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2025 with an exhibition entitled Our Oxford, 50 years, 50 stories. The display brings together fifty new stories about the heritage of the city, from a wide range of individuals and communities. Free entry.
Ongoing: The Museum of Oxford continues its popular series of free gallery tours, Stories of Oxford, led by knowledgeable and enthusiastic volunteers. From football to fairgrounds, marmalade to Morris Motors, patron saints to pubs, barges, bones, and all types of quirky customs, there’s something to interest everyone. Further information and booking here.
Saturdays, ongoing: tours of Oxford’s magnificent Town Hall take place twice a month on Saturdays at 11am. These are a great opportunity to see behind the scenes and to learn about the building’s fascinating history. Find out more here.
If you know of any relevant events which could be advertised on this page, please send details to: membership@olha.org.uk
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