Short course
The History of Oxford Art Collections
Course status:
Applications being accepted
Dates and time:
01/10/2026 - 29/10/202614:00 - 16:00
Study format:
In-person weekly
Fees:
£190.00
The museum and gallery collections of Oxford University are justly renowned for their richness, diversity and eccentricity.
This series of guided site visits will introduce you to the remarkable history of Oxford’s collections.
We will discover how the ‘cabinet of antique curiosities’ originally bequeathed by Elias Ashmole in the seventeenth century gave rise to the world’s first public museum: the Ashmolean Museum. We will discover how the rapidly growing collections of the Ashmolean in turn led to the foundation of new museums encompassing science, natural history, and, in the unique form of the Pitt Rivers collection, anthropology.
We will also explore the magnificent Baroque architecture of the Sheldonian Theatre – before returning to the Ashmolean Museum to investigate its unique dual role as a museum of art and archaeology.
Please note, we will be visiting museums on site and therefore a certain level of mobility is required.
Please note: students will have to arrange their own transport for the field trip, and cover the cost of any entry fees.
Book this course
Book your place online using the button below.
Course starts Thursday 1 October 2026
This is an in-person course which requires your attendance at the weekly meetings in Oxford on Thursdays, 2.00-4.00pm.
Week 1: Course Introduction – Connoisseurs to Curators
Week 2: Site Visit 1 – Ashmolean Museum. Guy Fawkes’ Lamp to Arthur Evans.
Week 3: Site Visit 2 – History of Science Museum.
Week 4: Site Visit 3 – Oxford University Museum of Natural History / Pitt Rivers Museum.
Week 5: Site Visit 4 – Ashmolean Museum. Baroque to Neoclassicism.
Course aims
To provide a general introduction to some of the main museum and gallery collections of Oxford.
Course objectives
- To introduce students to the broad institutional histories of the main Oxford museums and galleries.
- To provide students with a critically informed overview of some of the most significant curatorial and theoretical issues associated with the acquisition and display of these collections.
- To acquaint students with the diversity of content which is characteristic of the collections concerned.
Learning outcomes
By the end of this course, students will:
- Situate Oxford’s major museums and galleries within their broader institutional and historical contexts
- Critically evaluate some key curatorial and theoretical issues related to the acquisition and public display of such collections.
- Analyse the collections and content of a range of collections and institutions.
Level and demands
The Department’s Weekly Classes are taught at first year undergraduate level.
No prior knowledge is required.
Please note, we will be visiting museums onsite and therefore a certain level of mobility is required.
Teaching methods
The course will consist of both classroom presentations, and guided site visits to galleries and museums in Oxford. The approach throughout will be one which aims to actively foster interactive and accessible learning.
Assessment methods
This course is not accredited, so there are no assessments or coursework.
Dr David Morgan
David Morgan has taught Art & Architectural History for Oxford Lifelong Learning since 2004. He has also taught courses for Birkbeck College, and the WEA. His recent publications have centred upon the history of British visual satire, and the application of Lacanian psychoanalytic theory to the visual arts.
Digital badge
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be issued with an official digital badge from the Department for Continuing Education, University of Oxford. In order to be issued with your badge, you will need to have attended at least 80% of the course.
After the course, you will receive an email with a link and instructions on how to download your digital badge. You will be able to add this badge to your email signature and share it on social media if you choose to do so.
Fees
| Description | Costs |
|---|---|
| Course fee | £190.00 |
Funding
If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, or are a care-leaver in the UK, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:
Concessionary fees for short courses
Recommended reading
Recommended reading is optional and you are not required to purchase these books to study this course.
Library facilities
All weekly class students may become borrowing members of the Rewley House Library, part of the Bodleian Libraries, for the duration of their course. Prospective students whose courses have not yet started are also welcome to use the Library for reference.
- More information about the Library can be found on the Bodleian Libraries website.
- This guide for Weekly Class students also provides further information.
Preparatory reading
- The Ashmolean Museum: A Brief History / MacGregor, Arthur
- The Ashmolean Museum : crossing cultures, crossing time / Wodehouse, Katherine
Module code: O26P463ARW
How to enrol
Please use the ‘Book now’ button on this page.