Living in Oxford
Find clubs, museums, parks, theatres, festivals and other activities that are happening in Oxford
University Club
The University Club welcomes university and college staff and graduate students. The Club offers a bar, café, gym, all-weather pitch, sports field and accommodation for members and guests.
Visit the University Club
Newcomers' Club
This organisation is based at the University Club, which welcomes the wives, husbands and partners of visiting scholars, of graduate students and of newly appointed academic members of the University. It offers help, advice, information and the opportunity to meet others socially.
Join the Newcomer's Club's
Oxford area Higher Education Staff LGBT network
A social network for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender staff at the University of Oxford, Oxford Brookes University and Oxford University Press.
Find out more about the Higher Education Staff LBGT network
Oxford Research Staff Society (OxRSS)
Join this social and professional network for researchers at the University.
Visit the OxRSS website
Oxford Women’s Network
Many female staff and students at the University are a member of this social and professional network.
Find out more about the Women's Network
Oxford University Sport
University staff are eligible to use the University Sports Centre. Most facilities are based at the sports complex on Iffley Road, which includes an athletics stadium, football pitch, tennis courts, and swimming pool. Membership charges and some booking charges apply.
Student clubs and societies
There are over 400 student-run clubs and societies across the collegiate University, many of which are open to staff. They range from drama and music to over 80 different sports clubs.
Find a society on the Register of Student Clubs
University lectures and talks
Lectures and talks which are open to members of the University are listed
- in the Gazette
- on the website Oxford Talks
- on the staff events page
Language courses
Courses in a range of foreign languages are run by the University Language Centre. The Centre supports University and college staff who need foreign languages for research, study and personal and professional development.
Continuing Education
The University’s Department for Continuing Education offers over 600 short and part-time courses. They include
- evening and weekend classes
- residential and summer schools
- undergraduate and graduate level qualifications
- professional development programmes
The City of Oxford hosts a series of events and festivals throughout the year, including:
- Oxford Science Festival - a three-week festival in March, which aims to engage and enthuse people about science
- Oxford Literary Festival - a week-long literary festival held in venues across Oxford in late March or early April
- May Day -when the choristers of Magdalen College School sing an invocation to summer from the top of Magdalen College Great Tower at 6am on 1 May
- Artweeks - a visual arts festival held during May, when artists and crafts people open their homes and studios to the public
- Oxford May Music - a classical music festival combining concerts and lectures that explore music, science and literature
- Oxford Pride - a one-week festival in June, which brings together lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual communities
- Cowley Road Carnival - a one-day carnival held in East Oxford in July involving dance, theatre, and music
- Oxford Open Doors - a weekend event in September when University, college and city venues open their doors to the public
- Oxford Lieder Festival - a two-week festival of song, which takes place in late October
What's on
Oxford’s museums and libraries contain collections of international importance. Details of events and exhibitions can be found on the Events page of the University website.
For more information, visit the collection's websites:
- Ashmolean Museum
- Bodleian Libraries
- History of Science Museum
- Museum of Natural History
- Pitt Rivers Museum
Volunteering
Are you interested in helping out at one of the museum? Find out more about volunteering opportunities.
The collegiate University has a long and distinguished reputation in music. Some college choirs, such as the Christ Church, Magdalen and New College choirs, can be traced back centuries. Oxford Philomusica is the University’s professional orchestra in residence, while the Oxford University Orchestra is a student orchestra of professional calibre.
The city also has a thriving music scene. Jazz venues include The Spin at the Wheatsheaf (High Street), while the Oxford O2 Academy (Cowley Road) hosts both local and international bands. Oxford Contemporary Music promotes a wide range of new music, from contemporary classical music to experimental rock and world music.
Find out more via the links below:
Oxford boasts a large amount of green space, including beautiful riverside walks, the University Parks, the oldest botanic garden in the country, and college gardens.
University Parks is open to the public almost every day of the year until dusk.
Founded in 1621, the Botanic Garden collections have been used in teaching, research and conservation for almost 400 years.
Six miles south-east of the city, you can enjoy Harcourt Arboretum, which contains one of the finest collections of mature trees in the country. Entrance is free on presentation of a University Card.
Wytham Woods, a 400-hectare expanse of woodland and grassland, lies three miles north-west of Oxford and can be reached via Wolvercote or the northbound A34. Entrance is free but you need to apply at least two weeks in advance for a permit. Permits are valid for three years.
Theatre
Oxford is home to a number of theatres, including
There are also some resident theatre companies in Oxford, including Creation Theatre Company and the Oxford Shakespeare Company, which specialises in open-air theatre.
Each year, a major theatrical figure is appointed as Cameron Mackintosh Visiting Professor of Contemporary Theatre to give a series of lectures and workshops. Past names include Richard Attenborough, Patrick Stewart, Kevin Spacey, Michael Frayn, Trevor Nunn, Meera Syal and Stephen Fry.
Cinema
Cinema-goers have a choice of four cinemas in the city:
- Phoenix Picture House on Walton Street
- Odeon cinemas on George Street and Magdalen Street
- Ultimate Picture Palace, just off Cowley Road
- Vue multiplex on the outskirts of Oxford
Events
Information about events in and around Oxford can be found in
