The Story Museum, Oxford

Last week, I went to The Story Museum in Oxford. I last visited in 2018 during the Oxford Literary Festival and I was amazed by just how much it has changed!

Both the cafe and shop spaces have been enlarged, but the quality of the cake is still excellent! I had a sneaky slice of the lemon drizzle whilst waiting for my time slot to visit. It was a pleasure to hear excited voices and laughter from the school children who were enjoying the exhibition above me as I enjoyed the sunshine in the courtyard.

First, I boarded the Story Craft in the City of Stories exhibit. This took me on a flight through a thousand years of Oxford’s story history, visiting some of the city’s rich literary heritage. Powered by the audiences’ imagination, stories like ‘Beowulf’, ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’, ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ and ‘Lord of the Rings’ were visited, offering some background to the authors and their work whilst offering fantastic views of Oxford and the surrounding countryside.

Next, I visited the Whispering Wood where trees come alive at the touch of a magic wand, sharing stories from around the world. Following the pawprints of Firouz the Hare, I drifted from tree to tree, listening to tales about Anansi, King Arthur and Loki. The soft lighting created a magical atmosphere as each tree lit up and revealed its secrets.

I left the Whispering Woods and headed for The Treasure Chamber where I learned much about the art of creating comics. This interactive exhibition leads you through the process, drawing on some of the best known, much loved comic book characters.

In The Enchanted Library, I wandered into eight fantastic stories. I stood on Pooh’s bridge, Milne’s words echoing around me, as sticks floated along beneath me. Passing through fur coats hanging in a wardrobe, I found myself in an eternal winter where footsteps appeared in the snow as I heard of the first meeting between Mr Tumnus and Lucy.

With so much to see and do, The Story Museum is a wonderful place to visit, bringing the magic and mystery of stories to life!

The Story Museum can be found at:

42 Pembroke Street,
Oxford
OX1 1BP