Famed worldwide as a debating society, and also known for attracting prominent international speakers, Oxford’s legendary Union is largely off-limits to nonmembers. It is however possible to visit its library, home to some marvellous Pre-Raphaelite murals painted between 1857 and 1859 by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Morris and Edward Burne-Jones. Depicting scenes from the Arthurian legends, such as Arthur’s first victory with the sword Excalibur, they can be tricky to see on bright days, as they surround the flower-shaped windows.
Oxford Union
Oxford
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
7.52 MILES
One of the greatest stately homes in Britain, and a Unesco World Heritage Site, Blenheim Palace is a monumental baroque fantasy, designed by Sir John…
0.26 MILES
With its compelling combination of majestic architecture, literary heritage and double identity as (parts of) Harry Potter’s Hogwarts, Christ Church…
0.21 MILES
At least five kings, dozens of prime ministers and Nobel laureates, and luminaries such as Oscar Wilde, CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien have studied in Oxford's…
0.17 MILES
Britain’s oldest public museum, Oxford’s wonderful Ashmolean Museum is surpassed only by the British Museum in London. It was established in 1683, when…
0.52 MILES
Guarding access to a breathtaking expanse of private lawns, woodlands, river walks and even its own deer park, Magdalen ('mawd-lin'), founded in 1458, is…
0.45 MILES
If exploring an enormous room full of eccentric and unexpected artefacts sounds like your idea of the perfect afternoon, welcome to the amulets-to-zithers…
-
21.67 MILES
The glorious Stowe Gardens were shaped in the 18th century by Britain's greatest landscape gardeners. Among them was master landscape architect Lancelot …
-
24.71 MILES
Bibury's most famous attraction, this ravishing row of rustic cottages – as seen in movies like Stardust – was originally a 14th-century wool store,…
Nearby Oxford attractions
0.07 MILES
As Oxford colleges go, St Peter's is modest in age, size and decoration. Founded in 1929, it comprises a handful of architecturally contrasting buildings…
0.08 MILES
All that remains of St Martin's Church, demolished in 1896, this 13th-century landmark looms over what has been a crossroads for 1000 years. Climb the 99…
0.13 MILES
Dating its foundation to ‘about’ 1263, Balliol College claims to be the oldest college in Oxford, though its current buildings are largely 19th-century…
0.13 MILES
Founded in 1314, Exeter is known for its elaborate 17th-century dining hall, which celebrated its 400th birthday in 2018, and ornate Victorian Gothic…
0.15 MILES
Showcasing stimulating temporary exhibitions in its bright white airy galleries, and graced with a spacious cafe and a good shop, this excellent museum is…
0.16 MILES
Founded in 1555, this small college boasts a lovely 17th-century garden quad, designed by Sir Christopher Wren. Its exquisite chapel, a masterpiece of…
0.16 MILES
Conceived in celebration of Oxford’s unparalleled storytelling heritage, the Story Museum sprawls its way through a courtyard complex that includes…
0.17 MILES
Britain’s oldest public museum, Oxford’s wonderful Ashmolean Museum is surpassed only by the British Museum in London. It was established in 1683, when…