The Pitt Rivers, Oxford

Hidden away behind the Natural History Museum in Oxford is the Pitt Rivers. You will never find another museum quite like it. Tall wooden cases of objects pile on top of each other, with barely enough room for the wheelchair to get between them. Tiny little typewritten and handwritten labels identify the bizarre and random artefacts on display, each case hiding away even more objects in their narrow drawers. An exercise in anthropology, the Pitt Rivers is inimitable.

And the artefacts! From modern cultural dress to tiny musical instruments, to swords, to model boats, to shrunken heads (I avoided the last one); you will never come across such an eclectic collection (or museum) again.

Our visit to the Pitt Rivers followed on from our exploration of the Natural History Museum (blog post here). We covered the Pitt Rivers' main showroom floor and the third floor, and that was more than enough for me: two museums in one day is a lot for my head to process. When we were done I needed some sustenance and then rest.

Wheelchair 3/5:

Access in my little wheelchair was okay; we managed to get between all of the cases with only a little difficulty. However, anything bigger would struggle. Also, whilst the Pitt Rivers distinctive display cases are integral to the museum's atmosphere, a lot of them are quite tall making it difficult to see the displays from a seated position.

Sensory Input 2/5:

The museum is kept on the darker side, meaning you often have to squint to read things, and is very cramped, with things to look at every which way you turn. It is a lot to process.

Food & Facilities 3/5:

It is easy to access all of the facilities available in the Natural History Museum, housed alongside the Pitt Rivers.

Travel 4/5:

If, like me, you visit the Natural History Museum and the Pitt Rivers in one day, you can park in the disabled bays for either museum. There are also a few pay and display spaces relatively nearby. Oxford has many Park & Ride services and their are some bus services from the train station. For more information go here.

Overall: 3/5 / We spent around forty-five minutes inside of the museum, and spent fifteen minutes in the car travelling there and back.

*I currently have moderate ME, meaning I use a wheelchair pushed by someone else, and a walking stick. Please take into account your own physical capabilities when planning a trip, if you need to start small then start small. Look into what you can see nearby for when you're ready. Although, when at my best, I may be able to post every 1-2 weeks, that does not mean I am well enough to travel that frequently! Many of my posts come from a backlog of trips taken over the past few years.

  

Photographs by Emily Bailey