Oxford: Then, Now, Future

Oxford: Then, Now, Future is running at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History until 6 November, having opened on 4 September. It's an exhibition that asks you to think about the Museum across time: what it was, what it is today, and what it might become.

That's a broad question, and the Museum has plenty of ground to cover. It's been a centre for world-leading research and scientific debate since it opened in 1860, and the building itself dates back to the 1850s, making it the world's first purpose-built natural history museum. Inside, it holds over seven million historical and modern specimens, so there's a huge amount of material to draw from when you start looking at how the place has changed over the years.

What's particularly nice about this one is who put it together. The display grew out of the Museum's Natural Science and Heritage Scheme, which brings together undergraduate and school placement students to work with the collections, the spaces, and the people of the Museum. So, rather than a curator's top-down view, it's something that came from students spending time on the inside, working directly with the stuff the Museum keeps.

It's open at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PW, and entry is free. If you're around the city, it's a good one to pop into before it closes on 6 November.