Ashmolean Museum - Book now for Labyrinth, and much more this spring.

 

JANUARY AT THE MUSEUM Happy New Year from all of us at the Ashmolean Museum. We're excited to share that tickets are now available for our next major exhibition! Begin the year by planning your trip to see Labyrinth: Knossos, Myth & Reality, see our free exhibition, Dia al-Azzawi: Painting Poetry and discover our latest programme of events. MAJOR EXHIBITION BOOKING NOW OPEN LABYRINTH KNOSSOS, MYTH & REALITY OPENS 10 FEB 2023 This will be the first UK exhibition to focus on Knossos and will include over 100 objects which have never left Crete and Greece before. According to legend, an elaborate labyrinth was built at Knossos on the island of Crete to hold a ferocious Minotaur. Join us to discover the palace of Knossos, and the search for the Labyrinth. Members go for free. Book your tickets Become a Member LABYRINTH CURATOR'S TALK WED 22 FEB, 5–6PM | THE TAYLORIAN, ST GILES Join Dr Andrew Shapland, curator of our upcoming major exhibition Labyrinth: Knossos, Myth & Reality, and trace the history of the exploration of Knossos, from the early travellers searching for the mythical Labyrinth to more recent discoveries. Members are invited to join an exclusive curator-led tour of the exhibition, followed by drinks, after this event. Visit our website for the full details. Become a Member. Book your tickets DIA AL-AZZAWI PAINTING POETRY ضياء العزاوي رسم الشعر NOW OPEN, GALLERY 8 'The Arab world's most influential living artist', Dia al-Azzawi is best known for monumental and colourful canvasses. His work spans many genres, including a type of artist book known in Arabic as 'dafatir'. This free exhibition includes drawings and prints, as well as a monumental ten-metre tapestry immortalising the impact of war on the city of Mosul, which is on public display for the first time. Find out more ONE WORLD FAMILY FESTIVAL 11 & 12 FEB, 12–4PM Celebrate the many communities and faiths of Oxfordshire through a dazzling array of activities, performances, talks and crafts for all ages. From an Iraqi fashion show to a Jewish musical medley and Bollywood dancing to laughter yoga, there's something for everyone at this fantastic weekend festival. This is a FREE event and activities are available on a drop-in basis. Find out more BRING BABY LECTURES MYTH AND REALITEA WED 25 JAN, 10–11AM This new series of monthly baby and toddler friendly lectures allows you to feed your inquisitive mind while minding your tiny tots. Learn more about the myths and reality of tea production and drinking throughout history, and discover how this history is reflected in the Ashmolean’s collections with tea sommelier, Valerie Diederichs. Book your tickets ASHMOLEAN SHOP ONLINE JEWELLERY, STATIONERY, PRINTS AND MORE... We're excited to share that the Museum gift shop is currently being refurbished! Look our for news about the shop re-opening next month. Until then, you can find our pop-up shop in the Headley Lecture Theatre and shop our beautifully curated collection online. Shop online AFTERNOON TEA AT THE ROOFTOP RESTAURANT Get together with friends this January and make the grey days brighter with a delicious afternoon tea. Our moreish vegan afternoon tea includes mini red velvet cakes, Ashmolean tea-infused bread and a selection of sumptous sandwiches. View the menu and book your table

Ashmolean Museum - Uncover extraordinary stories this September

 

SEPTEMBER AT THE MUSEUM Uncover extraordinary stories using your smartphone, delve into the visual world of the Iceni, and discover the many connections between the Pre-Raphaelites and the city of Oxford. Plus, grab your tickets to see Tutankhamun's Shoes, an interactive family opera! SMARTIFY AUDIO TOUR Unlock extraordinary stories Explore remarkable objects and artworks using your smartphone with our new FREE Smartify audio tour. Download Smartify to access the Ashmolean Highlights Tour and uncover some of the stories within our collection, with more to come. Find out more 'TUTANKHAMUN'S SHOES' FAMILY OPERA At the Museum Fri 28 Oct, 5.30–8pm Join us for a unique evening of interactive opera and family activities inspired by Ancient Egypt, to mark the 100th anniversary of the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922. Suitable for adults and for children aged 7–11. Book your ticket PRE-RAPHAELITES Drawings & Watercolours Until 27 Nov ★ ★ ★ ★ The Observer 'An extraordinary array of artworks' Alessandro via Twitter 'A fascinating collection of portraits and landscapes demonstrating the full range of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood’s talents' Iain via Twitter 'pure, dead brilliant!' Deirdre via Instagram Book your tickets Find out more about the exhibition OXFORD AND THE PRE-RAPHAELITES STORY Uncovering the Oxford connections The fact that the Ashmolean has such a rich collection of works by the Pre-Raphaelites is a result of the many connections between the artists of the movement and the city of Oxford. Our latest story takes a look at these key connections across the city. Upcoming event: The Pre-Raphaelites in Oxford Wed 2 Nov, 2–3pm, online and at the Museum Join Senior Curator Colin Harrison to discover the lives and works of Pre-Raphaelite artists while they were in Oxford, and the many other connections with the city. Read the story Book your event tickets WIN A 5-STAR OXFORD CITY BREAK With the Old Parsonage Hotel & The Oxford Collection To celebrate Pre-Raphaelites: Drawings & Watercolours we’re giving you the chance to win a luxurious city break in Oxford. You’ll enjoy an overnight stay in one of the Old Parsonage Hotel's brand-new Churchill Suites, with breakfast included and a bottle of Pol Roger on arrival. Plus, dinner for two at your choice of any of The Oxford Collection's stunning restaurants. Submit your entry FROM JULIUS CAESAR TO BOADICEA A Century of Icenian Coins Money Gallery Closing soon - ends 2 October This FREE display delves into the fantastic visual world of the Iceni – an Iron Age community that inhabited present-day East Anglia. This is Boadicea’s tribe who fought against the Roman Empire in AD 60/61. The artefacts in this display provide a perfect opening ground to explore the history of this community.⁠ ⁠ Find out more NEW ASHMOLEAN BEER Available at the Museum and Online We are delighted to share that we have partnered with Hook Norton Brewery to develop our very own Museum beer. Last month we saw the Ashmolean IPA arrive in traditional style - delivered by Heavy Horse to the Museum. If you caught a glimpse of the delivery or have a bottle to enjoy, share your photos with us on social media @ashmoleanmuseum. You can find the Ashmolean IPA in our Museum shop, in-person and online, or enjoy a chilled bottle in our Rooftop Restaurant or cafe. Shop online MORE UPCOMING EVENTS

THE PRE-RAPHAELITES Online & at the Museum Fri 16 Sept, 2–3pm Delve deeper into the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood with Alice Foster. Uncover how they were pioneers of new techniques and were inspired by medieval art. Book your ticket CRACKING ANCIENT CODES Online & at the Museum Fri 7 Oct, 2–3pm Join Andrew Robinson to explore how scholars have tackled deciphering ancient scripts like the Etruscan alphabet and early writing systems. The third event in our series on decipherment. Book your ticket BIRDS AND THE BEES: COLOUR IN VICTORIAN NATURE Online Talk Wed 19 Oct, 2–3pm In this online Print Room talk Madeline Hewitson will delve into Victorian artists’ use of colour and their pull to revel in the offerings of the natural world. Book your ticket