November at the Ashmolean

Exhibitions  |  Events  |  Membership  |  Shop One World Festival Celebrating Oxford’s Diversity Saturday 18 & Sunday 19 November FREE, no need to book Come and join us for a dazzling weekend of activities, talks and craft for all ages and find out more about how Oxford’s religious communities celebrate the festival of light. Enjoy food on the forecourt, dance and performance, live music, talks and tours, meditation, hands-on crafts and more.  Find out more Book Now Imagining the Divine Art and the Rise of World Religions Why do we think of Jesus Christ with a beard? Or Buddha as cross-legged? Today, the pictures people conjure when they think of the world’s major religions – Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism– are distinctive and immediately recognisable. But two thousand years ago that was not the case. Find out more & Book online Get in Free – Become a Member Click here to find out more "Pushes us back towards a far more fundamental level of religious imagining" – Rowan Williams "Unmissable... a fascinating journey through the art of religions from India to Ireland" – Mary Beard Christmas Cards & Shopping Visit our shop to find a beautiful range of Christmas cards inspired by the Ashmolean's collections. Our Museum shop is open every day until 23 December, or visit us online. All purchases support the Museum. Find out more Qu Leilei: A Chinese Artist in Britain Free exhibition open from 7 November Contemporary Chinese artist Qu Leilei (b. 1951) was a founding member of the avant-garde ‘Stars Group’ in the late 1970s, and immigrated to England in 1985. This exhibition shows his progression from calligraphic collage to an exploration of a new vocabulary of ink language blending lively brushwork with western technique. Find out more Members Week Until 5 November A week-long celebration to highlight and thank our Members for their vital support and for being a part of the Ashmolean's story. Members can enjoy a programme of exclusive events, activities, offers and discounts. Find out more

Venue Hire Exclusive 10% discount We are excited to announce the availability of a new exclusive event space, for a limited time only. This uniquely flexible and contemporary gallery space on the lower ground floor is perfect for evening dinners, daytime meetings, launch events and presentations, or even a Christmas party. Receive a 10% discount on venue hire for events held in November and December when you mention this newsletter at the time of booking. Find out more Talks, Tours & Workshops November Events Listen to music in the galleries, explore Jewish treasures, be inspired by Japanese ceramics, and discover Van Gogh, St Edmund, Celtic embroidery and much more this month.   Find an event Family Fun Free Activities Hunt for flowers, bugs and skulls at our Saturday Ashventure on 11 November, with stories, gallery hunts, games and crafts. Little Ashmoles (aged 3–5) can also join us this month for a Minibeast Feast every Thursday morning this month. Find out more Members Christmas Party 4 December Enjoy festive drinks, canapés and Christmas music, and join curators as they muse on objects in our collections. Open to all Ashmolean Members and their guests. Book your place

At The British Museum Living with gods: peoples, places and worlds beyond Until 8 April 2018 Beliefs in spiritual beings and worlds beyond nature are characteristic of all human societies, through time and across the world. This expansive exhibition reflects on how people believe through everyday objects of faith. Find out more At The Jewish Museum Designs on Britain Until 15 April 2018 Much of the most iconic 20th-century design was shaped by the arrival of Jewish émigré designers from continental Europe. See the classic designs that have been embraced by generations. Find out more

Ashmolean Museum - "Unmissable" Imagining the Divine exhibition Now Open

Exhibitions  |  Events  |  Membership  |  Shop

EXHIBITION NOW OPEN Imagining the Divine Art and the Rise of World Religions "Unmissable… a fascinating journey through the art of religions from India to Ireland" – Mary Beard Why do we think of Jesus Christ with a beard? Or Buddha as cross-legged? Today, the pictures people conjure when they think of the world’s major religions – Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism– are distinctive and immediately recognisable. But two thousand years ago that was not the case. This unprecedented exhibition showcases some of the world’s oldest religious art from India to Ireland, and reveals how the exchange of ideas and objects in the first millennium influence our thinking about the Divine today. On display are the first known depiction of Christ north of the Alps, as well as some of the first surviving Qurans. BOOK NOW Get in Free – Become a Member Ashmolean Members get in FREE to all exhibitions – including Imagining the Divine – and enjoy behind-the-scenes activities as well as a 10% discount in the shop, café & restaurant. Click here to find out more Curator Talk Book Your Place Discover how iconic images of the world religions came into being at this special talk, 1pm Friday 27 October, with Empires of Faith project curator Stefanie Lenk. Book your place online today.  Book your place Exhibition Tours 3.30pm every Wednesday Join one of our free guided exhibition tours to discover more about the themes explored in our Imagining the Divine exhibition. Tours are free with the price of admission and no additional booking is required. Meet in Gallery 58. Find an event Workshops and Talks Book your place Learn more about how the visual identities of world religions changed in the first millenium, at one of our special talks, tours, short courses or workshops. Book your place online today.  Find an event Exhibition Shop Online & at the Museum Discover our new range of gifts, books, bags, jewellery, prints, art supplies, fashion, games and much more, all inspired by the artworks on display in our new Imagining the Divine exhibition. Shop online Talking Religion Gallery Talks Hear from the doctoral students from the Talking Religion research group, and get a taste of the cutting edge research behind the exhibition. The talks are free with the price of exhibition admission. Find out more Rooftop Restaurant New Menus Enjoy our brand new autumn menus at the Ashmolean Rooftop Restaurant this month. Become a member to enjoy a 10% discount in the shop, café & restaurant. View the menu and book your table online today. Book your table Exhibition Catalogue Buy Online Explore how belief systems developed and spread between AD 1–1000, and how encounters with other religions and cultures affected their visual identities, in theImagining the Divine exhibition catalogue. Buy online Just released The Jewish Journey 4000 years in 22 objects from the Ashmolean By Rebecca Abrams Remarkable Jewish objects in the Ashmolean are brought together for the first time in this new book, telling the history of the Jewish people from Ancient Mesopotamia to the present day. Spanning 4000 years and 14 countries, the objects document the astonishing diversity and adaptability of Jewish life over the centuries, and the long history of close interaction with other cultures and religions of the world. Buy your copy online Find out more Related Talks and Tours With Rebecca Abrams Discover what Jewish life was like in ancient times, or take a 4000-year journey through the galleries of the Ashmolean. Join author Rebecca Abrams at one of our upcoming events relating to her new book, The Jewish Journey. Find an event