Curiosity & Colonialism - Museum Tour by Uncomfortable Oxford™
4.9
16 Ratings
Oxfordshire
Join us on an immersive and thought-provoking museum tour that delves into the imperial origins of scientific collections and disciplines, exploring the lasting impacts of colonialism worldwide. Is curiosity always good?
Duration:
1 hour, 30 minutes
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- Natural History Museum - The museum is the starting point for a number of colonial connections and will be the first stop on our tour.
What's Included
- Uncomfortable Oxford Tour with a trained guide
Additional Information
Embark on a deep and engaging journey through history in our museum tour. Uncover the complex historical layers behind the exhibits, gain an understanding of the imperial roots of scientific collections and pursuits, and reflect on the long-lasting effects of colonialism across the globe.
The tour encourages critical dialogues about how the University of Oxford and its museums were moulded by imperialism driven by inquiry, and how knowledge and science served as tools for imperial authority. Throughout the tour, we’ll invite you to ponder - does curiosity always serve the greater good?
The tour will traverse both the University of Oxford’s Museum of Natural History and the Pitt Rivers Museum, enduring for around 1.5hrs. The tour is completely accessible.
The tour is advised for children aged 10 and above.
Tour Schedule:
1 - Visit to the Museum of Natural History
2 - Exploration of the Pitt Rivers Museum
Location
Oxford University Museum of Natural History
Parks Road
Meet in front of the museum - look for the guide with an Uncomfortable Oxford tote bag.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(16 Ratings)
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1 star
Paul
Nov 13, 2022
Informative and thought-provoking - Thought-provoking and informative, this tour gives you a different perspective on the British Empire I'm particular, and on colonialism in general. If you want something a bit different from th le regular tour of the sights, this is for you
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kathleen
Nov 1, 2022
Broaden your Oxford perspective - Ffion was our guide and she was excellent. We walked with her through Oxford’s natural history museum and the Pitt rivers museums at Oxford. Then we moved on to other sites around Oxford. She delivered a lot of information in an accessible fashion. A highlight was hearing the background on the Cecil Rhodes scholarship and problems with its diversity and also with Rhodes historical attitudes toward people of color. Highly recommend for a thoughtful assessment of the virtues and the racist shortcomings of an enterprise like Oxford linked with the British Empire.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
764anjalis
Jul 27, 2022
Fascinating walking tour - Devika was a knowledgeable and sensitive walk leader, ensuring the group stayed together and all contributed to the discussions. Terrific walking tour that I would recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sophia-brehmx
Jul 22, 2022
A wonderful tour of Oxford which combines information and engagement through discussion - An excellent discussion-based tour that challenges your preconceptions of Oxford's past while also enabling you to appreciate the city's beauty through a walking tour format. Our guide was wonderful - knowledgable, engaging and well balanced between probing discussion but also respectfully facilitating discussion. The tour didn't feel like a lecture of either fact or opinion but was well mixed between revealing information and participant discussion. The discussions that are central to the tour are what really make the experience stand out as it really makes you engage with and think about what you are seeing, rather than just passively observing. I left feeling like my eyes had been opened and like I had a far deeper understanding of Oxford's true history, even as a lifelong resident of the city!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ironk479
Jun 28, 2022
Respectful, nice, and discussion based. - It never got too preachy, which is what I think many people are afraid of, specially when talking about these uncomfortable topics. It was always respectful, nice, and discussion based.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sychan23
Jun 20, 2022
Interactive and informative tour - Cameron was a very good guide and fostered interesting discussions along the way. We learned a lot and really enjoyed the tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dosima_org
Sep 12, 2021
excellent tour - very rich and informative - would strongly recommend
an online tour, with great resources, a click through map and images, and well researched, presented, and interactive
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tecchiegirl
Feb 21, 2021
Fantastic! I learnt more in three tours than in over 20+ years living in Oxfordshire. - I have learnt more in the three online "Uncomfortable Oxford" tours than I did in over 20 years living in Oxfordshire. The "tours" that I attended were Original Uncomfortable Tour, Getting Medieval Tour, Uncomfortable Literature Tour. All three presenters were very engaging and welcoming. They ensured that we learnt about the respective topic but also that the audience participated in a discussion of the many thought provoking insights uncovered during the tour. A must do for all who want to learn more about our beautiful city. I loved the 3D easy to use photo guide that they created for each tour. It really makes you feel as if you are walking around the city. I can't wait to attend in person post lockdown.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Laurelizabeth47
Feb 18, 2021
Thought-Provoking Experience! - My friends and I really enjoyed the tour. The guides were very knowledgeable and welcoming. They did an excellent job of creating an environment where everyone felt able to have difficult conversations about the side of Oxford that most don’t see.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Edwarddq1882zk
Jan 23, 2021
A solid virtual alternative - The online tour surpassed my expectations. The platform is intuitive, easy to navigate, and has fantastic 360 degree views of iconic scenes in Oxford. The graphics with factoids are thought provoking, and the spoken tour content even more so. Lunan, an Oxford grad who got up at a very early hour to do the tour from afar, was knowledgeable, friendly, etc---everything you'd want from a tour guide. I would highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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