The gardens, museums and libraries belonging to the University of Oxford hosted a record number of visitors last year, new figures show.
In 2025, the historical institution welcomed 3.8 million people, with the Ashmolean Museum becoming Oxfordshire’s most visited attraction in 2025.
The figures, compiled by the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (Alva), showed an increase in visitors to the university of 7% year-on-year.
That is compared to a UK-wide increase of 2%, making it the third year in a row the number of tourists to Oxford’s attractions have gone up faster than the national average.
Overall, according to Alva’s figures, the Ashmolean was the 31st most visited attraction in the UK last year – with it crossing one million visitors for the first time since it reopened in 2009.
Among the exhibition’s buoying up the museum’s numbers was a hugely popular display of artwork associated with Oxfordshire alt-rock icons Radiohead.
The album cover for Radiohead’s The Bends is framed and hanging on the wall of an art gallery. Alongside it is a much larger framed poster for the single Fake Plastic Trees which features a photograph of woman who’s identity has been hidden by a white strip across her eyes. There’s a collection of items in a glass case on a table below the artwork.
Three other Oxford University gardens, libraries and museums attractions also made it into the top 100 – with the Bodleian Libraries, the Oxford Museum of Natural History and the Pitt Rivers Museum all making the list.
The Oxford Botanic Garden and Arboretum ranked at number 188 in the nationwide table, whilst the History of Science Museum made it to 205th spot.
Richard Ovenden, head of the Oxford attractions, said the increase in visitors “reflects the popularity of the university’s unique venues” and their “rich treasures”.
He said it also showed how its teams “truly understand how to attract, include, engage and interact with” visitors from across the globe.
An “exciting programme” of upcoming exhibitions, displays and events meant the university was looking forward to welcoming “even more visitors”, he added.
Credit: BBC
In 2025, the historical institution welcomed 3.8 million people, with the Ashmolean Museum becoming Oxfordshire’s most visited attraction in 2025.
The figures, compiled by the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (Alva), showed an increase in visitors to the university of 7% year-on-year.
That is compared to a UK-wide increase of 2%, making it the third year in a row the number of tourists to Oxford’s attractions have gone up faster than the national average.
Overall, according to Alva’s figures, the Ashmolean was the 31st most visited attraction in the UK last year – with it crossing one million visitors for the first time since it reopened in 2009.
Among the exhibition’s buoying up the museum’s numbers was a hugely popular display of artwork associated with Oxfordshire alt-rock icons Radiohead.
The album cover for Radiohead’s The Bends is framed and hanging on the wall of an art gallery. Alongside it is a much larger framed poster for the single Fake Plastic Trees which features a photograph of woman who’s identity has been hidden by a white strip across her eyes. There’s a collection of items in a glass case on a table below the artwork.
Three other Oxford University gardens, libraries and museums attractions also made it into the top 100 – with the Bodleian Libraries, the Oxford Museum of Natural History and the Pitt Rivers Museum all making the list.
The Oxford Botanic Garden and Arboretum ranked at number 188 in the nationwide table, whilst the History of Science Museum made it to 205th spot.
Richard Ovenden, head of the Oxford attractions, said the increase in visitors “reflects the popularity of the university’s unique venues” and their “rich treasures”.
He said it also showed how its teams “truly understand how to attract, include, engage and interact with” visitors from across the globe.
An “exciting programme” of upcoming exhibitions, displays and events meant the university was looking forward to welcoming “even more visitors”, he added.
Credit: BBC
