Modern Art Oxford
One of our favourite reasons to head into Oxford. Modern Art Oxford sits on Pembroke Street, quietly putting on exhibitions that rival anything in London, and entry is completely free.
One of our favourite reasons to head into Oxford. Modern Art Oxford sits on Pembroke Street, quietly putting on exhibitions that rival anything in London, and entry is completely free.
There's something wonderful about a gallery that takes itself seriously without taking itself too seriously. Modern Art Oxford occupies a generous, light-filled space on Pembroke Street, and the programme is genuinely ambitious: international artists, large-scale installations, photography, film, the kind of work that stays with you on the drive home. The shows rotate every few months, so it rewards repeat visits. Open Tuesday to Saturday from 11am to 6pm (Sundays until 4pm), and always free.
We often pair it with lunch nearby or a wander through the covered market. Oxford is about 40 minutes from the cottage, and Pembroke Street is easy to reach on foot from most car parks. It's a place that works just as well on a rainy afternoon as a sunny one, and children are genuinely welcome; the education and community programmes are thoughtful rather than token. If you've been walking the Cotswolds all morning and want a change of pace, this is it.
“It's the gallery I'd recommend to anyone who thinks they don't like contemporary art. Walk in with no expectations, stay for an hour, and something will catch you off guard.”
All of this on the doorstep, and your own thatched cottage to come home to. Sleeps seven, less than a mile from Soho Farmhouse.