Protestors fear entry fees 'could kill off museum'

Members of the new campaign group Save Our Museum gathered outside Oxford's Town Hall

The decision to introduce an entry fees could "kill off" a museum in Oxford, campaigners have said.

Last month the city council voted for a £4 standard fee and £2 charge for concessions to visit the Museum of Oxford from January.

The museum, which includes local historical artefacts and reopened in 2021 following a £2.8m redevelopment, has always previously been free to visitors.

Members of the new campaign group Save Our Museum gathered outside Oxford's Town Hall on Monday ahead of a full council meeting.

Jess Worth, who joined the protest, said: "I think it's a really worrying decision.

"This is a city full of amazing free university museums, and I don't see how this museum can compete with those.

"This is a peoples' history museum. It tells the story of the ordinary working people of Oxford, working-class history, LGBTQ history, the story of the Windrush generation.

"I'm really worried that if you introduce an entrance fee, people aren't going to come to it, they're going to go to the free museums instead. Then we're going to lose this really valuable community resource.

"I'm not convinced that this is going to save the museum. I'm worried this is actually going to kill off the museum."

A petition against the charges for the museum, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, has gained more than 1,050 signatures.

But council reports have showed footfall at the museum reduced to 55,000 visitors in 2024-25 - significantly lower than the annual 74,000 visitors before 2021.

The report said this had led to a £77,000 shortfall for the council in the past year.

The Museum of Oxford is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year

Avril Alexander, who was at the protest and set up the petition, said: "The Museum of Oxford is a unique place which tells the story of the city and its people.

"We are residents of Oxford who believe we have the right to access our own history without having to pay for it, and we say no to entry fees."

Certain groups will still be able to go for free, including children under five, those who receive state benefits, Oxfordshire school bookings, and city council employees.

The number of visitors to the museum has recently fallen