I was looking for somewhere to go while our Scout did what he does in the hobbit house on Tuesday mornings. I had no idea that the University Natural History Museum would be so fantastic. And that I would be so enthralled that I would take Colin there that very afternoon, because he just
had to see it. The building that is. I didn't even look at the contents the first time I went.
A competition was held to design a building to house the University's physical and natural sciences. This design was the winner. It has a glass roof, held up by iron pillars which are ornately decorated with sculptured plant life. There are Venetian arches, iron girders, and highly detailed carvings everywhere. It was completed in 1860, which coincided with the publication of Darwin's "Origin of the Species".
All the carvings were made by the O'Shea brothers who came from Ireland. They based their work on plants brought over from the University's Botanical Garden. Each column, each capital, each base of each column is unique and utterly charming. I was enthralled.
Of course, the project was so ambitious that they ran out of money, and not all the columns are quite finished. Legend has it that the O'Sheas were fired for depicting some of the dons as owls and parrots, when really it was lack of funds that stopped the work.
One of the people working there told us to look out for the cat's paw print on a brick in an arch going down the stairs. How fitting! If ever you are in Oxford be sure to visit this Museum - you won't be disappointed. Oh, and the exhibits are interesting too.
I was looking for somewhere to go while our Scout did what he does in the hobbit house on Tuesday mornings. I had no idea that the University Natural History Museum would be so fantastic. And that I would be so enthralled that I would take Colin there that very afternoon, because he just had to see it. The building that is. I didn't even look at the contents the first time I went. 
A competition was held to design a building to house the University's physical and natural sciences. This design was the winner. It has a glass roof, held up by iron pillars which are ornately decorated with sculptured plant life. There are Venetian arches, iron girders, and highly detailed carvings everywhere. It was completed in 1860, which coincided with the publication of Darwin's "Origin of the Species". 
All the carvings were made by the O'Shea brothers who came from Ireland. They based their work on plants brought over from the University's Botanical Garden. Each column, each capital, each base of each column is unique and utterly charming. I was enthralled.
Of course, the project was so ambitious that they ran out of money, and not all the columns are quite finished. Legend has it that the O'Sheas were fired for depicting some of the dons as owls and parrots, when really it was lack of funds that stopped the work.
One of the people working there told us to look out for the cat's paw print on a brick in an arch going down the stairs. How fitting! If ever you are in Oxford be sure to visit this Museum - you won't be disappointed. Oh, and the exhibits are interesting too.
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