Reopening Information Summer 2021

To make your visit to Christ Church as safe, comfortable and enjoyable as possible we have introduced a new booking process.    

To visit you will need to book a timed ticket in advance via our online booking system. 

Tickets will be released on a weekly basis.

You can book a maximum of 11 tickets.

Please note that Christ Church is a working institution, and the Hall or Cathedral may be closed at the time of your visit. Timeslots are colour coded (coloured bar on left hand side of timeslot) and labelled to show if any known closures of the Hall or Cathedral are in place. Please select your timeslot carefully:

Red & 'Cathedral Closed' = the Cathedral will be closed at this time

Blue & 'Hall Closed' = the Great Hall will be closed at this time

Yellow & 'Hall Viewable from the Door' = you will be able to see the Great Hall at this time but only from the door into the room  

If there is no label or coloured bar to the left of the timeslot, the Hall and Cathedral are due to be open at the time of the visit.

Visit our ‘Tickets’ page for prices and details on what is included.

If you need assistance in buying your ticket please email tourism@chch.ox.ac.uk

Christ Church is a College, a Cathedral and home to many members of Christ Church. To maintain a safe environment for everyone and enhance your experience all visitors must book in advance.

Arrival

Please arrive at the Christ Church Visitor Centre up to 10 minutes before the time stated on your booking.

If it is busy in the Visitor Centre, we ask that only the person who has booked the tickets comes inside so that queues are minimised.

Your e-ticket will be redeemed at our check-in desk and you will be issued with multimedia guides for each ticket holder on your booking. 

The multimedia guide acts as your pass to the Christ Church site, and ticket holders must wear these around their necks at all times for security purposes.

Make your way to Meadow Gate (the big gate opposite the Visitor Centre) and show your multimedia guide to the Custodian on duty.

During your visit

You will be free to follow the visitor route at your own pace. You will have the opportunity to take photographs, listen to and watch your multimedia guide, and enjoy walking through the quads and cloisters of Christ Church. Bowler-hatted Custodians and Cathedral Guides wearing sashes will be on hand if you have any questions or queries.

Many of the areas you will visit are outside. 

For the safety of everyone please follow any guidance given to you by members of staff. 

Visits normally last around 45-90 minutes. The multimedia guide contains around an hour's worth of content.

At the end of your visit

You can return your multimedia guide to our dedicated team on Meadow Gate, before heading back to into the Meadow where you will be able to use our toilet facilities and enjoy browsing our shop until 16.30 when the Visitor Centre closes. 

Multimedia Guides

Our state-of-the-art multimedia guides are included in the price of admission and are required to visit Christ Church.

Multimedia Guides

• Available in 12 languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Mandarin, Czech, Japanese, Russian, Polish, Brazilian Portuguese, and Korean
• High-resolution touch screens filled with interactive content
• Behind-the-scenes videos of areas not open to the public
• Interviews with staff, students, and academics
• Archive material illustrating over 1000 years of history
• Digital 3D model of Christ Church showing its architectural development over the centuries

Family Multimedia Guide

• An Alice in Wonderland-themed adventure for all the family
• Fun activities and interactive games
• Available in English

British Sign Language Multimedia Guide

• All the content from our multimedia guide, overlaid with footage of BSL interpreters
• Additional captions in English

The multimedia guide acts as your pass to the Christ Church site, and must be worn around your neck at all times for security purposes.

The multimedia guide will have been cleaned before collection but wipes will also be available if you wish to clean the device yourself before use. Headphones are available and will also have followed the same cleaning process. However, we recommend bringing your own wired headphones (standard jack) to use with the multimedia guide.

We will collect your multimedia guide from you at the end of your visit for cleaning.

If you would like to make a booking for 12 or more people please visit the Groups section of our website for full details and to make a booking enquiry.

Guiding is currently suspended on site. We will update our website as soon as anything changes. In the meantime, please email tourism@chch.ox.ac.uk with any queries.

Christ Church is a working college and cathedral and home to many members of the Christ Church community. This presents a unique set of challenges when welcoming visitors to the site and we want to do this in the safest way possible while providing you with an enjoyable experience. The following measures have been introduced:

Social distancing

To reduce queues and ensure areas do not become congested all tickets are timed and capacities have been reduced. Please keep a safe distance from others.

Hygiene and cleaning

Hand sanitising stations are available in the Visitor Centre, at the main visitor entrance and key locations on the visitor route.

An enhanced cleaning programme is in place.

Face Coverings

Wearing a face covering during your visit is a personal choice, although they are recommended in crowded and enclosed spaces where you may come into contact with people you do not normally meet.

Safety and Security

Take care - steps and paving may be uneven, and slippery when wet.

Private areas are clearly marked. Please do not attempt to enter them.

Please refrain from obstructing paths and passages.

Take your litter home with you. Picnics are not permitted inside Christ Church.

Seats are available in the Cloister, Cathedral and Ante-Hall. Do not sit on steps or pathways.

Dogs on leads are very welcome in our Visitor Centre, Café, and Shop. However, dogs (except assistance dogs) are not permitted inside Christ Church itself.

Keep personal belongings (including small bags and pushchairs) with you at all times.

Christ Church does not have any left luggage facilities. Bags larger than a standard backpack may not be brought onsite. Random bag checks are in operation.

Please be aware of the advice issued by the Police about your safety in the rare event of an armed incident.

CCTV

CCTV images are being recorded for the purposes of crime prevention and public safety. Please contact 01865 276151 for further information about the scheme which is controlled by Christ Church.

Photography and Filming

Photography and filming: Photography is permitted, without tripods, provided this is for personal, non-commercial use. All requests for commercial photography and filming should be submitted to the Treasury (email: dawn.saunders@chch.ox.ac.uk; tel: 01865 276179) seven working days in advance.

Wedding photography is not permitted without written permission from the Treasury. Visitors dressed in wedding attire will not be allowed access to Christ Church. Professional portrait and engagement photography is also not permitted at Christ Church. Christ Church reserves the right to ask visitors taking part in wedding, engagement, portrait or commercial photography to leave the premises.

Christ Church is located on St Aldates, an easy walk of no more than a few minutes from Oxford city centre.

You can find useful directions and guidance on traveling to Christ Church on our 'Find Us' page.

Christ Church Meadow is a tranquil open space at the heart of the city.

The Meadow is open throughout the year (except 25 December), offering a peaceful and beautiful space for everyone to enjoy. You do not need a ticket or a booking. Go for a walk or run, sit by the river and watch the boats pass by or join friends and family for a picnic. Follow the historic pathways and take in the views of the river, the buildings of Christ Church and Oxford's famous skyline.

You can discover more about the Meadow with our brand-new Meadow Trail. Find out about the plants, flowers, and animals that make this area so special, and gain an insight into the history of Christ Church.

The trail is available online for free, or you can collect a printed booklet from our shop for a small fee.

For an in depth exploration of the Meadow, join our Head Gardener for a seasonal guided tour. Learn about its conservation, current and future planting schemes and enjoy an afternoon of peace and quiet away from the bustling city.

We ask that you observe the following when visiting Christ Church Meadow:

The Meadow is open for free all year round (closed Christmas Day). Check notices on the gates for daily opening times.

15th February to 28th February. Gate Closes 17:00

1st March to 14th March. Gate Closes 18:00

15th March to 26th March. Gate Closes 18:30

Clocks Change

27th March to 14th April. Gates Close 20:00

15th April to 30th April. Gate Close 20:30

1st May to 31st August. Gates Close 21:00

Dogs are welcome but must be kept under close control by their owners

We ask that you leave behind only your footprints. Bins are provided for refuse and recycling.

Public bike racks are available nearby. Please leave bikes and scooters outside the Meadow.

No barbeques or music are allowed. Instead, bring a picnic, or visit our takeaway cafe!

The Meadow is open for quiet enjoyment. No ball games, kites, or frisbees are permitted.

Fishing and the catching of birds is prohibited.

Please observe the Countryside Code, and respect the flora and fauna of the Meadow.

While boats are welcome on the river, do not fasten crafts to the iron palisading or river-wall.

Do not fly drones or model airplanes over the Meadow or Christ Church.

All persons entering the Meadow do so entirely at their own risk and to the extent allowed by law. Christ Church accepts no liability for any injury, damage or loss sustained by such persons.  Images are being recorded by CCTV for the purposes of crime prevention and public safety. Please contact Oxford 276151 for further information about the scheme, which is controlled by Christ Church. 

 Please visit the Picture Gallery section of our website for opening times and tickets.

Guided Virtual Tours of Christ Church

Our new Virtual Tours allow you to experience all the most well-known parts of Christ Church, in addition to private areas of the college and cathedral not normally open to the public, from the comfort of your own home.

You’ll be guided by our experts in a bespoke live tour, with additional pre-recorded interviews featuring students, staff, and clergy. From the history of the college to modern-day university life and the inner workings of the cathedral, our virtual tours cover every aspect of what makes Christ Church so unique.

What’s Included

• One-hour tour of Christ Church, delivered via Microsoft Teams.
• An exciting and innovative digital presentation
• Live narration from our team of experts
• Live Q&A opportunities
• Live technical support

To find out more and to book, visit our event page.