Spend a week living at historic Oxford University and sample life as a student at Merton College. Study with renowned Oxford tutors and delve into one of our fascinating courses.
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Smithsonian at Oxford
8 days from $4,995
Spend a week living at historic Oxford University and sample life as a student at Merton College. Study with renowned Oxford tutors and delve into one of our fascinating courses.
Tour Details
TOUR BROCHURE
brochure
WHAT OUR TRAVELERS SAY
- Lyn G.The warm reception we received at Merton College made us feel that we really were Oxford students -- a very special sense of belonging.
- Blanche M.I love Shakespeare; I love to study and to study Shakespeare at Oxford and to see the Royal Shakespeare Company perform is a dream come true!
JOURNEYS DISPATCHES
Overview
Join Smithsonian Journeys at Oxford University and immerse yourself in the intellectual and cultural environment of one of the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. Given the past popularity of this Smithsonian Journeys program, and enthusiastic requests to bring it back to our collection, we once again return to Oxford. Join us at Merton College to study a subject in depth with others who share a deep and unbridled love of learning.
Highlights Include
- Courses of Study: Choose from popular course subjects and spend your mornings learning from an expert. Our 2018 course selectionsinclude: June departure: Winston Churchill, The Tudor Age, The Crusades: East and West, The American Revolution - Through British Eyes, The Archaeology of Britain; September departure:“Tragical-Comical” Shakespeare, The Country House in English Society. Our 2019 course selections include: The Archaeology of Britain, The Age of Winston Churchill, Medieval Castles, The Rise and Fall of the British Empire, and The Legendary History of the British Isles.Find more detailed information under the Tour Details tab.
- Excursions: Tour the Ashmolean Museum and Christ Church Picture Gallery in Oxford. Plus, take an additional excursion tailored to your specific course. June 2018: Those enrolled in the Winston Churchill class will discover how the British Government operated during the war on a visit to the Churchill War Rooms in London. The Tudor Age features a field trip to Henry VIII's riverside palace at Hampton Court. Those in The American Revolution course will travel to George Washington's ancestral home. The Archaeology of Britain includes a tour of the Staffordshire Hoard in Birmingham, the largest collection of Anglo-Saxon gold ever found. The excursion for The Crusades course will be Dorchester Abbey and Iffley Church. September 2018:Students of the "Tragical-comical” Shakespeare class will enjoy a field trip to Stratford-upon-Avon and a performance at the Royal Shakespeare Company. Those enrolled in The Country House in English Society will travel to Buscot Park, a neoclassical-style country house built for Edward Loveden Townsend in the late 18th century. 2019:Those enrolled inThe Archaeology of Britainwill visit the Staffordshire Hoard in Birmingham, the largest collection of Anglo-Saxon gold ever found.The Age of Winston Churchill features a field trip to Chartwell, Churchill’s country house and home for over four decades. Those in the Medieval Castles course will travel to Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire. The excursion for The Rise and Fall of the British Empire will be a trip to Dashwood House in West Wycombe. Travelers in The Legendary History of the British Isles will visit Binsey Church and the ruins of Godstow Abbey, where Rosamund Clifford—known in legend as the Fair Rosamund—was buried.
- Lifestyle: Stay at historic Merton College, featuring the university's oldest quadrangle, and sample life as an Oxford student. Live in a dormitory room (with en-suite bathroom), dine in the college hall (including the High Table at opening or closing dinner, a privileged tradition), and use Merton's common rooms and gardens. Explore the charming town of Oxford, take tea at local eateries, and enjoy Evensong at Christ Church College.
- Optional London Extension: Add a four-day extension that includes guided excursions related to the Oxford courses, plus accommodations, meals, and transfers.
- Lyn G.The warm reception we received at Merton College made us feel that we really were Oxford students -- a very special sense of belonging.
- Blanche M.I love Shakespeare; I love to study and to study Shakespeare at Oxford and to see the Royal Shakespeare Company perform is a dream come true!
To see itinerary, please click on an option below.
July 2019 Itinerary
Our July 2019 course selections include The Archaeology of Britain, The Age of Winston Churchill, Medieval Castles, The Rise and Fall of the British Empire, and The Legendary History of the British Isles.
Day 1 — Depart the U.S for London
Depart the U.S. for London on individual flights.
Day 2 — London, Oxford
Arrive in London this morning and transfer to Oxford. This evening, enjoy a welcome dinner and plenary talk. (D)
Days 3-7 — Oxford
Lectures take place in Oxford.
Choose from one of five courses: The Archaeology of Britain, The Age of Winston Churchill, Medieval Castles, The Rise and Fall of the British Empire, and The Legendary History of the British Isles.
Excursions: Explore highlights of Oxford, including the connection between James Smithson (the founding donor of the Smithsonian Institution) and the university, which he attended as a student.
Plus, take an additional special excursion tailored to your specific course. Those enrolled in The Archaeology of Britain will visit the Staffordshire Hoard in Birmingham, the largest collection of Anglo-Saxon gold ever found. The Age of Winston Churchill features a field trip to Chartwell, Churchill’s country house and home for over four decades. Those in the Medieval Castles course will travel to Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire. The excursion for The Rise and Fall of the British Empire will be a trip to Dashwood House in West Wycombe. Travelers in The Legendary History of the British Isles will visit Binsey Church and the ruins of Godstow Abbey, where Rosamund Clifford—known in legend as the Fair Rosamund—was buried. (B,L,D)
Day 8 — Oxford
After breakfast continue to London and transfer to Heathrow Airport for individual flights back to the U.S. or join the optional extension to London. (B)
Included meals are denoted as follows: Breakfast (B), Lunch (L), Reception (R), Dinner (D)
June 2018 Itinerary
Our 2018 course selections include Winston Churchill, The Tudor Age, The Crusades: East and West, The American Revolution - Through British Eyes, and The Archaeology of Britain.
Day 1 — Depart the U.S for London
Day 2 — London, Oxford
Arrive in London this morning and transfer to Oxford. This evening, enjoy a welcome dinner and plenary. (D)
Days 3-7 — Oxford
Lectures take place in Oxford. Choose from one of five courses: Winston Churchill, The Tudor Age, The Crusades: East and West, The American Revolution - Through British Eyes, and The Archaeology of Britain.
Classes will be interspersed with excursions including the Ashmolean Museum and Christ Church Picture Gallery in Oxford. Each course will also feature an additional special excursion tailored to its theme.
Excursions: Tour the Ashmolean Museum and Christ Church Picture Gallery in Oxford. Plus, take an additional excursion tailored to your specific course. Those enrolled in the Winston Churchill class will discover how the British Government operated during the war on a visit to the Churchill War Rooms in London. The Tudor Age features a field trip to Henry VIII’s riverside palace at Hampton Court. Those in The American Revolution course will travel to George Washington’s ancestral home. The Archaeology of Britain includes a tour of the Staffordshire Hoard in Birmingham, the largest collection of Anglo-Saxon gold ever found. The excursion for The Crusades course will be Dorchester Abbey and Iffley Church. (B,L,D)
Day 8 — Oxford
After breakfast continue to London and transfer to Heathrow Airport for individual flights back to the U.S. or join the optional extension to London. (B)
Included meals are denoted as follows: Breakfast (B), Lunch (L), Reception (R), Dinner (D)
September 2018 Itinerary
Our September 2018 course selections include “Tragical-Comical” Shakespeare and The Country House in English Society.
Day 1 — Depart the U.S for London
Day 2 — London, Oxford
Arrive in London this morning and transfer to Oxford. This evening, enjoy a welcome dinner and plenary. (D)
Days 3-7 — Oxford
Lectures take place in Oxford.
Choose from one of two courses: “Tragical-Comical” Shakespeare and The Country House in English Society.
Classes will be interspersed with excursions including the Ashmolean Museum and Christ Church Picture Gallery in Oxford. Each course will also feature an additional special excursion tailored to its theme.
Excursions: Tour the Ashmolean Museum and Christ Church Picture Gallery in Oxford. Plus, take an additional excursion tailored to your specific course. Those enrolled in “Tragical-comical” Shakespeare will include a field trip to Stratford-upon-Avon and a performance at the Royal Shakespeare Company. Those enrolled in The Country House in English Society will travel to Buscot Park, a neoclassical-style country house built for Edward Loveden Townsend in the late 18th century. The property contains extensive formal and informal gardens, as well as an enduring art collection that includes pieces by Edward Burne-Jones and Rembrandt. (B,L,D)
Day 8 — Oxford
After breakfast continue to London and transfer to Heathrow Airport for individual flights back to the U.S. or join the optional extension to London. (B)
Included meals are denoted as follows: Breakfast (B), Lunch (L), Reception (R), Dinner (D)
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