Resources for health and wellbeing

Introduction to these resources

The resources on this page have been specially designed to help link workers and their clients navigate the facilities at Oxford University's Gardens, Libraries and Museums, whether self-referring or accompanied.

'5 ways to wellbeing' with Oxford University Gardens, Libraries and Museums (GLAM)

Below are some activities within GLAM which could improve people's wellbeing, based on Mind's '5 ways to wellbeing':

  • Connect: Catch up with old friends and make new ones in our friendly, accessible cafes, or connect with others at one of our year-round events
  • Get active: Take a walk around the Oxford Botanic Garden or Harcourt Arboretum, or help reach your daily step count whilst enjoying our museum and library collections
  • Take notice: Try sketching a dinosaur, join a mindfulness session in the Arboretum, or enjoy a slow art session at the Ashmolean
  • Keep learning: Join a free guided tour, listen to an audio guide, take a self-led trail, or learn a new skill in a workshop
  • Give: Join our enthusiastic and welcoming team of volunteers: you could welcome visitors to temporary exhibitions, digitise historic documents, help to run family friendly events, or lend a green-fingered hand at the Garden

See the 'what's on' link below to find a range of events and activities.

What's on

What's on across GLAM

Click the link above to find out about all the events, exhibitions, tours, displays happening across GLAM.

The webpage also contains information about family activities, volunteering, GLAM's outreach service, and links to more information about access at each GLAM site.

Please visit the wellbeing-related activity at Harcourt Arboretum webpage for information about the Arboretum's growing number of links with a range of researchers, healthcare providers, local community groups and researchers. As well as information about brain health and wellbeing, green social prescribing and community wellbeing, there is information about specific wellbeing events at the Garden and Arboretum across the year.

Accessibility information

Ashmolean Museum  |  Accessibility information |  Access guide

Bodleian Libraries (Weston Library)  |  Accessibility information  |  Access guide

History of Science Museum  |  Accessibility information  |  Access guide

Oxford Botanic Garden & Arboretum  |  Botanic Garden access guide  |  Arboretum access guide

Oxford University Museum of Natural History  |  Accessibility information  |  Access guide

Pitt Rivers Museum  |  Accessibility information  |  Access guide

Easy Access Guides

The Easy Access Guides are a comprehensive illustrated guide that can be introduced in the community setting and a useful 'walk through’ guide which will be useful for anybody visiting for the first time. They cover our six city centre venues with clear images of the facilities, lifts, toilets and welcome desks. 

Ashmolean Museum access guide (Beaumont Street Entrance)

Ashmolean Museum access guide (St Giles Street Entrance)

Bodleian Libraries access guide (Weston Library)

History of Science Museum access guide

Museum of Natural History access guide. Also, please view the Museum of Natural History's Visual Story and accessibility information to help prepare for your visit

Oxford Botanic Garden access guide

Pitt Rivers Museum access guide