Things to Do in Oxford When It Feels Like It Hasn’t Stopped Raining For Weeks
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
If it feels like it’s been raining since the beginning of the year, that’s because… it sort of has. The pavements are permanently slick. The parks are swamp-adjacent. Your favourite trainers are still drying out from February. Even the dreaming spires look a little damp around the edges.
After two solid months of grey skies and sideways drizzle, it’s not just the ground that’s soggy. Our moods are starting to match the forecast. Cabin fever is real. The sofa has lost its charm. And yet, stepping outside feels like a commitment to damp socks and regret.
So what do you do when you need to get out of the house, but the weather refuses to cooperate?
Quite a lot, actually. Oxford is surprisingly good at indoor, low-cost, mood-lifting fun. Here’s where to head when you need to shake off the gloom.
LOSE YOURSELF IN A FREE MUSEUM
Oxford’s museums are not just world-class, they’re free. Which makes them perfect for a spontaneous, rain-beating wander.
Ashmolean Museum
When the weather feels relentless, step into centuries of art and history. The Ashmolean’s light-filled galleries are ideal for slow wandering. Egyptian mummies, Pre-Raphaelite paintings, Japanese prints, Renaissance treasures. You could spend hours here and still only scratch the surface.
Tip: Head up to the rooftop café for a view across Oxford’s rooftops. Watching the rain from above somehow feels poetic rather than annoying.
Pitt Rivers Museum
Dark, atmospheric and endlessly fascinating, Pitt Rivers is the perfect antidote to grey skies. Its packed glass cases and global artefacts create a space where you completely lose track of time. Pair it with next door’s Natural History Museum and you have an entire afternoon sorted.
Rain becomes irrelevant when you are contemplating shrunken heads and dinosaur skeletons.
TAKE SHELTER AT THE CINEMA
There are few better rainy-day cures than sitting in the dark with popcorn while someone else’s drama unfolds on screen.
Phoenix Picturehouse
Jericho’s beloved independent cinema is cosy in the best way. It shows a mix of indie releases, documentaries and the occasional big hit. Add a coffee or a glass of wine and suddenly the rain feels like an excuse rather than an inconvenience.
Curzon Oxford
Inside Westgate, Curzon offers plush seating and a varied programme, from arthouse to mainstream. It’s a strong option if you’re already planning to explore the centre.
TRY SOMETHING NEW AT THE LIBRARY
Oxford Central Library
If you haven’t checked the events calendar at Oxford Central Library lately, now’s the time. From writing workshops and language sessions to craft classes and talks, there is usually something happening.
It’s warm, it’s free, and it feels quietly productive. You leave having learned something rather than doom-scrolled for two hours while listening to rain hit the window.
LEAN INTO PLAY
If what you really need is movement and noise and a break from polite museum quiet, Oxford has you covered.
Flight Club Oxford
Social darts at Flight Club turns a pub game into a surprisingly competitive, high-energy experience. It is colourful, loud and unapologetically fun. Ideal for shaking off low moods with friends.
Hollywood Bowl Oxford
Bowling might feel nostalgic, but that’s part of the charm. A couple of games, a bit of friendly rivalry, and you forget entirely about the puddles outside.
Westgate Oxford
Westgate is more than shopping. Inside you’ll find mini golf, escape rooms and plenty of places to eat once you’ve worked up an appetite. It is effectively a rain-proof entertainment hub in the heart of the city.
Illusion Oxford
For something slightly surreal, the Illusion Museum offers interactive exhibits, mind-bending visuals and genuinely fun photo opportunities. It is playful, light-hearted and a good reminder not to take everything too seriously, including the weather.
CHIN UP, OXFORD!
Yes, it has been a long, damp start to the year. Yes, the novelty of cosy has worn off. But Oxford is still Oxford, rain or shine. Its museums are warm. Its cinemas are welcoming. Its games are loud and joyful. Its libraries are full of ideas.
And summer will be around soon. Probably. Almost certainly. Surely.
Until then, grab a coat, step outside, and claim the city anyway. Sometimes the best way to beat the rain is simply to refuse to let it win.
