Uncovering the history of an ancient village
Eynsham Museum and Heritage Centre (EMHC) was established in 2021. Our aims are: to showcase some of the wonderful objects that bring to life Eynsham’s long and distinguished history; nurture pride in the community for its roots; and provide inspiration for future generations.
In March 2023, Eynsham Parish Council granted EMHC a lease on the Bartholomew Room in the Market Square. In autumn 2023, we held our first exhibition, Eynsham’s Lost Railway, which was so popular that it needed an extended run.
Our next exhibition, Rural Eynsham, ran from 13 July to 27 October 2024, and was very well-received by villagers and visitors to Eynsham alike. Alongside this, our popular photographic exhibition, Eynsham Past and Present, gave a fascinating glimpse into the changing face of the village. We reopened both exhibitions on 5 April 2025, and they ran until the end of August 2025.
At the end of September 2025, we opened our permanent exhibition in the upstairs gallery, Eynsham from Prehistory to the 20th Century. This runs alongside our permanent photographic exhibition, Eynsham Past and Present, in the downstairs gallery. Read more about our current and past exhibitions here.
The museum’s opening hours are weekends and bank holidays from 11am to 4pm. Entry is free; donations are very welcome.
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News
SEPTEMBER 2026
We have enjoyed a wonderful – if hot! – summer season here at the museum. Meteorological autumn is now here, and the museum will remain open at weekends for another two months. We will close for winter on 1 November – and will reopen on 2 April 2027.
We are considering changing the Eynsham Past and Present exhibition in the downstairs gallery for something completely new from April next year. So do please come along and enjoy it before we close for the season. There is a lot to take in, so we recommend revisits, too!
People with mobility restrictions can now view our permanent exhibition, Eynsham from Prehistory to the 20th Century, which is held in the upstairs gallery, from a computer in the downstairs gallery. (Note: The downstairs gallery is fully accessible to wheelchair users and the museum has a fully equipped accessible toilet.) We are working on a video with commentary, which will also be installed in due course.
Looking ahead, in October, eight groups of children from Eynsham Primary School will visit the museum over two days (19 and 20 October), and we will host a temporary exhibition by the Hill End Outdoor Education Centre.
On 6 November, West Oxfordshire District Council are organising an event that will raise valuable funds for the museum. They have invited ‘mayors and chairs’ for drinks and nibbles, and tours of the museum and the site of Eynsham Abbey. Half of the profits from the event will be donated to the museum. Also in November, on the 16th, we will be giving a talk to the Monday Club about the museum’s recent acquisitions.
And last, but not least: save the date for the morning of Saturday 5 December, when we will hold a pre-Christmas fund-raising sale of cards, books, prints and jewellery in the ground floor of the museum. We look forward to greeting you there!
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** For previous news items, please go to the News archive. **
Object of the month
For more about Object of the Month, click on the next link (date heading).
- September 2026This pale blue ceramic mug, printed with a horse-drawn plough and ploughman, reflects and commemorates the rural history of Eynsham. Agriculture was a fundamental part of the… Read more: September 2026
