Civil ceremonies & Weddings
The Ashmolean Galleries are a unique setting for wedding ceremonies and receptions.
The Ashmolean is proud to have been featured as one of the top 50 wedding venues by The Independent – follow the link to see the review!
The Mallett Gallery is licensed to hold a Civil Ceremony for up to 90 guests and wedding receptions for up to 120 guests, the Ashmolean Museum offers a range of fantastic options for your special day.
After the Ceremony, the celebrations can continue with a Champagne reception, dinner and entertainment. Dinners can be served either in the Randolph Sculpture Gallery or in the Ashmolean Café on the lower ground floor. Both spaces offer an excellent dining venue, they have different characters to suit the individual style of your event.
Catering for events in the Museum
We are delighted to announce that the new exclusive catering partners for the Ashmolean are benugo ltd who have an excellent reputation for event catering. They bring the standards of top London event caterers to Oxford, and will be delighted to devise a bespoke quote for your special day. Please see sample menus as an indication of the quality they can provide.
Clerkenwell Green provides contemporary exclusive catering for all private and corporate events held at the Ashmolean Museum. Offering an innovative choice of menus, these can be tailored to meet clients’ individual needs and preferences. From drinks and canapé receptions to full dinner service, Clerkenwell Green can cater for a wide variety of events. Professional service is supplied for each event which allows our clients to experience a relaxing and enjoyable atmosphere, safe in the knowledge that their guests are being attended to.
For more information about menu selections please visit: www.clerkenwellgreenevents.com
Photo Opportunities
The Ashmolean Museum is the perfect backdrop for wedding photographs. Suggested locations include the Museum’s forecourt, the grand staircase, the Atrium, the Randolph Sculpture Gallery and the Mallett Gallery. Further galleries are available on request.
Oxford Registrar
All arrangements with the Registrar must be made prior to booking the venue and confirmation of confirmed booking must be supplied in advance
The Web pages of the Oxford Registrar can be found by following this link
Wedding Venue Hire Rates (excluding catering)
| Civil Ceremony & Wedding Reception | £3,750 +VAT |
This includes the Mallett Gallery for the ceremony, a choice of gallery for the champagne reception and either the Randolph Sculpture gallery or the Ashmolean Café for dinner and entertainment. |
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| Civil Ceremony & Drinks Reception | £2,500 +VAT |
This includes the Mallett Gallery for the ceremony and the hire of a Gallery (the Atrium or the Randolph Sculpture Gallery) for a drinks reception. |
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| Wedding Reception | |
Drinks on arrival in a choice of 3 Galleries, followed by dinner in the Randolph Sculpture Gallery or in the vaulted café |
£2,500 +VAT |
| £1,000 +VAT | |
| £1,500 +VAT | |
All prices include event management, all security costs and cloakroom facilities. Food and beverage costs are not included. All profits from events go directly to the Museum to help with day to day running costs. The venue hire is an essential revenue to the Museum.
Terms and conditions apply please see below and read carefully.
Civil Ceremonies – Summary Terms and Condition
- As the Ashmolean Museum is open to the public until 6pm, the Museum will close to the public at 5pm on the day of a wedding. The civil wedding ceremonies start at 5.15pm.
- The celebratory ceremony of the renewal of vows can begin later in the evening.
- Civil ceremonies must be followed by a reception at the Ashmolean Museum.
- Clients must make the arrangements with the Oxford Registry Office and provide confirmation of this, before booking the ceremony at the Ashmolean Museum.
- The Museum reserves the right to change displays of art and objects at any time.
- All bookings must be confirmed in writing on the Museum’s booking form.
- The person who signs the booking form shall be considered the Hirer.
- A non-refundable 50% deposit is required when making a booking. This will be held as a security against cancellation.
- The customer will be invoiced for the balance of the venue hire fee after the event and payment is due within 30 days.
- Red wine is not permitted in the galleries and naked flames are not permitted in the Museum.
- There are some restrictions on food served in the galleries.
- The Museum reserves the right to charge a fee for damage or additional clean-up if required.
Booking and Enquiries
In these exceptional surroundings we help you tailor your event to your personal requirements. Experienced and friendly staff pride themselves on their attention to details, and would be delighted to show you around the Museum to discuss the possibilities. For further information, or to arrange a viewing, please contact the Events Office.
Katie Littlefair
+44 (0) 1865 610406
events@ashmolean.org or talk to our team about your ceremony.
Every booking supports the Ashmolean Museum
Recommended Suppliers
If further equipment or services are required the suppliers must be approved by the Museum, a list of approved suppliers is available, please contact us for details. We have contacts for florists, photographers, musicians, car hire and lighting suppliers. It may be possible to use other suppliers but this is at the discretion of the events team and will be authorised in the contract, all suppliers must have the relevant insurances and certificates for their work and equipment
Photographs on this website have been kindly supplied by Barker/Evans, Blue Amigo, Catherine Breakspear, Nick Clarke, Neil Montgomery, and Greg Smolonski, all who have previously worked in the Museum.