Christ Church Picture Gallery
Old Master paintings and one of the finest collections of Italian drawings in Britain.
Enter from the Oriel Square gate on Merton Street to visit the gallery without paying the main Christ Church admission.
Christ Church Picture Gallery holds one of the most important private art collections in Britain. The gallery owns around 300 Old Master paintings and nearly 2,000 drawings, built up through bequests and donations to Christ Church over four centuries. It opened to the public in 1968 in a purpose-built gallery designed by Powell and Moya, set within the college's gardens.
What to see
The paintings include works by Tintoretto, Veronese, Annibale Carracci, and Filippino Lippi. The Italian Renaissance is the collection's core strength. The drawings collection is particularly notable — it holds sheets by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Durer, though only a selection is displayed at any time due to conservation requirements. There are also Dutch and Flemish works, including paintings by Frans Hals. The gallery mounts rotating exhibitions that draw on its own holdings and occasionally includes loans.
Practical notes
Admission is charged separately from Christ Church college entry. The gallery can be accessed from Oriel Square via the Canterbury Gate without entering the main college. The space is compact — allow thirty to forty-five minutes. Photography is not permitted. Limited accessibility due to steps; check the website for current access arrangements.
Nearby
Within a few minutes' walk
