History of Medicine - An Uncomfortable Oxford™ Walking Tour
4.5
History of Medicine - An Uncomfortable Oxford™ Walking Tour
By Uncomfortable Oxford Tours
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About
Beginning in the medieval heart of Oxford, we walk participants through the history of health and medical research in the city. Both uncomfortable and fascinating, this tour asks questions about the lasting impact of disease and the way in which imperialism, conflict, and inequality have helped shape the development of modern medicine.
Our tours are designed to be critically engaging activities that create discussion amongst participants and challenge them to analyse the diverse impacts of historical events. Using the built environment, we examine health geographies, resistance to public health policies, and the tensions inherent in medical progress.
The tour lasts for 1h45m.
ACCESSIBILITY: Wheelchair accessible, but please note some mild uneven pavement in the city centre. Distance walked is less than 2km.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 7-100, max of 15 per group
Duration: 1h 45m
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More
- Uncomfortable Oxford™ Trained Guide
- Start:
- Bridge of Sighs, New College Ln, Oxford OX1 3BL, UKMeet under the 'Bridge of Sighs' (Hertford Bridge) on New College Lane. The guide will be carrying a blue & white Uncomfortable Oxford tote bag.
End:- Radcliffe Humanities, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Rd, Oxford OX2 6GG, UKTour ends at the Radcliffe Observatory Quarter.
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
- Wheelchair accessible
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 158482P5- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Most travellers can participate
- This experience requires a minimum number of travellers. If it’s cancelled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travellers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 158482P5
From
£20.00
per adult
Select date and travellers
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Similar experiences
Itinerary
- New College Ln, Oxford OX1 3BL, UKMeet under the 'Bridge of Sighs' (Hertford Bridge) on New College Lane. The guide will be carrying a blue & white Uncomfortable Oxford tote bag.
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- Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Rd, Oxford OX2 6GG, UKTour ends at the Radcliffe Observatory Quarter.
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- onesmuso20220 contributionsWonderful welcome and induction to OxfordDespite the weather being unfriendly for a walk, my colleagues and I had the best of a tour we could have wished for that day. Devika - Devs - our tour guide, was the best we could have wished for. We definitely got the best!Written 12 October 2024
- O1207QSianp0 contributionsWelcoming and generousHighly recommended. Historical information and contexts to think about the present. Encouraging dialogues on very important issues.Written 12 October 2024
- suegJ5098ER0 contributionsSee another side of OxfordThis is a fascinating tour visiting some of the lesser known places in Oxford and discussing their history. It should not be viewed as a complete tour of the sights of Oxford nor as a tour of the university. The guide was extremely knowledgeable and, despite the street noise, made the tour into a discussion and made sure that everybody got involved in the discussion. The tour covers some areas where Oxford could be said to have issues, such as racism, women's rights and classist attitudes. I know Oxford very well but I learnt a lot and found the tour extremely worthwhile.Written 8 October 2024
- suegJ5098ER0 contributionsKnowledgeable, enthusiastic guide makes this a visit not to be missed.I know the Ashmolean well, but the guide Jonathan really made it come to life and taught me many new things about the exhibits, the curation of the museum and its history. He was incredibly knowledgeable, but more than that, his love of the subject really came through. The tour was more like a conversation where all views were accepted and discussed. I recommend this tour very highly for anybody who wants to think about museums and the provenance of objects in a different way.Written 8 October 2024
- Sewingbee220 contributionsFantastic and informative! Highly recommend. Especially Kelsey 👏I highly recommend this tour for an alternative view of Oxford. So interesting to hear about the history and consequence of an elitist system and privilege. Kelsey, our tour guide was brilliant. I love the way she included everyone by asking the groups opinions and opening up a gentle debate. Such a great guide and very knowledgable.Written 7 October 2024
- ExcitedExplorersx40 contributionsUncomfortable tour of OxfordAbsolutely brilliant. Thought provoking. The opportunity to engage with the others in the group who were in the tour. Covered a wide range of uncomfortable topics, making you challenge your perceptions. Well lead by Jordon. A tour I would return to.Written 6 October 2024
- Y7669ARlilya0 contributionsDevika, keep up the amazing work you are doingThe tour was amazing because of our tour guide Devika, she knows what she is doing, engaging with everyone, her presentation, knowledge, personality what made the tour worth it. Thanks a lot for thatWritten 1 October 2024
- mbianyorb0 contributionsTRUTH TOURSThe Oxford Tour was a real eye opener for me into the unpleasant history that is enshrined within skyhigh and breathtaking castles. I learnt to go beyond being marvelled by beautiful cities to questioning the historicity of the places I'm in.Written 1 October 2024
- Boo730 contributionsLifts the lid and invites you to peer into how some of Oxford University is funded. Sackler, Said, Blavatnik et al.Follow the money lifts the lid on Oxford funders and funding and invites you to peer into the murky depths. Walking tour starting at the Said Business School and finished at the Blavatnik School of Government. The tour leader was excellent and didn’t try to push an agenda, more a case of giving you information (which was well researched) and then asking the group for their thoughts. Good mix of views in the group. Left me thinking and continuing to ask questions- how far would go along a moral/ethical line to secure funding? Highlighted what appears to be quite an opaque system of discussions and judgements. Highly recommended.Written 30 September 2024
- Curious7922010 contributions'The Uncomfortable Tour' is keen to hear your opinions and thoughts!Elliot Thompson, Oxford university graduate and guide with the 'Uncomfortable Tour' was very approachable, friendly, well organised, very knowledgeable and informative and keen to hear our opinions and thoughts. He explained the fascinating origins of 'town versus gown' and the historical, controversial funding sources in the university - including how the recent university student and staff community have sought to come to terms with this - and other unacceptable issues of inequality and racism - through disruptive actions to stir the conscience and raise questions to find ways to address and remove injustice. I never knew that despite studying at the university, women were not allowed to formally graduate until 1920! Fascinating and unmissable! Thank you!Written 27 August 2024
- tarjeil20240 contributionsThink&WalkI attented several av of the walks with Uncomfortable Oxford in 2023. All were very good. This is a city walk concept which encourages dialogue and critical thinking, very much in line with the values of a universityWritten 22 August 2024
- nmG9342HH0 contributionsExcellentExcellent tours - properly researched while also being accessible. I have been on the Oxford and Empire, Follow the Money, and Literature tours - all were thought-provoking and uncovered fascinating aspects of the city's complex history. The guides were all fantastic!Written 22 August 2024
- johntheLADodgersfan0 contributionsBest tour in OxfordFascinating and engaging - thought provoking and revealing- we did all the tours and they were excellent- prioritise these over any other tours and make sure you do at least one. The tour leaders are knowledgable, respectful and very friendly. Best thing we did in OxfordWritten 21 August 2024
- shrutik5600 contributionsA must do in Oxford!We did the original uncomfortable oxford tour and it was an amazing experience. Our guide Mia was super informative and engaging. We were a diverse group in terms of age but she ensured all of us participate in the discussions. The tour gives such a different picture of the Oxford which we would miss out otherwise. But more than all of this, I absolutely loved the uncomfortable oxford team for being extremely helpful. I had missed my tour because of traffic but they made sure to fit me in a private tour on special request, that was scheduled the next day, and didn't charge us any extra money for it. Really thankful for this gesture!Written 5 August 2024
- 8christym0 contributionsLearn Hidden HistoryThis is a great tour led by Oxford University students- if you want to learn untold stories about the various colleges this is a must. Learn about class, gender and race privilege throughout the centuries at Oxford University.Written 3 August 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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4.5
6 reviews
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Sophia B
Oxford, UK3 contributions
Jul 2022
This tour goes beyond the traditional walking tour format by illuminating hidden aspects of Oxford's history. The guides are experienced, knowledgeable and dedicated to Uncomfortable Oxford's goal of raising awareness through discussion based tours. Not only is this tour an excellent way to explore both the classic and more hidden sites in Oxford but it also leaves you looking at Oxford, and the wider world, differently and more inquisitively. A fabulous tour for those looking to understand Oxford more deeply and in particular the rich medical history of the city.
Written 22 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
robinI8102PI
Oxford, UK1 contribution
Oct 2023
We arranged for a tour for mature Oxford students who are all working in health services in many parts of the world. Most were completely new to Oxford so this tour was a great introduction to some Oxford history and tied in well with their studies. I'm not a student and I can say it was every bit as interesting and informative for me as it was for the students. Very interactive as well. I highly recommend!
Written 17 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Visitor
3 contributions
Jun 2022 • Family
It has ended half an hour before time and felt like a speedy race.
The student spoke really fast supporting herself with some notes.
It felt like unrehearsed performance.
The student spoke really fast supporting herself with some notes.
It felt like unrehearsed performance.
Written 8 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Strapcia, we're really sorry that you had such a poor experience on the tour -- it is quite unusual and we will look into what happened. All tours should last at least 1.5h and be conducive to discussion.
Please feel free to email us directly if there are further concerns we should address (info at uncomfortableoxford dot com).
Written 29 June 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
No questions have been asked about this experience
