Valentine’s Day at the Story Museum will be very special. Honor Dawkins-Stean, Assistant to the Directors, explains why

With Christmas festivities behind us and the gloomier cold days of January still lingering, at the Story Museum thoughts have turned to warmth, passion and love. We are all so excited to celebrate our very first Valentine’s Day as an open venue, and where better to celebrate or even start your love story than a place dedicated to bringing stories to life?

We now have a very strong adult visitor base at the Story Museum and have lined up some fantastic events to get Oxford in the mood for love.

On Friday, February 6, we play Cupid, inviting singletons of Oxford to our very popular Page Turners, a singles’ night for literary lovers. We started the events a few months ago and they have been a huge success and a lot of fun. The events include speed dating with a literary twist, where everyone brings along their favourite book and has a chance to connect with people through a love of literature. As a special Valentine’s treat, this next event, themed as the “magic of love”, includes a magician and magic show. Tickets are £12 and include a complementary drink (or “love potion”). Come along and you never know, you might end up with a dream date for Valentine’s Day.

Alternatively, those wishing to surprise their Valentine with a unique and personal gift can come and learn the forgotten art of printing by hand on the Bodleian’s antique printing presses. With the help of our expert teacher, you can design and make your own Valentine’s Day card using technology that dates back hundreds of years. The course takes place between 6pm and 9pm this evening, January 29, and on Thursday, February 5. You’re bound to impress.

Finally, if you’re looking to get in the mood for love, come and spice up your Thursday evening with our alternative Valentine’s Day celebration, The Four Chambers of the Heart. Storytellers Tim Ralphs and Clare Muireann Murphy will perform their strange, flirtatious and beautiful love stories from around the world. Adult storytelling is becoming increasingly popular as an alternative to theatre, and this personal, intimate performance will have you captivated from start to finish. The show starts 7pm on Thursday, February 12.

Please get in touch with us if you would like to be involved with any or all of the events we have on offer. You can contact me by email at tickets@storymuseum.org.uk or by phone 01865 790050.

Whether you’re looking for love or just love stories, everyone at the Story Museum wishes you a very Happy Valentine’s Day.