OXFORD’S rich history went on display at a new museum exhibition dedicated to the city and its people.

Oxford City Council staff donned period dress on Saturday and welcomed visitors to the Town Hall for the launch of Explore Oxford. Among them was Oxford Mail entertainments editor Jeremy Smith, who dressed up as Victorian city engineer William White to show people around his ‘study’.

He said: “It’s been brilliant – I think William himself would have loved it.”

The exhibition tells the ‘real’ story of the city from its Roman beginnings.

Visitors can take a virtual high-speed bike tour around the city, featuring places not normally open to the public.

Funding for the project topped £100,000, including £43,600 from the Heritage Lottery Fund and £48,628 from Wren, which distributes landfill tax credits to good causes.

The museum, accessed via the main Town Hall entrance in St Aldate’s, is open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm, and Sundays from 11am until 3pm.

  • More volunteers are needed to staff the galleries – call Vanessa Lea on 01865 252086.

The council thanked Rowena Dean, Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester for the loan of the beard, moustache and wig to transform Jeremy Smith into William White.