PA Life Club members enjoyed an exclusive evening on 18 June at the Bodleian Library and Ashmolean Museum. We had a chance to explore how these iconic buildings in Oxford can serve as stunning venues for corporate events and celebrations…
Our FAM Trip to Oxford’s finest historic venues started at the Bodleian Library
The evening started at Bodleian Library where a group of Executive Assistants, Personal Assistant and other event organisers from PA Life Club were welcomed at the Divinity School. It was a great way to meet the venue team over a wonderful selection of canapés, served by their local catering partner, Oxford Fine Dining, and summer-themed cocktails supplied by the Shaker bar.
The Divinity School was set up with a table display showcasing inspiration for dinners to be held in the space. Beautiful flowers were very much at the centre of the display and were provided by local florist Fabulous Flowers. The Divinity School is a truly wonderful backdrop to your planned celebrations, with its elaborately carved Gothic ceiling featuring over 400 crests and images.
The guests also had the opportunity to take a private guided tour of Oxford University’s oldest reading room, the stunning Duke Humfrey’s Library. These private tours are available to all guests attending events at the Bodleian Library.
The library dates back to 1488, and the library as it stands today was opened in 1602 by Sir Thomas Bodley. Generations of renowned scholars have studied in its reading rooms, including monarchs, Nobel Prize winners, British prime ministers, and writers such as Oscar Wilde, CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien.
Exploring Ashmolean Museum’s event spaces with exhibits and the new rooftop restaurant
Ashmolean Museum is Britain’s first public museum, and today works wonderfully as one of Oxford’s most distinctive event venues after hours.
The evening began in the Greek & Roman Sculpture Gallery, where guests discovered how the Museum’s world-class collections become part of the event experience. A guided tour showcased a selection of the Museum’s unique spaces, including the Atrium, Vaults, European Art Gallery and Rooftop Restaurant. The tour highlighted the flexibility of the venue for everything from networking receptions and conferences to gala dinners and executive entertaining.
Founded in 1683, the Ashmolean Museum is Britain’s first public museum and the world’s oldest university museum. Located in the heart of Oxford, it offers a range of unique spaces for conferences, receptions, gala dinners, celebrations and private events, with every event supporting the Museum.
Our EA, PA and event organising members had a chance to explore objects from the Museum’s collections, including Guy Fawkes’ lantern, Oliver Cromwell’s death mask and Powhatan’s mantle. We enjoyed this demonstration of how curator talks and private gallery tours can add an extra dimension to corporate events.
The evening concluded on the Rooftop Restaurant terrace with panoramic views across Oxford, providing the perfect setting for informal networking and drinks receptions.
Join PA Club for exclusive invitations to FAM Trips
Did you know that PA Life Club is free for admin and business support professionals to join? You can sign up to the Club here and be first to hear about our upcoming events, partner offers, join the peer-to-peer mentoring programme, monthly competitions and benefit from great discounts on online courses.
If you have any questions about the Club, please email palifeclub@forumevents.co.uk
