Story Museum

Celebrating the power of storytelling

Introduction

The Story Museum in Oxford celebrates the power of storytelling across cultures, media types, and generations. Once a virtual museum visiting schools, it now occupies a physical home in the heart of a city that has inspired storytellers like Tolkien and Pullman.

The museum commissioned Purcell following a national competition to identify an architect with the creativity and sensitivity to work on this innovative project. We led the redevelopment of three disjointed buildings – including the Grade II*-listed 19th century Rochester House and a 1930s telephone exchange – into an accessible, magical environment for learning and play.

Balancing heritage and creativity

Located around a central courtyard, the museum is formed from three previously separate buildings. A masterplan stitched these together via a new internal circular route and an external courtyard spiral staircase and lift, improving access while enhancing the visitor journey.

The courtyard accommodates events and enhances connectivity, with the space also functioning as an open-air theatre.

Throughout the museum, the design balances heritage and creativity, with much of the historic character and materiality retained and reimagined. We preserved period detail while providing a flexible, future-proof setting for exhibitions and activities.

Funding advice

Joining the project at concept stage, we helped the client to develop a clear brief and an achievable roadmap. We supported multiple phases of capital development, helping the museum transform from an emerging initiative into a nationally recognised cultural destination.

The £6m project was supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Wolfson Foundation, the Foyle Foundation, and Nesta’s Arts Impact Fund. We played a key role in advising on funding bids and public consultation, aligning the design with the museum’s educational and social aims. The project is underpinned by ongoing support from Arts Council England as a National Portfolio Organisation.

our other NLHF funded projects

'This second chapter has totally transformed our site, providing a fit-for-purpose, accessible museum that still retains the distinctive sense of magic and playfulness that our visitors so love.'

– Caroline Jones, Director, The Story Museum

Audience engagement

A key part of the design process was consultation with local schoolchildren. Their feedback shaped not just exhibits but the fabric and flow of the museum, ensuring it would be exciting, accessible, and fun for all ages.

The finished spaces include galleries for immersive storytelling installations, performance and AV rooms, learning spaces, a library and archive, and a flexible café/shop area. All materials were chosen for durability and sensory richness, creating tactile and engaging environments for children and families.

Elements from the original buildings were retained and repurposed, adding depth and texture to the visitor experience while supporting the museum’s sustainability goals. We also improved the thermal performance of the building’s fabric by adding insulation to the flat roof, lining the internal walls, and installing new double-glazed windows.

Since reopening, the museum has grown its visitor base and cultural impact, earning recognition through awards and shortlists including a RIBA South Award, an Oxford Preservation Trust Award, and Art Fund Museum of the Year.

The museum now serves as a major public amenity in Oxford’s city centre, with its courtyard and ground floor spaces intentionally designed to remain outside the paywall, open to all and embedded in the life of the city.