Interesting Facts
Lewis Carroll is actually a pen name - the author's real name was Charles Dodgson, an Oxford don, who made up a story to amuse a little girl called Alice Liddell while on a boating picnic in 1862. She loved the story so much that she asked Dodgson to write it down which led to him publishing the novel in 1865.
The tree which is said to have inspired the Cheshire Cat's tree is located in Christ Church College!
Queen Victoria enjoyed Alice in Wonderland so much that she asked Charles Dodgson to dedicate his next book to her. Dodgson, being a loyal subject, did as he was asked but we're not sure how much Her Majesty would have enjoyed 'An Elementary Treatise on Determinants, With Their Application to Simultaneous Linear Equations and Algebraic Equations.'
Mock Turtle soup was a real dish served in the Victorian period! It was typically made of calf head, including the horns and the brains.
The book was banned in China in the 1930s on the grounds that animals should not be able to communicate using the human language.
Festival
The Story Museum has been working with other organisations around Oxford to make 2018's Alice's Day the best day ever! This year, the theme is 'Journeys and Adventures' and includes a 'Meet the Caterpillar' session, the chance to explore Oxford with Alice’s Adventure Trail, a human game of snap with Curious Cards, and much more! Click here for the full listing of all the events happening on the day.
Family Friendly
The Story Museum will have exhibitions, treasure trails, nonsensical advice from The Caterpillar, and to end the day, a breathtaking performance from the Grand Indian Circus. Open from 9am-6pm on Saturday 7th July.
The
Museum of Oxford has an 'Alice in Waterland' walk, beginning at 3pm and costing £3.
'Hop into Wonderland' at Oxford University Museum of Natural History from 12-3pm. Free.
Learn about Curious Cabinets and listen to lectures at Weston Library from 10am-4pm. Free.
There's an 'Alice's Day Ashventure Special' at the Ashmolean Museum from 2-4pm, with storytelling, games and crafts.
Join Alice's picnic for family-friendly fun at the Botantic Garden on Saturday 7th July. 1-4pm, included in the garden entry price.
Visit the Old Sheep Shop as featured in Through The Looking Glass and learn about Alice's journey at Alice's Shop on Saturday 7th July. 10.30am, 11.30am, 12.30pm, 2.30pm, and 4.10pm. Free.
Find out more about Charles Dodgson, Alice, and the history of photography at the Museum of History of Science on Saturday 7th July. Free.
Tours and Treasured character hunts
Starting at 10.30am from the Visitor Information Centre, you can join Alice's Parks and Pleasure Walk to see the parks that inspired the stories.
You can also search for thirteen flamingos hidden in independent retailers in the city centre, including eight in the covered market, as part of Alice's Adventure Trail.
