Free Hatter’s Hunt opens at Westgate Oxford
Five mysterious plaques are waiting to be found around Westgate Oxford as part of a free Alice in Wonderland-themed trail for families. The Hatter’s Hunt runs from Friday 4 September until Thursday 31 December, with listed daily hours of 10:00 to 20:00.
The activity takes place at Westgate Oxford, Queen Street, Oxford, OX1 1TR. Entry is free, and participants can collect the map needed to begin from the Guest Services desk on the Upper Ground floor, opposite JD Sports.
Five hidden plaques form the trail
The self-led hunt sends participants around Westgate in search of five hidden plaques. Each plaque contributes to a series of riddles built around the imagery and language of Alice in Wonderland, including the story’s familiar rabbit-hole theme.
The Hatter’s Hunt was designed by The Story Museum. It is presented as a trail rather than a guided group activity or scheduled performance: families pick up a map, locate the plaques and work through the clues as they move around the centre.
Solving the riddles gives participants the chance to claim a prize. Experience Oxfordshire’s event listing does not identify the prize or give further instructions about claiming it, so visitors should not expect a particular item based on the published information.
How to take part at Westgate Oxford
The practical starting point is the Guest Services desk on Westgate Oxford’s Upper Ground floor, positioned opposite JD Sports. Participants collect the trail map there before beginning their search for the five plaques.
The listing gives no separate session schedule within the advertised 10:00 to 20:00 daily hours. That means visitors are directed to start by collecting the map rather than arriving for a named performance or guided departure. Keeping the map to hand will allow participants to follow the activity and record or work through the clues as intended.
The source describes the hunt as free. Although the event page includes a “Book now” link, it does not provide a separate advance-booking procedure in the supplied event details; its specific participation instruction is to pick up a map from Guest Services.
Dates and details to check before setting out
The published event period is Friday 4 September to Thursday 31 December at Westgate Oxford. Because the trail is advertised across several months, anyone making a later visit can confirm map availability at Guest Services on arrival.
Experience Oxfordshire’s listing does not supply transport guidance or accessibility information for the trail. It also does not state how long the five-plaque hunt usually takes. Visitors who need those details should check directly with the venue before travelling. The confirmed way to begin remains collecting the map from the Upper Ground floor Guest Services desk opposite JD Sports.
Source: Experience Oxfordshire Events
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The dates, opening hours, location, cost and participation instructions were checked against the published Experience Oxfordshire event listing.
- Confirmed the advertised event period as 4 September to 31 December.
- Confirmed the listed hours as 10:00 to 20:00.
- Confirmed that participation is free and begins by collecting a map from Guest Services.
- Confirmed Westgate Oxford’s Queen Street address and The Story Museum’s role as trail desi...
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- Experience Oxfordshire Events
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- Oxford
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- 2026-09-04 12:51
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