Receive a warm welcome at Winchester College
Winchester College, founded by William of Wykeham in 1382, is one of the world’s most famous and distinguished schools.
Located in the historic surrounds of England’s medieval capital, the school is fortunate to maintain 11 acres of formal gardens and more than 80 listed buildings. Many of these buildings are of national importance and all are in current use. The school welcomes visitors to its museum, Treasury, and on guided tours, as well as to public events throughout the year, including Heritage Open Days.
Read more about our buildings and grounds.
Guided Tours
Our one hour tours, led by experienced Tour Guides, concentrate on the medieval heart of the school including Chamber Court, Chapel, College Hall, Cloisters and the 17th Century School building. The film, Hidden Winchester, takes in some of the highlights you will see on the tour, as well as revealing hidden spaces not usually seen by the public.
Tickets and Times
Adults £10, Concessions £8.50 (No charge for children under 11)
Monday - Sunday *14:15 and *15:30
*Please note that from Saturday 9th December 2023 until Sunday 14th January 2024 the tour times will change to 13:30 and 14:45 to accommodate the daylight-saving hours.
Due to high demand, we strongly recommend booking your tickets in advance. To book your tickets, please follow the link below.
For group bookings of 10 or more should pre-book by emailing our Tours team or by phone on 01962 621209.
Treasury
The Winchester College Treasury houses the school’s collections of art and archaeology. These include artefacts from Egypt, Greece and Rome, casts of the Parthenon Frieze, and Chinese ceramics from the Tang to Qing dynasties. They are displayed in the medieval Warden's Stables, converted into a museum in 2016.
Please ask the guide for a free Treasury Trail to entertain younger visitors. A guidebook of the collections is available to purchase.
You can now explore much of the collection online via the Winchester College Collections database and take a virtual tour of the galleries, via the link below.
There are three exhibitions on currently. Silver at Winchester College (20 April – 21 December) illustrates the development of the College's impressive collection of silver and explores the ways that silver has been important in the life of the College.
To mark the 400th anniversary of the publication of Shakespeare's First Folio, Folio 400 – Printing Shakespeare (20 April – 20 November)
features the College's own First Folio alongside later editions of Shakespeare’s works and books by some of his contemporaries.
Wyclif and Lollardy (20 April – 21 December) explores the impact of Wyclif and his followers (known as Lollards). The exhibits have been chosen by a group of our A-level History pupils studying a special paper on medieval heresy.
Opening Times
The Treasury is open 2 - 4pm every day.
Entry is free and there is no need to pre-book.
For more information or to inquire about school bookings or other special groups, please email the Museum Manager.
Community Events
Winchester College is committed to sharing its resources, expertise and facilities with the wider community.
Throughout the year, the school hosts numerous events including an annual Carol Service for Rose Road, a school and respite centre for children and young people in Hampshire living with disabilities, a Christmas fundraising concert for Trinity Winchester, a Christmas Party for the Elderly, and a Summer Tea for the Elderly.
There is also a Visiting Artists programme, with a series of public concerts from world-class musicians, and regular public lectures.
Heritage Open Days
As the main sponsor of Winchester Heritage Open Days, each September we typically welcome hundreds of members of the public to view the school's exceptional collections and to explore its hidden treasures - for free.
Explore
Walks around Winchester
The historic city of Winchester retains many of the footpaths, watermeadows and surrounding countryside that would have been familiar to William of Wykeham and pupils of Winchester College throughout the centuries.
Two guided walks are available to download via the links on the right. A Winchester Walk highlights points of interest both on school grounds and in the immediate area, including Wolvesey Palace, Priory Gate and St Catherine's Hill.
The Wykeham Manor walk takes visitors through the attractive village of Kingsclere, which has a long shared history with the College.
