Aphrodite is taking centre stage at Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum in an exhibition tracing how the goddess of love and beauty became one of the most recognisable figures in art.
Aphrodite: The Making of a Goddess runs until 11 April 2027, bringing together ancient sculpture, Renaissance painting and contemporary fashion. It explores a story that reaches beyond romance, looking at the goddess’s origins and the changing meanings attached to her image.
At a glance
Dates: 8 October 2026–11 April 2027.
Venue: Ashmolean Museum, Beaumont Street, Oxford.
Tickets: Standard admission £16.80, or £19 with Gift Aid. Timed entry; advance booking is recommended.
Booking: See exhibition details and book tickets.
From Cyprus to Botticelli and Beyoncé
The exhibition begins with Aphrodite’s connections to Cyprus, where her powers extended to fertility, crops and copper mining. Influences from the Near East, Egypt and the Aegean helped shape a figure whose role changed as she entered the Greek pantheon and, later, became Venus in the Roman world.
Loans from 14 museums and collections include the Louvre, the Uffizi and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Among the works are the Louvre’s Frascati Venus, dating from around AD 160, and Botticelli’s Venus, painted around 1490 and lent from Berlin.
The story continues into modern culture through Michelangelo Pistoletto’s Venus of the Rags and a Loewe dress designed by Jonathan Anderson, a version of which was worn by Beyoncé during her Renaissance tour. Together, the exhibits show how artists and designers have repeatedly returned to the goddess while giving her new meanings.
The exhibition is curated by Dr Anja Ulbrich and Dr Peter A. Thompson. The University of Oxford’s introduction explores the research behind it.
Tickets and visiting with children
Half-price admission of £8.40 is available to eligible visitors, including under-25s and Art Fund members. Children under 12 enter free. Oxford University students and eligible carers also qualify for free entry; accompanying carers should book a free ticket for the same time slot.
Ashmolean members can visit without booking, with proof of membership. The exhibition offers a useful winter option for visitors looking to spend time indoors in central Oxford.
Access and the audio guide
The exhibition is wheelchair accessible via a lift, with a level route from the pavement to the museum entrance. Handheld labels are available.
An optional audio guide narrated by Natalie Haynes costs £5 and uses visitors’ own phones and headphones. It is available free to visually impaired visitors, who can obtain the relevant QR code from the desk. Check the museum’s booking page for concession requirements and available entry times before travelling.
