Take a look at 'hidden' Oxford

2:52pm Thursday 28th August 2008

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Members of the public can get a behind-the-scenes look at interesting and unusual buildings all over Oxford next month.

The Oxford Open Door event, which runs from Thursday to Sunday, September 11 to 14, will unlock normally closed doors and allow people to see the city with a fresh pair of eyes.

Highlights of the weekend include a chance to see the building work going on at the Ashmolean Museum as part of its £61m revamp.

There will also be a demonstration of real tennis at the court in Merton College, a game which later developed into standard lawn tennis.

Other buildings offering behind-the-scenes guided tours include the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, in Marston Road, the Bodleian Library and Rewley Road fire station, just off Frideswide Square.

There will also be a chance to look around the Said Business School and its 300-seat outdoor amphitheatre, and the City Works department's Cowley Marsh sorting depot - where you can see what happens to the city's rubbish once it arrives in dustcarts.

For this visit, on the Friday only, places must be booked by the previous day on 01865 242918.

There will also be the opportunity to ride on a vintage bus with costumed drivers and conductors from the city centre to the Oxford Bus Company's depot, to see how the company keeps its fleet on the road.

Oxford Preservation Trust spokesman Jane Baldwin said: "There's going to be so much going on.

"We have people from all over the world come to Oxford, but we don't really look around our own city.

"This gives the opportunity for people to become a tourist themselves and see things they won't have seen before with fresh eyes."

Last year, nearly 10,000 people took part in a similar free event in June as part of Oxfordshire's county millennium celebrations.

Its success led to an expanded list of buildings opening their doors this year, with more than 30 places taking part.

Ms Baldwin added: "With university property, people think they can't go in there, but on this weekend they can.

"People are curious and want to know what goes on behind the scenes.

"We're all terribly nosy, aren't we?

"The Ashmolean is a bit of a building site and people think building sites are something to keep away from but they're saying 'come and have a look and see what we're doing'."

At the Ashmolean's Bangers and Ash event, on the Saturday, visitors can go on a tour of the museum to see its extension taking shape, with refreshments and barbecued sausages provided by the Big Bang sausage restaurant.

The open weekend will run alongside an Oxfordshire Eco-homes event, allowing people to go in five properties whose owners have installed energy-saving devices.

For a full list of events, visit www.openingdoorsopeningminds.org.uk