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The Story Museum

The Story Museum has three core charitable aims: a) to establish and maintain a museum dedicated to children's literature and the City of Oxford; b) to conserve, interpret and develop collections and heritage assets relevant to these subjects; c) to provide learning opportunities for and promote literacy and creativity among children, young people and families.

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Activities & Mission

The Story Museum has three core charitable aims: a) to establish and maintain a museum dedicated to children's literature and the City of Oxford; b) to conserve, interpret and develop collections and heritage assets relevant to these subjects; c) to provide learning opportunities for and promote literacy and creativity among children, young people and families.

Areas of Operation

Where this charity is registered to operate, as self-declared to the Charity Commission. These are regulatory classifications, not a list of active programmes, and don't necessarily indicate fundraising activity in each location.

Financial Information

Latest Income
£2,287,141
Latest Expenditure
£2,302,467

Financial Efficiency

Program Ratio 94.7%
% of income going directly to charitable activities
Overall Efficiency 94.1%
% of expenditure going to programs (vs overhead)
Administrative Ratio 6.5%
Overhead (fundraising + governance) as % of total expenditure

Latest Financial Breakdown

Income Sources

Donations & Legacies £1,243,156
Charitable Activities £1,043,985
Other Trading £0
Investments £0
Other Income £0

Expenditure Categories

Charitable Expenditure £2,166,439
Raising Funds £136,028
Governance £13,049
Grants to Institutions £0
Other Expenditure £0

Financial Trend

Annual Returns

As filed with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. Most recent filing covers the financial year ending 2025.

Financial YearIncomeExpenditureCharitable SpendingNet AssetsReservesStaff
2025
£2,287,141
£2,302,467£2,166,439£6,055,365£059 / 75
2024
£1,787,728
£2,207,113£2,075,242£6,070,691£057 / 70
2023
£1,823,882
£2,035,081£1,894,462£6,490,076£85,98550 / 30
2022
£1,361,194
£1,761,468£1,656,153£6,701,275£044 / 44
2021
£1,875,499
£1,325,820£1,231,608£7,101,549£13,59841 / 50

Staff column shows: Employees / Volunteers

Frequently asked questions about The Story Museum

What does The Story Museum do?

The Story Museum has three core charitable aims: a) to establish and maintain a museum dedicated to children's literature and the City of Oxford; b) to conserve, interpret and develop collections and heritage assets relevant to these subjects; c) to provide learning opportunities for and promote literacy and creativity among children, young people and families.

How much income did The Story Museum report in 2025?

The Story Museum reported total income of £2.29m and reported expenditure of £2.30m for the financial year ending 2025, based on the most recent annual return filed with the Charity Commission.

When was The Story Museum registered as a charity?

The Story Museum was registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 26 January 2005 as charity number 1107809. It has been registered for 21 years.

Who runs The Story Museum?

The Story Museum is governed by a board of 12 trustees. Trustees are legally responsible for the charity's governance and are listed in full on its profile.

Where does The Story Museum operate?

The Story Museum operates in England And Wales, as recorded in its Charity Commission filing.

Is The Story Museum a registered charity?

Yes — The Story Museum is a registered charity in England and Wales, charity number 1107809.

Details

Address
ROCHESTER HOUSE
42 PEMBROKE STREET
OXFORD
OXFORDSHIRE
OX1 1BP
Registration Date
26 January 2005
Status
Registered

Registry Information

Organisation Number
4013489
Charity Number
1107809

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Trustees

Andrew Ryan
Conrad Philip William Bodman
Dr Gabrielle Heffernan
Guy Gadney
Heather Carter
James Catchpole
John Palmer
Katherine Howard-Cairns
Patricia Jane Townsend
Perri Evans
Sarah Love
Shirin Welham

Data & trust

Register data refreshed
30 July 2026
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