Mini Plant Oxford
Mini Plant Oxford
4.8
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Monday
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Tuesday
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Thursday
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Friday
Closed
Saturday
Closed
Sunday
Closed
Full view
About
The MINI factory in Oxford is one of the oldest, and yet most modern, car factories in the UK. Over 800 MINIs roll off the production line every day. This legendary car has been made here for over 20 years, we combine the passion of car building with lean production, sustainability and digitalisation. Come and see for yourself how MINIs are made in our busy and exciting factory.
Oxford, Oxfordshire, England
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2024
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.8
697 reviews
Excellent
587
Very good
90
Average
10
Poor
4
Terrible
6
Alison D
1 contribution
Sep 2024 • Couples
Had an amazing time touring the Mini factory today, a real birthday treat for a long time Mini admirer.
Graham our guide was extremely knowledgeable, describing the whole process in such detail, he clearly loves his job… it would have been nice to quiz him a bit more at the end of the tour if we had time.
The robots that weld the body parts together are mind blowing, but also the highly trained and focused workforce that assemble these beautiful cars are incredible.
I loved every minute, and could have spent the whole day there!
The museum at the centre was fascinating, and took me back to my childhood holidays travelling in our mini clubman!
I was a little surprised there was not a gift shop and cafe at the centre, as I’m sure it would be popular, but overall an amazing tour, and would definitely recommend it to anyone.
Graham our guide was extremely knowledgeable, describing the whole process in such detail, he clearly loves his job… it would have been nice to quiz him a bit more at the end of the tour if we had time.
The robots that weld the body parts together are mind blowing, but also the highly trained and focused workforce that assemble these beautiful cars are incredible.
I loved every minute, and could have spent the whole day there!
The museum at the centre was fascinating, and took me back to my childhood holidays travelling in our mini clubman!
I was a little surprised there was not a gift shop and cafe at the centre, as I’m sure it would be popular, but overall an amazing tour, and would definitely recommend it to anyone.
Written September 3, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review and recommendation, we are so pleased that you enjoyed your tour with Graham and will pass your feedback on to him.
Whilst we aren’t able to offer a cafe at the tour centre, we do have a hot drinks machine and seating areas where our guests can relax prior to the tour. We also have a small selection of MINI merchandise for sale and we apologise that this wasn’t pointed out to you. We will make sure this happens in future, so we thank you for mentioning it.
If you visit us again we’ll happily show you the range!
Written September 4, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
BerkshireTigger
Newbury, UK311 contributions
Jan 2025 • Couples
Well worth a visit. The tour was excellent with a great informative guide who had previously worked at the factory for many years. The size and complexity of the operations with over 1,200 robots was amazing and mind boggling. It was great to see the production lines in operation and see finished mini's being driven off when we reached the end of the tour.
The only criticism is that the museum could have been bigger and sadly there was no opportunity to buy merch. We would have loved to have picked up a toy mini or even a poster for our 2 year old grandson who can't even visit till he is 14 years old.
The only criticism is that the museum could have been bigger and sadly there was no opportunity to buy merch. We would have loved to have picked up a toy mini or even a poster for our 2 year old grandson who can't even visit till he is 14 years old.
Written January 30, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are really pleased to hear that you enjoyed the tour of MINI Plant Oxford and we thank you for taking the time to leave your review. We note your observations and while we aren’t able to change the size of the museum building, we regularly change the vehicles on display so that the exhibition remains fresh. There is a small selection of merchandise and will make sure that this is more prominently positioned in future. Thank you again for your feedback, it is much appreciated and will help us to continue to improve the tour experience.
Written January 31, 2025
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
jdb500
UK99 contributions
Oct 2024 • Solo
Absolutely brilliant tour, informative and interesting. Graham our guide was extremely knowledgeable and his first hand experience working on the production line came across with the information he shared. Andrew in the visitor centre has also been extremely helpful trying to find my new MINI on the production line, as it's apparently being assembled this week and even though he wasn't able he's even said he will email if he can find out when it's been built. Overall and great experience with a group of people that seem to genuinely care about their work.
Written October 30, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are so pleased that you had such a great experience on your tour of MINI Plant Oxford, all of the tour guides are very passionate about what they do and were very happy that this was noticeable to you.
We wish you very happy motoring your new MINI!
Written November 6, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Lisa S
4 contributions
Sep 2024 • Family
Thoroughly enjoyed our tour of the MINI plant. Arrive a good 10-15 minutes early, to see the collection of minis through the years, then pop an earphone on for a great commentary from the guide as you’re taken through the different parts of the plant. The minibus moves you between buildings, and all personal belongings are put in lockers at the start. You can see the various stages really well, from the robots spot welding, to the dashboards going in, and finally driving off the assembly line. Teen now really wants a mini!
Written September 3, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are so pleased that you enjoyed all aspects of the tour and we definitely encourage your teen’s desire for a MINI!
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review, we appreciate it very much.
Written September 4, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
sonyvaio78
London, UK38 contributions
Oct 2024 • Family
Excellent experience
Booking was easy , there was age limitations of 11 and above . Customer services were responsive to my emails .
Finding it was straightforward , well sign posted and free parking. .
Staff were attentive and welcoming . Graeme our tour guide was brilliant. He was knowledgeable and took his time and very engaging with the kids .
The tour starts off withe the safety briefing . We are given headsets/ hi vis jackets / safety eye wear. We could hear him clearly .
Phones are not allowed in the factory , so take pics before / after. Lockers are provided Get there about 40mins early to see the small museum .
The tour starts in the first building which puts the shell of the minis together . Fascinating insight with all the robots doing the work . It gets quite warm , so need to take coats .
Watching the robots in action was amazing .
It reminded me of watching an episode of ‘inside the factory’ only you are physically in it!
A minibus picks you up and takes you the second factory where the finishing touches are done and you get to see the final product being driven off the line. Absolutely amazing .
The tour guide gives you running commentary throughout the tour .
Overall amazing experience and well worth it .
Well done and thankyou to Graeme and team .
Some feedback
1) would’ve be nice to have more interactive exhibits in the museum .
2) would’ve liked to see a small souvenir shop for the kids
3) it’s a shame it’s not advertised more
Definitely worth a visit while in Oxford.
Booking was easy , there was age limitations of 11 and above . Customer services were responsive to my emails .
Finding it was straightforward , well sign posted and free parking. .
Staff were attentive and welcoming . Graeme our tour guide was brilliant. He was knowledgeable and took his time and very engaging with the kids .
The tour starts off withe the safety briefing . We are given headsets/ hi vis jackets / safety eye wear. We could hear him clearly .
Phones are not allowed in the factory , so take pics before / after. Lockers are provided Get there about 40mins early to see the small museum .
The tour starts in the first building which puts the shell of the minis together . Fascinating insight with all the robots doing the work . It gets quite warm , so need to take coats .
Watching the robots in action was amazing .
It reminded me of watching an episode of ‘inside the factory’ only you are physically in it!
A minibus picks you up and takes you the second factory where the finishing touches are done and you get to see the final product being driven off the line. Absolutely amazing .
The tour guide gives you running commentary throughout the tour .
Overall amazing experience and well worth it .
Well done and thankyou to Graeme and team .
Some feedback
1) would’ve be nice to have more interactive exhibits in the museum .
2) would’ve liked to see a small souvenir shop for the kids
3) it’s a shame it’s not advertised more
Definitely worth a visit while in Oxford.
Written October 29, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to review your recent visit to MINI Plant Oxford. We’re very pleased that you had such a great time and have passed your feedback back on to Graham and the team here at the Visitor Centre.
Regarding your specific points:
Interactive exhibits are something we are hoping to include in the future.
We do have a small selection of MINI merchandise available to buy, which includes: baseball hats, water bottles and key rings and we apologise if this wasn’t pointed out to you.
You are correct that we don’t advertise widely and this is something we can definitely work on, so thank you for the reminder! We do find that word of mouth recommendations are really important, so reviews like this are very important to us - thank you again.
Written November 6, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
A.Baron
Shenley, UK4 contributions
Aug 2024 • Friends
Went to the Mini factory along with two groups of 15. To say the experience was fantastic is an understatment. At the start we had 30 mins in the museum ,very interesting and infomativethe then onto the tour.After a short film we were taken into the factory ,the guide we had was realy great,answered all the questions in a way everyone understood and explained every process in detail. A great day that was enjoyed by the whole group and one that should not be missed by anyone.
Written August 30, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are very pleased that your groups had a great experience on the tours with us and we thank you for taking the time to leave your review.
Written August 31, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jennifer V
7 contributions
Jun 2024 • Family
If you are a Mini fan, or just fascinated by modern factory technology, this tour is a must! Our guide, Donna, was an expert, having worked at the factory for over 40 years before retiring and returning as a tour guide. It was amazing seeing cars go from over 400 individual body parts to a finished product, rolled off the line, ready for delivery. Just a note, phones are not allowed on the tour, but photos can be taken in the small museum prior to the tour. Locked lockers are available to leave phones and bags.
Written June 24, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Jennifer,
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave your 5 star review, we really appreciate it and are very pleased that you enjoyed your tour of MINI Plant Oxford. We’ll be sure to pass your feedback on to Donna.
Written June 24, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Lou Armstrong
United Kingdom1 contribution
Feb 2025 • Couples
What a fantastic experience this was! We had a bit of a nightmare getting down as we were travelling from Cumbria and there were massive delays on the M6, however the team were really kind with accommodating our slightly late arrival and got us into our respective tour! Didn't catch the name of our guide but he was a super knowledgeable gentleman, the bus driver too as he walked us through some of the bits we'd missed to get us back with our group!
In terms of the tour and factory itself, seeing all the robots and staff members working so effortlessly and in harmony was amazing. I've never seen anything on such a scale, the factory is clean and well organised and being able to walk through a car's journey from concept to reality was truly magical. I work for a BMW/MINI dealership and it opened my eyes as to how much work is put into making the cars we receive daily! Sparks flying from spot welders, how the robots articulate and the sheer speed in which staff work to get MINIs out on the line was amazing to see, really helps you appreciate the craftsmanship going into modern cars.
Ultimately I'm so glad we managed to get in, me and my partner are down for a couple days in/around Oxford for my birthday and this was absolutely the highlight! I can't wait to return again and have a better look round the little shop and the museum (big fan of the R series MINIs, so happy there were so many in the museum!), thank you all again for such a magical experience, we can't thank you enough!
In terms of the tour and factory itself, seeing all the robots and staff members working so effortlessly and in harmony was amazing. I've never seen anything on such a scale, the factory is clean and well organised and being able to walk through a car's journey from concept to reality was truly magical. I work for a BMW/MINI dealership and it opened my eyes as to how much work is put into making the cars we receive daily! Sparks flying from spot welders, how the robots articulate and the sheer speed in which staff work to get MINIs out on the line was amazing to see, really helps you appreciate the craftsmanship going into modern cars.
Ultimately I'm so glad we managed to get in, me and my partner are down for a couple days in/around Oxford for my birthday and this was absolutely the highlight! I can't wait to return again and have a better look round the little shop and the museum (big fan of the R series MINIs, so happy there were so many in the museum!), thank you all again for such a magical experience, we can't thank you enough!
Written February 21, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for your review, we’re delighted that you made it in time to join your tour and that you had such a positive experience. We hope you will join us again in the future and hopefully the traffic on your journey will be kinder to you!
Written February 24, 2025
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
StanT17
Witney, UK14 contributions
May 2024 • Friends
A truly amazing visit and great value for money. We were in a small group led by a former BMW employee now retired who was full of great information about the business the manufacturing process from early days to the automated one of today in a factory complex that first stated producing cars in 1913. Taken around the site in a minibus to the body and chassis assembly area, the paint shop and then the assembly line. The level of automations and efficiency of the process is a marvel of design, technology and engineering. At nearly to hours is a great experience. Catering could have ben better, just a coffee machine. Could make a mint if they ran a café in the museum section
Written May 8, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are so pleased you enjoyed your tour today and thank you for taking the time to leave your five star review; we appreciate it very much.
Written May 8, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Miriam
6 contributions
Jan 2025 • Family
Fantastically interesting, and I couldn't care less about cars. Wonderfully knowledgeable tour guide and driver (John and Graham) personalised the experience and gave you real insight into this small part of a complex network of production and supply. I'd recommend for anyone (as long as you can walk for 100 minutes, there's a good chunk of time spent on your feet).
Written January 8, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Miriam, thank you very much for your super review and recommendation. We are really pleased that you enjoyed your tour with John and Graham and will pass your comments on to them.
Written January 13, 2025
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We will be visiting while travelling in our motorhome. Can we park our motorhome in the car park while we do the tour? Are there any height or size restrictions?
Written October 15, 2023
It's quite a while since we visited...in a Mini so we weren't really thinking about large/high vehicles. In any case, the car park is open and huge and had very few vehicles in on the day we visited.
I had quite a few questions ahead of our visit and I emailed to and fro after purchasing the group ticket. They were so helpful.
Written February 29, 2024
We just found out all tickets sold out :-(. We leaving UK 7 June and unfortunately won’t be able to go 😬😳
Written May 22, 2023
Can one take photos in the museum or the plant?
Written May 22, 2023
You can’t take photos once you’re in the plant, all personal belongings are stored in lockers for the tour. There is a small collection of MINIs to see in the customer centre.
Written September 3, 2024
Hi, there is a large car park in front of the visitor centre and you can park anywhere in there. There are disabled spaces for any visitors with mobility issues. We hope you enjoy your tour.
Written May 13, 2023
Mike M
Leicester, United Kingdom
I have a voucher for 2. The Tel number on the voucher when called suggests the tours are not currently operating but your website says they are? How do I book it?
Written August 16, 2022
Hi Mike, sorry this has taken so long - please write to the email address on the website with your voucher numbers, hope to see you soon
Written November 1, 2022
Public transport from London to the Mini Plant?
Forgive my confusion; on the Mini website it lists the address as Oxfordshire. But is this a region and the town is actually Oxford? I looked at the National Rail website and of course there is no Oxfordshire station. I need to get from London to the Mini Plant by train-so, which station do i use and then once I get to the station, are there taxis there or do they need to be pre-arranged? Or is there car rental at the station? TIA!
Written February 9, 2020
Hi I live in oxford, and there will be lots of taxis at the train station that can you take you there I wouldn’t recommend a bus as the stops are quite far away from the factory. Hope this helps.
Written March 7, 2020
Hi I’ve just brought my brand new mini last week (thank you guys!) just so happen to be in the area tomorrow and wondered if the plant had a MINI accessories shop etc. Bigger than the few bits that are in mini dealers???
Thanks in advance
Written December 20, 2019
No. This is not an accessory shop. Just a few souvenirs
Written March 13, 2020
Hi I’ve just brought my brand new mini last week (thank you guys!) just so happen to be in the area tomorrow and wondered if the plant had a MINI accessories shop etc. Bigger than the few bits that are in mini dealers???
Thanks in advance
Written December 20, 2019
Small shop. Not what one might expect from a company of this size.
Written December 21, 2019
apparently there is a mini themed hotel nearby in oxford a friend stayed there recently, wondering what the name of it is called my friend went back to America so I cant ask him, hope you can help
Written November 4, 2019
Sorry, haven’t heard about this hotel.
Written November 26, 2019
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.