The world-famous Bodleian Libraries is a must-see cultural destination in the heart of Oxford.
The Bodleian Library was founded by Sir Thomas Bodley and officially opened in 1602, making it one of the oldest libraries in Europe. Since then, the Bodleian Libraries has grown to be the largest academic library system in the UK, primarily serving as the principal library for the University of Oxford. Generations of famous scholars have studied in its reading rooms through the ages, amongst them monarchs, Nobel Prize winners and writers, including Oscar Wilde, C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien.
Today, the Bodleian Libraries is a network of 23 libraries. The central site includes the Old Bodleian Library, Duke Humfrey’s Library, Radcliffe Camera, and the Divinity School – historic spaces that you might recognise from popular films and TV series – and these famous spaces can be accessed through a range of daily tours.
The Weston Library is the home of the Bodleian Libraries special collections, and is also a busy working library that houses several reading rooms, a research centre, a conservation studio and much more. Here you can find free, inspiring exhibitions featuring the libraries’ rich collections, a unique gift shop, a toddler-friendly space called the Toddleian, and a café set against the backdrop of the floating book stacks in its atrium of Blackwell Hall. It also hosts a wide variety of events, from lectures to family-friendly activities; see the upcoming programme here.
The Library is open all year round, except at Christmas, New Year and Easter, when they close on certain days. Please visit the Bodleian libraries website for updated opening times and bookings.
Tours start at £2.50 per person. For further information, including tour times and prices for groups, please visit visit.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/plan-your-visit
Please note: access to the reading rooms is via several flights of stairs only. Due to restrictions within the reading rooms, they are unfortunately unable to welcome children under the age of 11 on the guided library tours, but tours like the Children’s Literature Tour are perfect for families.
