Bodleian Libraries ★☆☆
One of the oldest libraries in Europe is spread across Oxford in a series of historic buildings
You can finally pay a visit to the famed Bodleian Library, long closed to visitors. Well, parts of it—the Old Bodleian Library and the Weston Library, primarily (including the 15th-century Divinity School and Duke Humfrey's medieval library), plus on extended tours the Reading Room in the famous Radcliffe Camera.
The Bodelian is one of the oldest libraries in Europe—operating continuously since 1602, but begun long before that—and the second largest library in England (after the British Library), containing copies of every book copyrighted in the U.K.
It also has some terribly scenic rooms and architecture, so much so that it stood in for Hogwart's Library in the Harry Potter films.
Bodleian Library tours
If you are not an Oxford student (or academic who has applied for a Reading Card), you can only visit the Bodelian Libraries on a guided tour.
There are several versions, from a mini tour of the highlights (30 minutes), to a standard tour (60 minutes) to one of the extended tours (90 minutes)—the last is recommended, since you get to go inside the Radcliffe Camera.
After being picked up by your Oxford student guide in central Oxford, go inside the medieval Hogwarts Hospital with its images of beasts and biblical scenes. Walk down the halls of Hogwarts in the dark cloisters of one of Oxford’s oldest colleges. Really, Harry Potter in Oxford makes perfect sense.
But not only does the tour include those magical wonders of Harry Potter in Oxford, it also includes a fun quiz to test your knowledge! You will also hear about the other fabulous children’s books written in Oxford, including Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, the Hobbit, Lord of the Rings and the Chronicles of Narnia, and the scholars who wrote them. Plus lots more!
This Harry Potter tour of Oxford includes entry to the famous Bodleian Library as well as at least two Oxford University buildings, although like with any tour company, entrance cannot be guaranteed. Where possible you will also visit Christ Church, for which the entry fee for this College is not included in the tour price. Why not? There are often queues lasting up to several hours, and parts of it are regularly shut to the public. By not including it in our standard price, we ensure we do not overcharge. The tour will end at Christ Church should you wish to head in after.
