Discover one of the oldest working libraries in Europe and the heart of Oxford’s academic life. The Bodleian Library has been a centre of study and scholarship for more than 400 years, and many of its spaces remain in daily use by university students and researchers.

During your visit, a trained Bodleian guide will lead you through two of the library’s most historic rooms

Divinity School – The oldest teaching hall in Oxford, completed in the 1400s. Its stone ceiling is a masterpiece of late Gothic design, covered in carved bosses that show the power and ambition of the medieval university. Fans of Harry Potter might recognise it too—some scenes from the films were shot here!

Duke Humfrey’s Library – A rare chance to see one of the Bodleian’s oldest reading rooms, with original bookshelves, timber panelling, and chained volumes. It is still a working library, so visitors must respect the quiet study environment.

Your guide will explain how the Bodleian’s collections grew, how books were once secured by chains, and why the library still receives a copy of every book published in the UK. You’ll learn how the Bodleian shaped Oxford’s reputation as a global centre of learning and why researchers continue to rely on its collections today.

Before and after the guided sections, you’ll have time to explore the public areas around the Old Schools Quadrangle, take photos of the architecture, and ask questions about the history of the university and its libraries.