We want to tour the Bodleian Library in Oxford . We will only be in Oxford 1 day. Reservations on the website only open up 30 days in advance which we will try to book they appear to be quite limited. Any suggestions from recent visitors ?
Posted by
1032 posts
My husband and I visited the Bodleian along with the Radcliffe Camera last June. It was the 90-minute tour which began at 9:15 a.m. It was our first full day after arriving in London and taking the bus to Oxford. We had no other choice, though. I had greatly wanted to see Radcliffe Camera but was ultimately disappointed in it. It was my fault, though, because I had thought it would somehow look medieval. Of course, it is a working library complete with glassed-in office and all the office machines which go along with that--modern library desks, etc. I should have just left it up to my imagination!
In retrospect, if I'd known then what I know now, I'd have gone on just the 60-minute tour. I could have slept later and we were exhausted. The Bodleian Library was everything I'd hoped it would be.
It was easy to get tickets, by the way. I think it's probably even easier to get tickets which did not include Radcliffe Camera. This is the tour we used https://tickets.ox.ac.uk/webstore/shop/viewItems.aspx?cg=bodgroups&c=90min
I love Oxford. It is such as beautiful medieval small city.
Posted by
Chicago
1120 posts
When are you traveling? I was there offseason last fall - October or November. Day of tickets were available. I chose instead to spend extra time at the Ashmolean and left Bodleian for a return visit so can't help with my experience as the previous poster did so well.
If the visit is important to you, I would book 30 days out when tickets are available. I suspect you will be fine if you keep the ticket opening date in mind and jump on the website immediately.
Enjoy Oxford!