Experts' Choice Award Bodleian Library
What the experts agree on
One of Europe's oldest and richest libraries with five million books and manuscripts housed in stunning 13th-century architecture. The grand courtyard alone justifies a visit—expect awe-struck moments amid centuries of academic legacy.
“One of Europe's oldest libraries. ”
– Atlas Obscura
Lonely Planet "Designed in 1938 by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, the architect responsible for the Battersea Power Station and the iconic red telephone box (booth)." Full review
Michelin Guide 2 Stars
"The Bodleian Library, founded in the 14C and rebuilt in the 17C, is one of the richest libraries in the world, boasting a collection of some five million books, manuscripts and maps." Full review
Afar Magazine "Despite the reminder, it's difficult to suppress your ooohhhs and ahhhs as you enter the courtyard of this 13th century masterpiece and birthplace of academia." Full review
Condé Nast Traveler "What’s this place all about?Historic, beautiful, and packed with learning, the Bodleian is an exquisite example of hallowed halls of study and the definitive Oxford. This is the library..." Full review
The Guardian "A stay in Oxford is like stepping into the pages of a book: there are the town's historic streets seethe with students, pubs on every corner boast of literary links and the extraordinary..."
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Independent "The quad of the Bodleian Old Library embodies 17th-century education, with doorways to the three schools of philosophy (metaphysics, moral, natural) and seven liberal arts (arithmetic,..."
Condé Nast Traveler "The next time you're in London, set aside some time to take a day trip to Oxford—specifically the Bodleian Library. The library has been in use since the 1300s (that's practically a..."
Rough Guide "Bodleian Library, for example, is one of Europe's oldest libraries and can be found on the university campus"
National Geographic "For complete quiet, I can hide away in one of the many Bodleian library reading rooms, but you need a library card–if you’re a student whose university has a reciprocal arrangement, it’s..."
