About the event

As part of Oxford Open Doors 2025, the Bodleian Libraries will be opening up some of our spaces and showing off collections not usually accessible to the public.

Saturday | Sunday

Saturday

On Saturday 13 September we'll have a wide range of free activities and tours for visitors to enjoy throughout the day.

Show and tell stations in Blackwell Hall, 11.00–15.00

• Map discovery station: explore some of the Bodleian’s marvellous map collections with members of the Bodleian Map Room team. See some of the earliest maps of the city and a facsimile of the earliest sheet map of the country.

• Imaging Services discovery station: join the Imaging Services team at their discovery station and explore some of the wonders of their work photographing the Bodleian Libraries' collections.

Portrait Tours, 11.00 – 11.45 & 14.00 – 14.45

Take a tour of the portraits behind the scenes in the Weston Library and discover new stories such as that of Edmund Halley, the astronomer who first predicted the return of comets. The portraits offer a fascinating record of social and academic history and feature a diverse mix of people with connections to the University of Oxford, the world of literature and – of course – Bodley’s Librarians.

Tours are free and drop-in, but spaces are limited and restricted to age 11+ only. Sign up at the welcome desk on the day to secure your place on one of the tours. Meet in Blackwell Hall.

Printing in the Old Bodleian’s Schola Musicae, 12.00 – 16.00

Join the printing team in the Old Bodleian’s printing press workshop and learn about historical printing methods from the time of Gutenberg, before having a go at making your own keepsake to take home, using a historic, hand-operated printing press. 

Sunday

On Sunday 14 September we'll be offering free entry to the beautiful Divinity School, plus an amazing programme of musical performances, talks and activities in Blackwell Hall. 

Free entry to the Divinity School, 11.00 – 15.30

Go inside the stunning Divinity School, the University of Oxford’s oldest purpose-built teaching and examination room. 

Meet at the Old Bodleian, through the glass doors behind the statue. Entry is free, drop-in and suitable for all ages, but children must be accompanied by a responsible adult. 

Ballads at the Bodleian in Blackwell Hall, 11.00 – 15.30

Join us in Blackwell Hall for a programme of musical performances, talks, craft activities and workshops based on the Bodleian Library's collection of broadside ballads, with the award-winning 100 Ballads project team.

Find out more about Ballads at the Bodleian
 

Location

• This event takes place in Blackwell Hall at the Weston Library. Find out more about getting here.
• The Weston Library is wheelchair accessible. Find out more about accessibility at our site.