School visits

We are welcoming schools and colleges for exhibitions and 'Collections up close' sessions, as well as offering online live teaching of Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) study skills sessions.

To book physical or online sessions, provide feedback, or suggest sessions or resources you would like, please email the Education Team: education@bodleian.ox.ac.uk

Educational visits for students

We offer a range of opportunities for schools to engage with our outstanding collections of manuscripts, maps, rare books and archives. A visit to the Bodleian Libraries is a wonderful way to introduce students to working with primary sources, develop their visual and verbal literacy, and improve their research skills.

Learning sessions based on the Bodleian's special collections materials, exhibitions and world-class research cover subjects including English, history, modern foreign languages and science. Sessions can be linked to the curriculum or designed to enrich learning beyond the classroom, introduce exciting new topics and allow students to experience an inspiring taste of University teaching. Our education programme is designed for students in KS3 to KS5 and we currently prioritise working with state secondary schools and colleges in Oxfordshire.

Taught sessions include exhibition tours, ‘collections up close’ seminars, study days, lectures, and hands-on printing workshops. We also offer digital resources to support teaching, self-guided gallery visits and independent learning.

Our education programme is designed for students in KS3 to KS5. We also welcome groups visiting as part of Oxford University's widening access and participation initiatives for taster lectures, tours and workshops.

As part of the University of Oxford Gardens, Libraries and Museums (GLAM), we can often arrange complementary sessions with other University collections for joint visits.

Planning a school visit

Opportunities for school-age students

A young person sits in front of a laptop at a dining table, they look at the screen and have a pencil case to their left

Live virtual classes

Maximum group size: 60

Live and interactive taught sessions via video platforms such as MS Teams and Google Meet. We are currently offering virtual classes for our Sixth Form Study Skills series for A-Level coursework and the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) and for our Moments in Medicine resources on the history of public health for GCSE history.

Book a virtual class

Group of children looking at an exhibition

Exhibition visits

Maximum group size: 30

The two exhibition galleries in the Weston Library showcase a selection of Bodleian treasures. Schools are welcome to book a visit to our regularly changing programme of exhibitions for a self-guided tour. We also offer taught learning sessions, activities, and guided tours for many exhibitions.

Book an exhibition visit

Group of men wearing colourful robes from an Ethiopic manuscript

Collections up close

Maximum group size: 15

Smaller school groups with a particular subject interest can enjoy close encounters with rare books, archives or manuscripts. Get in touch to find out how we can plan a session for your students. Current sessions include:

Anti-Apartheid Movement in Britain (A level History)
English Civil War (KS3 and GCSE History)
Moments in Medicine (GCSE History)
Vaccine Hesitancy (KS3–5 Critical Thinking and Biology)
Chinese Collections up Close (beginner–intermediate learners of Mandarin Chinese)

Book a collections up close session

Two people look at a printed plate in a letterpress printing workshop

Printing workshops

Maximum group size: 15

Hands-on workshops using our historic letterpress printing equipment allow students to experience the craft and labour involved in creating a printed book, and make a keepsake to print and take away.

Book a printing workshop

Group of smiling students giving a presentation

Study days

Maximum group size: 100

In partnership with Oxford University's academic departments and museums, we host themed study days that give students an introduction to Oxford’s world-class collections and teaching through lectures and object-based workshops.

Book a study day

OxLibris: support with independent research

Maximum group size: 15

OxLibris is a pilot project designed to support independent study for A-level coursework and the EPQ. With students often struggling to find high-quality research material, OxLibris offers advice on research skills and supervised access to Oxford University’s library resources to support Oxfordshire state school students in their progression towards university study.

Find out more about OxLibris.

Book an OxLibris session