Radcliffe Camera, Oxford. Open as part of the Extended Guided Tours. Admission charged

Details

Accessibility:

There are 5 on-street designated disability parking spaces nearby: one in front of Exeter College, 2 outside Blackwell's Bookshop on Broad Street and 2 on Parks Road, near the King's Arms pub. There are other car parks within Oxford city centre. Detailed information on all of these car parks and their current Blue Badge concessions can be found here: https://www.oxford.gov.uk/directory/8/car_parks_in_oxford/category/53/categoryInfo/10

Public access to Radcliffe Camera is only possible via a guided tour. These tours include stairways and are not wheelchair-accessible.

There are no hearing loops on the tours and in some areas the guide will need to speak in hushed tones in order to not disturb library users. Audio headsets and wireless audio is available on some tours. Please discuss your requirements with staff before you join a tour.

The closest accessible toilet is on the ground floor of Blackwell Hall. Assistance dogs are welcome and large print information sheets are available from the Bodleian Library.

Oxford city has a Shopmobility service which is accessed from within the car park for the Westgate shopping centre (OX1 1TR). The car park itself has 50 disability parking spaces, which are located close to the lobby area. Scooters and wheelchairs can be hired free of charge from the Shopmobility office, which can be booked over the telephone on 01865 263600 (Mon-Fri: 8am-5pm). Further information can be requested via email: westgate.oxford@landsec.com.

Brief Description:

Built between 1737 and 1749 in a neo-classical style, the Radcliffe Camera is a reading room and part of the Bodleian Libraries network of Oxford University. It sits in Radcliffe Square encircled by the Old Bodleian, Brasenose College, St Mary’s Church and All Souls College. It began life as a library with a broad focus of subjects but narrowed to a science library, eventually passing its collection to the Bodleian once the Camera was amalgamated into the Bodleian Libraries and Oxford University.

Further Information:

Address:

Radcliffe Camera, Radcliffe Square, Oxford, OX1 3BG 

Telephone:

01865 287400 

Email:

tours@bodleian.ox.ac.uk

Website:

Tour web site: https://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/whatson/visit/plan-your-visit/accessibility

Radcliffe Camera map: https://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/bodley/find-us/radcliffe_camera

Opening Hours:

The Camera is only open to visitors as part of either one of the guided Extended Tours

Tickets go on sale two weeks in advance or on the day from the Great Gate ticket office (subject to availability).

Extended Tour – Upstairs, downstairs
Length: 90 minutes

Price: £14

Times: Wednesday and Saturday: 9:15

Extended tour - Explore the reading rooms

Length: 90 minutes

Price: £14

Times: Sunday: 11:15, 13:15

Online ticket purchase web site:

https://tickets.ox.ac.uk/WebStore/shop/ViewItems.aspx?CG=bod&C=ExTours

Great Gate ticket office web site:

https://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/whatson/find-us

Directions:

Radcliffe Camera is in the centre of Oxford and is in a pedestrianised area. From the M40 J8a take the A40 west towards Oxford for 5 miles. At the roundabout continue straight to take the London Road/A420 for a further 2.5 miles. At the roundabout, take the 4th exit (past the pillared monument in the middle of the road) onto The Plain/A420 for around 400 metres/yards then turn right onto Longwall Street. Longwall Street turns slightly right and becomes St Cross Road. Turn left onto South Parks Road then, at the T-junction, turn left again onto Parks Road and continue south onto Catte Street. Catte Street ends at a barrier, beyond which is Radcliffe Square with Radcliffe Camera in the middle of it.

OS SP 51598 06347

Transport:

Oxford is a very old city and travelling by car can be a problem. However, there is an excellent pubic transport system, which you can find further details of here: http://www.oxfordcityguide.com/oxford-tourist-information/getting-around-oxford

There are six Park & Ride sites located around Oxford's ring road; Bicester, Oxford Parkway and Pear Tree to the North, Thornhill to the East, Redbridge to the South and Seacourt to the West. The parking and bus into town are charged separately and there are no concessions for Blue Badge drivers. Each Park & Ride also has EV charge points for electric car drivers. Further details of the locations and charges can be found here: https://www.oxford.gov.uk/directory/8/car_parks_in_oxford/category/56/categoryInfo/13

The main bus services in Oxford are run by the Oxford Bus Company, Stagecoach Oxfordshire and Thames Travel. The services run throughout the city as well as the surrounding villages. Further details can be found on the following websites: https://www.oxfordbus.co.uk/, https://www.stagecoachbus.com/about/oxfordshire and https://www.thames-travel.co.uk/.

Oxford’s main railway station is located on the west side of the city centre with bus stops and taxi ranks just outside. There are frequent services to/from London Paddington, London Marylebone and Birmingham New Street. Details of the station can be found here: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/OXF/details.html. For ticket information you can telephone National Rail on 03457 484 950.

Amenities:

There is a café (Bodleian Café) in Weston Library next to Blackwell Hall serving hot and cold drinks and snacks and there are cafes, coffee shops, public houses, restaurants and shops to cater for any taste within Oxford town centre.