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Radcliffe Camera
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
poi · GB

Radcliffe Camera

Getting around: In the centre of Oxford, a 15-minute walk from the train station, in Radcliffe Square between the Bodleian Library and University Church.
Hours: The exterior and Radcliffe Square are viewable at all times as a public space, free. The interior, a working reading room for the Bodleian Library, is not open for general casual visits; access is via a Bodleian guided tour, which must be booked ahead, and even then availability is limited given it's an active study space.

The Radcliffe Camera is Oxford's most photographed building, a round, domed 18th-century library building sitting in Radcliffe Square, whose distinctive silhouette appears in most postcard views of the city, often shot from the tower of the University Church of St Mary the Virgin just across the square. Built between 1737 and 1749 to house the scientific library funded by physician John Radcliffe's bequest, it now functions as a reading room for the Bodleian Library, primarily serving history and English students.

Because it's an active study space, casual public entry isn't generally possible; most visitors experience it purely as an exterior sight, best appreciated from the University Church tower or by walking around Radcliffe Square itself, which is also flanked by All Souls College and Brasenose College. Interior access is possible only through a specific Bodleian guided tour, booked in advance and with limited spots.

A few minutes suffices for photos from the square; climbing the University Church tower nearby (a separate paid ticket) gives the classic elevated view down onto the building's dome.

Radcliffe Camera FAQs

Can you go inside the Radcliffe Camera?

Not casually; it's a working Bodleian Library reading room primarily for history and English students. Interior access is only via a specific pre-booked guided tour with limited availability.

Where do you get the best photo of the Radcliffe Camera?

From the tower of the University Church of St Mary the Virgin just across Radcliffe Square, which offers the classic elevated view down onto its dome.

When was the Radcliffe Camera built?

Between 1737 and 1749, funded by a bequest from physician John Radcliffe to house a scientific library.

Is the Radcliffe Camera part of the Bodleian Library?

Yes, it functions as one of the Bodleian Library's reading rooms, connected to the wider library system via underground tunnels.

Is Radcliffe Square free to visit?

Yes, the square and the building's exterior are freely viewable at any time; only the University Church tower nearby and Bodleian tours involve a paid ticket.

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