🧭 Travel to Oxford & Trinity College

PROCEDURE FOR THE BODLEIAN TOURS AND EXHIBITION

FRIDAY 12 SEPTEMBER

The exhibition of Douce playing cards is taking place in the Weston Library Bahari Room.  Since this room cannot accommodate more than 28 visitors at any one time, we have organised one-hour tours of the Old Bodleian Library so that Conference delegates are able to make enjoyable and informative use of their time while waiting to enter the exhibition.

During registration on the previous day, you will be asked to sign up to Group A, B or C (each group can accommodate up to 28 delegates).

Group A: 9.00 – 10.00 am Exhibition: 10.15 – 11.15 am

Group B: 10.00 – 11.00 am Exhibition:  11.15 – 12.15 pm

Group C: 13.00 – 14.00 pm Exhibition: 14.15 – 15.15 pm

Tours will commence just inside the main entrance to the Old Bodleian Library (known as the Proscholium). This is easily located as there is a bronze statue of William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke standing in the Old Schools Quadrangle, immediately in front of the glass doors.  (See map overleaf)

In the Proscholium Bodleian guides will split the Group into two smaller groups of 14 (max) and two tours will commence. Both will cover the same ground, but via different routes.

Note: The Divinity School is wheelchair accessible. However, access to Convocation House requires four steps up and down, and the Duke Humfrey’s library is up 65 stairs. There is no lift available.

Delegates on both guided tours will be brought back to the Weston Library and shown into the Bahari Room where the exhibition is displayed. Delegates will have one hour to view the display.

Access to the Bahari Room is via two flights of stairs. For delegates who may have difficulty negotiating the staircase, there is a lift available. However, because lift access requires entrance to a restricted part of the Library, and because there are limited staff available to escort delegates, we would ask that anyone with accessibility problems should sign up to Group B (viz. 10.00 am tour).

You will appreciate from the timings above that we are working to a tight schedule. We ask members arrive in the Proscholium on time to meet the guides. Any delay in starting the tour may adversely the length of time available to view the exhibition. 

We would respectfully remind all delegates that, unlike a public museum or art gallery, the Bodleian Library is normally open only to members of the University or registered readers. In order to be included on the tour, or enter the exhibition (or enter the Lecture Theatre on Saturday 13^th September) delegates must wear or display their conference badge at all times. Food and/or drink is not allowed in the Bahari Room (or Lecture Theatre).