Join us on this Friday morning for a 45-minute journey through five centuries of the printed word. After a brief scholarly introduction from our guide, you'll be free to roam the collection at your own pace — and there's a reward for close reading: study the wall panels carefully, as they hold the answers to a quiz, with a free drink at Blackwell's café on the line for the sharpest-eyed among you.
The tour opens with the very first book printed in Oxford, then moves through the material culture of the OUP itself — including the Dutch type gifted by John Fell in the 17th century and a working 19th-century printing press. You'll encounter landmark output from the catalogue, from bibles and prayer books to the Oxford Almanack, a first-edition-adjacent brush with Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, alongside the personalities and buildings that shaped OUP history worldwide.
Our guide welcomes questions throughout (and there will be plenty to ask). Since OUP itself keeps no shop, we'll close the visit with an optional stroll to Blackwell's bookshop and café, a fitting end to the day. Those with high quiz scores can enjoy a sponsored drink.
Date & Time: 2nd October 2026 (Fri) @ 10:00 am (the tour will start sharply at this time, so do come along slightly earlier!)
Location: Oxford University Press (OUP), Great Clarendon St, Oxford OX2 6DP
Ticket Price: ÂŁ2
Tickets for this event will be released on 17th September (Thu) @ 1:00pm. Stay tuned!