I had the opportunity to visit the Bodleian Library and the Oxford University Museum of Natural History this week; and while the collections inside the buildings are absolutely stunning, the buildings themselves are gorgeous examples of early gothic architecture.
The Museum of Natural science is interesting in that each pillar inside the building is decorated with the fresco of a native plant, and each pillar is made of a different mineral. The ceiling itself is said to represent that of a train station, perhaps in the sense that knowledge itself isn’t static, but ever-changing.
The Bodleian Library is another beautiful building hold extensive collections of early academic texts. One might think that these are inaccessible, (the library itself is under constant surveillance and access to the upper floor is by electronic key) but the texts themselves are used by scholars, academics and students even today, as long as they hold a valid Readers card and have sufficient “academic reason” to access the material. And, fun fact: several Harry Potter scenes were filmed on location in the library. Among the most recognizable was the dancing scene Between Ron and Professor McGonagall in The Goblet of Fire, a hospital scene between Harry and Dumbledore, and the infamous "restricted section" scene in the Hogwarts Library. The Bodleian is a real, working library, and another gorgeous example of architecture in what is considered the heart of Oxford.