Duke Humfrey’s Library is the oldest reading room in Oxford’s Bodleian Library and one of Europe’s earliest purpose‑built libraries. Constructed between 1450 and 1480 above the Divinity School, it was named for Humphrey of Lancaster, the first Duke of Gloucester, whose 281‑volume bequest in 1447 formed the university’s first substantial collection. The narrow aisles, oak bookcases and painted ceiling bearing the arms of the University create a Gothic atmosphere that feels unchanged since the 17th‑century restoration. With over 80 miles of shelving and chained, leather‑bound books, the library exudes the weight of centuries of scholarship. Today it still serves readers under a sacred Bodleian oath, but non‑readers can visit on guided tours to admire its architecture and cinematic fame. Duke Humfrey’s Library doubled as the Restricted Section of Hogwarts Library. In *Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone* Harry sneaks in under his invisibility cloak during the Christmas holidays to research Nicolas Flamel. The camera glides along endless shelves lit by candlelight as Harry opens a shrieking book, echoing the library’s alarmed volumes. The library appears again in *Half‑Blood Prince* during a quiet scene where Harry and Hermione discuss Slughorn’s Christmas party. Guides point out the spots used on screen and explain that books in the Restricted Section are wired with alarms—no screaming tomes, but please don’t touch.

The Convocation House at Oxford's Bodleian Library wasn't specifically a Harry Potter film location, but it can be seen on tours that also include Duke Humfrey's Library, which was used for the Hogwarts library, and the Divinity School, which served as Hogwarts' infirmary. You can visit these locations by taking a guided library tour at the Bodleian, which must be booked in advance, and a 60-minute tour includes a visit to Convocation House. What it is: Convocation House is a hall in the Bodleian Library complex where the university's general assemblies take place. It is adjacent to the Divinity School, which was used as the Hogwarts infirmary in the Harry Potter films.

Oxford’s Radcliffe Square Vistas (connector) place visitors in the iconic crossroads where the city’s medieval university heritage meets cinematic memory. The square blends the sunlit stone of the Bodleian Library precinct with the clocking silhouette of the Radcliffe Camera, creating a calm but charged atmosphere that filmmakers prize. Historically, the area has long been a hub of scholarly life, and in cinema it serves as a versatile exterior that evokes a magical, Hogwarts-adjacent world. Today, the square feels vibrant yet contemplative, with tourists, students, and lights from nearby colleges weaving into the scene.