Sheldonian Theatre

The Sheldonian Theatre on Broad Street was designed by a young Christopher Wren in the 1660s and is the university's ceremonial hall, where degrees are conferred and concerts take place. The building takes its plan from a Roman theatre, with a D-shaped auditorium and a flat ceiling spanning the space without supporting columns, a feat of engineering for its time. Robert Streater painted the ceiling with a scene of Truth descending on the Arts and Sciences, and the rows of wooden seating and galleries make the room feel intimate. A cupola on the roof is reached by a staircase and rewards you with a panorama over the Radcliffe Camera, the Bodleian and the roofs of the colleges. Outside, the line of carved stone heads on the railings has become one of the most photographed details of Broad Street.

Visiting is simple but depends on the calendar. The building is a working university venue, so it closes for degree ceremonies, concerts and rehearsals, and opening hours follow the academic year. Standard visits cover the auditorium and the cupola, and the entry fee is modest. It is often combined with a tour, and the Bodleian Divinity School sits next door, so a walking tour of the area can include both.

The Sheldonian is also a music venue. Concerts of classical and choral music are held in the auditorium throughout the year, and hearing an orchestra in a Wren room gives a very different sense of the building. Look at the programme if you are staying for a few days, and book early because tickets for popular performances sell out. Graduation ceremonies in Latin are held in the same room, a reminder that Oxford keeps its medieval traditions alive.

Combine the Sheldonian with other nearby places for an efficient morning. Walk past the carved heads, turn into the Old Bodleian quad, and finish at the Bridge of Sighs on New College Lane. The cupola climb involves narrow stairs and is not suitable for everyone, so check the access information on the venue page before you go. If you only want a view, the University Church tower offers a similar vantage, so choose whichever fits your plans.

If you want to see the inside, plan around the university calendar. The Sheldonian hosts degree ceremonies, matriculation and formal events through the academic year, and it also hosts rehearsals for concerts, so the building can close for stretches at short notice. The cupola climb is a short but steep spiral, and the view includes the Radcliffe Camera, the Bodleian, the Clarendon Building and the cluster of spires and domes beyond. Use the staircase carefully, since the steps are worn, and avoid the climb if you are unsteady.

The concerts are the real draw for some visitors, with chamber music and choral evenings that make good use of the wood-panelled room. Programmes are posted on the venue site, and it is wise to book early for popular series. Outside the theatre, the carved heads along the railings are a fine subject for a photograph, especially in low evening light. Audio guides and printed leaflets are sometimes available at the desk, and they explain the ceiling painting and the history of the room in more detail than the wall labels.