Rothermere American Institute
University of Oxford
1a South Parks Road
Oxford
OX1 3UB
United Kingdom
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By Car
The Rothermere American Institute does not have visitor car parking, and many Oxford streets are closed to traffic. Parking is limited and expensive within the city. Instead, visitors are encouraged to use the various Park and Ride sites around the city, bus services, or taxis. For information on car parks see Oxfordshire City Council's website.
Congestion Charge/Traffic Filters
Oxfordshire County Council is running a temporary congestion charge scheme from 29 October 2025 to 27 September 2026 while Botley Road is closed, with cars passing through one of the congestion charge cameras needing to pay a fee. The congestion charge applies only to cars and motorhomes. The daily charge is £5. Details of congestion camera locations, fines and exemptions can be found on the Oxfordshire County Council website.
From 28 September 2026, the congestion charge scheme is replaced by a traffic filter trial. The traffic filter trial will operate similarly to the temporary congestion charge, with the filters being at the same six locations and a permit scheme in place.  Â
The key difference is that, with traffic filters, car drivers will no longer be able to pay the £5 congestion charge to go through the traffic filter points. Cars with permits and all other vehicles can travel through the filters at all times. Information on the scheme can be found here.
Opening hours
The Institute's opening hours mirror those of the Vere Harmsworth Library, where the building reception is located. Current opening hours (variable between term-time and vacation) can be found on the library homepage.
Accessibility
The Institute has an entrance ramp and normally has lift access to all floors. However, please note that the lift in our building is currently broken. Estates Services are working to fix this as soon as possible but a major repair (or replacement) is needed and it could be some time before a resolution is found. We are deeply sorry for the inconvenience this may cause. If you wish to attend one of our events (which are held in the seminar rooms on the lower ground floor) and can manage the stairs slowly but with someone at your side or providing an arm to lean on, please don't hesitate to ask us as a member of RAI staff would be happy to assist. For full details, please visit the RAI page on the University Access Guide.
