5 must-see university campuses for students and tourists

College campuses are not just for student tours. Some campuses are rich in history and architecture, and even famous for being film sets. Even if you do not plan to study in these universities the halls, libraries, and historical landmarks are worth a visit.

Here are 5 university campuses to add to your travel bucket list.

Oxford University, United Kingdom

The University of Oxford is one the most reputed educational institutions in the world. Evidence shows that this university has been operating since 1096 which makes it the oldest university in the English-speaking world. While it is a dream school for many because of its global reputation for teaching, research, and contributions to society there are many reasons why you should visit the campus just for the experience.

Firstly, and this is one for the Potter-heads — parts of the Harry Potter movies were filmed here!  Notable locations include the Bodley staircase that leads to Christ Church. The Christ Church served as inspiration for the magnificent dining hall of Hogwarts.

Although you will not find the Christ Church to be an identical duplicate of the dining hall, you will undoubtedly notice similarities.

The Bodley Staircase is where the new first-years arrive at Hogwarts and are greeted by Professor McGonagall, the top of the staircase is used in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

Another location where Oxford University and Harry Potter collide is the Divinity School serving as the setting for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and the Hogwarts Infirmary.

Secondly, if you're not a Potter fan, the campus is made up of a labyrinth of covered arcades, arches and courtyards that reveal an architectural fantasy. Built in 1737, the renowned Radcliffe Chamber is regarded as one of the world's most opulent libraries and is currently used as a peaceful reading area.

There are many walking tours that take you around the campus and give you a walk through the Harry Potter locations. These tours start from around Tk 3356 and last for about an hour and a half.

Trinity College, Dublin

 Strolling around Trinity College's verdant campus will make you feel a part of the esteemed literary heritage. Trinity is where Bram Stoker, Samuel Beckett, Jonathan Swift, and Oscar Wilde studied.

The college was founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I with the intention of "civilising" the people of Dublin. Exam Hall, also called Sir William Chambers' Theatre, is a historic space where you may marvel at the magnificent interiors from the 18th century and the organ that was salvaged from a Spanish ship.

The 1798 Chapel with its painted windows, and the college's oldest structure, the red-brick Rubrics structure constructed around 1690, are located on this architecturally stunning campus.

The Zoological Museum, a fantastic place to take children to, is located in the Neo-Gothic Museum Building. Examples of extinct animals like the Tasmanian Wolf and Ireland's Last Great Auk are on display in the museum.

Two more must-see locations are the Arts and Social Science Building housing the Douglas Hyde Gallery of Modern Art (one of the nation's top contemporary galleries), and the Berkeley Library designed by Paul Koralek in 1967.

Only authorised university employees and Trinity's professional tour guides are permitted to give tours of the university's campus. However, you can walk through some parts of the campus on your own like the four principal squares; Parliament Square, Library Square, Fellows' Square, and New Square, which you can enter through the main gate and stroll through College Park and the Trinity Rugby Pitch.

University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles

USC is a renowned Hollywood film location in addition to being an academic institution. Only 20 minutes from Hollywood, the beautiful arches and red brick building have been featured in more than 69 films including Forrest Gump, The Graduate, Princess Diaries 2, and The Social Network, as well as TV series such as Gilmore Girls and Beverly Hills 90210.

While Elle Woods from the 2001 film Legally Blonde may have attended Harvard, USC served as the film's location. In Forrest Gump, Forrest's graduation scene was shot in front of USC's Bovard Administration Building. Additionally, USC served as the backdrop for the Matilda movie; Matilda goes herself to USC's very own Doheny Memorial Library. So, for cinephiles out there, visiting USC is a treat.

Tours of the campus are most commonly organised by the university and you would need a reservation. However, there are no reservations required to visit the University Park Campus.

University of British Columbia, Vancouver

The Vancouver campus is a unique location, bursting with West Coast scenery, top-notch activities, and gracious hospitality, only 25 minutes from downtown. There's always something happening on campus so you will not find yourself struggling to find something to do. Starting from arts and culture, sports and recreation, to gardens and beaches there's something for everyone and this makes the campus an attraction spot for locals and tourists.

Fun fact — the X-Men Origins: Wolverine featured the 12-storey Buchanan Tower (located on 1873 East Mall Road, which is on the university campus) as a guerrilla military base. To visit the campus, you can sign up for a free tour or even a tour for prospective students through the university's website. 

University of Glasgow, Scotland

The university was founded in 1451, making it the fourth-oldest in the United Kingdom and the second-oldest in Scotland. You can take self-guided tours in addition to the guided excursions that take you around the campus. In either case, you will learn more about the university's long history of invention and excellence and find yourself in the shoes of some of the most well-known visionaries in history, like economist Adam Smith and television pioneer John Logie Baird.

Completed in 1929, the University Chapel honours university members who lost their lives in the two world wars and is one of the few places in Scotland where marriages between Catholics and Protestants can be conducted.

Sir John James Burnet designed it in an early Gothic style, and Douglas Strachan made the exquisite stained-glass windows. William Riddel, a stonemason, designed the Lion and Unicorn Staircase in 1690. This stairway was transported over, stone by stone, by horse and cart, when the university campus moved from the city's High Street to its current location at Gilmorehill in 1870. It was then meticulously reconstructed by hand and incorporated into the new structure. Other than that, Lord Kelvin's house (Kevin proposed an absolute temperature scale now known as the Kelvin scale), the Gilbert Scott Building named after its designer Sir George Gilbert Scott (a leading figure in the Gothic Revival Movement), the Hunterian Museum, the Hunterian Art Gallery and the Memorial Gates are all historically enriched locations. 

These universities offer more than just top-notch education and you do not need to be a prospective student to visit these locations. The history and architecture, along with the modern-day associations with Hollywood, make these locations more attractive and make for a fruitful visit.