UC San Diego Library Tours
General Tour Information & Guidelines for All Tour Types
Library visitors are asked to respect the needs of the campus community by minimizing interference, not blocking traffic, and keeping visits short. Tour groups are restricted to Geisel's 1st and 2nd Floors. Floors 4–7 are designated for quiet study, and Floor 8 for silent study.
- For groups of individuals under age 18, one chaperone must be present for every 15 students/children and must stay with the group at all times.
- Staffing does not accommodate tours on weekends.
- A minimum of 3 days advance notice is required.
- No tours are permitted during Weeks 9, 10, and Finals Week each quarter during the academic year.
- See visitor parking information and maps and directions.
Geisel Library Tours for Current & Incoming UC San Diego Students and their Families, & Other UC San Diego Affiliates
Tours for UC San Diego student audiences can be scheduled on selected weekdays and times each month (see request form for registration). These tours showcase the wide variety of study spaces, collections, services, technologies, equipment, and amenities offered in Geisel Library. Services and spaces offered in the nearby Biomedical Library Building are also mentioned. Tours are limited to a maximum of 25 people. We may not be able to accommodate tour groups larger than 25. Tours are 45-60 minutes.
Geisel Library Tours for Non-UC San Diego Audiences
Tours for non-UC San Diego audiences can be scheduled on selected weekdays and times each month (see request form for registration). These tours showcase the artwork and architecture of Geisel Library, and introduce the buidling's history and selected services. Tours are 30-45 minutes.
Academic-focused tours for school groups may be available for grades 8-12, but are subject to staff availability. We cannot accommodate groups larger than 25 on any single day. These 45-60 minute tours are intended to inspire students to attend college or to understand the university environment and experience. They focus more on the role of the library in the academic life of students rather than on the Library’s art and architecture.
Geisel Library Self-Guided Tours & Visitation
Excluding the first week of the Fall quarter and the last two weeks of each quarter during the academic year (see the campus calendar for details), Geisel Library is open for self-guided tours. Visitors are welcome to explore the building’s 1st and 2nd Floors. Floors 4-8 are designated for quiet study, so respect the students that are studying if you visit the upper floors. Download the Geisel Library Building Guide or stop by Geisel's Information Desk for a printed copy.
Subject, Discipline, or Course-Specific Tours (also for Visiting Scholars)
Tours conducted by subject librarians can be available during the week for UC San Diego classes, departments, and Visiting Scholars. UC San Diego faculty or staff may contact the appropriate librarian directly to arrange such a tour.
Biomedical Library Building Tours
Tours of the Biomedical Library Building (BLB) may be available for scholars with research interests related to health sciences. Contact the appropriate librarian directly or Genevieve Thipatima for details and arrangements (alternately, Michelle Vogelsang Jones, if Genevieve is not available).
UC San Diego Walking & Bus Tours
Discover the history, art, and architecture of the UC San Diego campus — from world-famous buildings to historic eucalyptus groves and renowned public artwork. Free walking, bus, and green building tours are held year-round by the UC San Diego Visitors Tour Program and showcase the most notable features of the 1,200 acre campus. You can also view a virtual tour of campus.
Comments or Questions?
Send questions, comments, and suggestions to LearningSpaces@ucsd.edu.
