[2] Many distinguished scientists worked in the department at various stages in their careers, including three Nobel Laureates (Peter Medawar, Niko Tinbergen, and Sir John Gurdon), three winners of the Crafoord Prize (Bill Hamilton, Ilkka Hanski, Bob May), the Kyoto Prize (Bill Hamilton) and Blue Planet Prize (Bob May), as well as four winners of the Copley Medal (the Royal Society's premier research award).

The Department of Zoology was housed in the Tinbergen Building in Oxford, designed in 1965 by Sir Leslie Martin (who also designed the Royal Festival Hall) and opened in 1971, the Tinbergen Building was a large Modernist building housing over 1,600 staff and students.

In February 2017, university officials announced that the Tinbergen Building would be closed for two years and all research and teaching activities of the Zoology Department would be moved elsewhere.

This was due to the discovery of more asbestos than had been previously known; too much than could be removed during necessary maintenance with the building remaining occupied.

The Department of Biology currently primarily located in various places, including temporary accommodation at 11a Mansfield Road and on South Parks Road.