Since 2012, we’ve undertaken projects of all shapes and sizes. To deliver this program, we’ve collaborated with a huge variety of organisations – from the University, local area and further afield. Find out more about our past ventures here: 

Annual Reviews
Giving an overview of our work in each year, you can read our annual reviews online.
2021-2022 Year in Numbers
2020-2021 A year like no other
2018-2019 Highlights

Operation Survival and Cambridge Codebreakers: The Last Secret
We partnered with Fire Hazard Games to deliver two high-octane digital adventure games across a number of our museums. Imagine head-scratching puzzles and a madcap rush between venues (not in the galleries!). Find out more on our Collections in Action blog:
Operation Survival
Cambridge Codebreakers: turning museum visitors into players
Cambridge Codebreakers: developing a codebreaking adventure across four museums
2017-2019

India Unboxed
To mark the UK-India Year of Culture 2017, we celebrated a shared season on the theme of India - a programme of exhibitions, events, digital encounters, discussions, installations and more within the museums and the city of Cambridge.
Rooted in our collections, the programme explored themes of identity and connectivity for audiences in both the UK and India, with support from Arts Council England. Read the India Unboxed Evaluation Report
2017-18

The Museum as Method
This conference, run in collaboration with the University's Centre for Research in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (CRASSH), brought together scholars from disciplines interested in material culture and curators from across the arts and sciences, to reflect on both questions of methodology and public policy.
2016 

Curating Cambridge
Curating Cambridge: our city, our stories, our stuff was a collaborative arts and cultural season which took place over October and November 2014. Read the Curating Cambridge Evaluation Report
2014

Artist in Residence, North West Cambridge Development
The Artist in Residence programme at the North West Cambridge Development ran throughout the development of the site, with three artists being appointed each year. 
2014-2016

Discoveries: Art, Science and Exploration
In 2014, Discoveries, the first major show to bring together the fascinating collections from all eight University of Cambridge Museums, took place at London's Two Temple Place and the Fitzwilliam Museum.
2014

House Guests
From March to July 2013 specimens, objects and artworks from the University of Cambridge Museums and collections took up residence at Kettle's Yard. The 'guests', from butterflies to Inuit carving, invited visitors to see Kettle's Yard in a new light and to discover more about the University of Cambridge Museums.
2013

Thresholds
In 2012 Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy invited ten of the best UK poets writing today to take part in a series of residencies at the University of Cambridge Museums. Each poet spent time in their host museum or collection, exploring the collection and working with young people, helping them to develop their critical thinking skills as well as their writing.
2012-13

What's On

Saffron Walden Museum
26 Aug 2021
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Join Saffron Walden Museum in their grounds near the newly opened Walden Castle for some fun crafting activities. 

Whipple Museum of the History of Science
26 Jul 2021
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Find out more about the amazing women behind some of the objects in the Whipple Museum's collection! Follow the museum trail at any time when the museum is open or come on a Monday afternoon to take part in practical activities based on a different woman each week. Booking essential.

Whipple Museum of the History of Science
02 Aug 2021
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Find out more about the amazing women behind some of the objects in the Whipple Museum's collection! Follow the museum trail at any time when the museum is open or come on a Monday afternoon to take part in practical activities based on a different woman each week. Booking essential.

 

Whipple Museum of the History of Science
09 Aug 2021
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Find out more about the amazing women behind some of the objects in the Whipple Museum's collection! Follow the museum trail at any time when the museum is open or come on a Monday afternoon to take part in practical activities based on a different woman each week. Booking essential.

Whipple Museum of the History of Science
16 Aug 2021
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Find out more about the amazing women behind some of the objects in the Whipple Museum's collection! Follow the museum trail at any time when the museum is open or come on a Monday afternoon to take part in practical activities based on a different woman each week. Booking essential.

Cambridge Museum of Technology
17 Aug 2021
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Join this artist-led workshop where you will be able create an art work using the Lights of Fantasy Flying Machine. 

Cambridge Museum of Technology
24 Aug 2021
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Join this artist-led workshop where you will be able create an art work using the Lights of Fantasy Flying Machine. 

Cambridge Museum of Technology
09 Aug 2021
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Find out about, and have a go at different types of printing. Create a masterpiece to take home with you.

Cambridge Museum of Technology
16 Aug 2021
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Find out about, and have a go at different types of printing. Create a masterpiece to take home with you.

Cambridge Museum of Technology
23 Aug 2021
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Find out about, and have a go at different types of printing. Create a masterpiece to take home with you.

Museum of Zoology
05 Aug 2021
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Join us in creating a Protest Plastic salt-dough sculpture together and hear from marine experts to help design your message.

Ely Museum
05 Aug 2021
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Join Ely Museum for a fun drop-in Fenland themed craft session. With lots of fun crafts to try and real museum objects to handle, there is plenty to enjoy.

Ely Museum
12 Aug 2021
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Join Ely Museum for a fun drop-in Dinosaur themed craft session. With lots of fun crafts to try and real museum objects to handle, there is plenty to enjoy.
 

Ely Museum
19 Aug 2021
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Join Ely Museum for a fun drop-in Roman themed craft session. With lots of fun crafts to try and real museum objects to handle, there is plenty to enjoy.

Ely Museum
26 Aug 2021
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Join Ely Museum for a fun drop-in prehistory themed craft session. With lots of fun crafts to try and real museum objects to handle, there is plenty to enjoy.

Stained Glass Museum
27 Jul 2021
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Fun storytelling and craft sessions for children aged 3 - 6 years.

Stained Glass Museum
03 Aug 2021
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Fun storytelling and craft sessions for children aged 3 - 6 years.

Stained Glass Museum
10 Aug 2021
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 Fun storytelling and craft sessions for children aged 3 - 6 years.

Stained Glass Museum
17 Aug 2021
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Learn how to cut glass and make your own kiln-fired artwork.

Stained Glass Museum
17 Aug 2021
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A family-friendly glass fusing activity where everyone gets to take part.

Great St Mary's Church
28 Jul 2021
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Complete the special trail and try building your own tower.

Great St Mary's Church
04 Aug 2021
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Complete the Noah’s Ark trail and try out some related activities.

Farmland Museum and Denny Abbey
07 Aug 2021
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Visit the museum for a day of music, dancing and games. 

The Polar Museum
25 Jul 2021
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Join us at the Polar Museum with artist Alice White, to explore where science and art collide and discover how the spirit of exploration is shared by artists and scientists alike.

Wisbech and Fenland Museum
27 Jul 2021
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Join the team from Wisbech & Fenland Museum for drop-in activities on the theme of fossils.

Wisbech and Fenland Museum
10 Aug 2021
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Join the team from Wisbech & Fenland Museum for drop-in activities on the Stone and Iron Ages.

Wisbech and Fenland Museum
24 Aug 2021
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Join the team from Wisbech & Fenland Museum for drop-in activities on the theme of Romans.

The Fitzwilliam Museum
07 Aug 2021
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Join us for our free Family First Saturday at the Museum (14.00 until 16.00). This month activities are based on the theme of flowers. To ensure the safety of our visitors, number restrictions will apply and you will need to book a ticket for all family members in advance.

The Fitzwilliam Museum
04 Sep 2021
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This September's Family First Saturday is based on the theme, Food, glorious food! This event is in collaboration with Cambridge China Centre. To ensure the safety of our visitors, number restrictions will apply and you will need to book a ticket for all family members in advance.

 

The Cromwell Museum
04 Aug 2021
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Do you have what it takes to join the New Modelled Army, and fight for Parliament? Join this workshop to make your own equipment, meet real Civil War soldiers, and receive your training certification, signed by Oliver Cromwell!

The Cromwell Museum
11 Aug 2021
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A hands-on portrait drawing session with Peterborough artist, Tony Nero.

The Cromwell Museum
18 Aug 2021
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Discover what types of herbs the Cromwells used to make their food taste yummy, and to make their home and selves smell good.

The Cromwell Museum
25 Aug 2021
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Discover how  people in the 17th century wrote letters and books and have a go yourself. 

 

The Fitzwilliam Museum
21 Jul 2021
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Works from the Katrin Bellinger Collection within The Human Touch exhibition.

An online lunchtime talk with Anita Viola Sganzerla from the Katrin Bellinger Collection

Centre for Computing History
25 Aug 2021
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Fancy sinking your (blue)teeth into a bit of electronics tinkering? Make your own Bluetooth speaker to hook up to a phone or other Bluetooth device. 

Cambridge University Botanic Garden 
19 Aug 2021
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Join a twilight ramble through the Botanic Garden and learn about the fascinating world of bats.

Cambridge University Botanic Garden 
26 Aug 2021
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Join a twilight ramble through the Botanic Garden and learn about the fascinating world of bats.

Cambridge University Botanic Garden 
20 Aug 2021
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A special morning event for families.

Join experts to find out what has been caught in the Garden's moth trap the night before.

 

 

Cambridge University Botanic Garden 
20 Aug 2021
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A special workshop for 2-5 year olds inspired by the book 'Too Much Stuff', a comical tale about the perils of wanting too many things.

Kettle's Yard
01 Aug 2021
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Join us in St Peter’s Churchyard for free, practical art making activities. Be inspired by Kettle’s Yard and make your own artworks. Pick up one of our family art activity packs and get creative with our artists. You can collect your materials to make outside at Kettle’s Yard or take them home with you.