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

Cambridge University Botanic Garden 
20 Oct 2019
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Join us for the region's largest Apple Day

Cambridge University Botanic Garden 
07 Mar 2019

The Garden opens its gates late on Wednesday evenings throughout July to host a season of open-air music from Cambridge Summer Music.

Cambridge University Botanic Garden 
06 Oct 2019

The Garden opens its gates late on Wednesday evenings throughout July to host a season of open-air music from Cambridge Summer Music

Cambridge University Botanic Garden 

The Garden opens its gates late on Wednesday evenings throughout July to host a season of open-air music from Cambridge Summer Music

Cambridge University Botanic Garden 

The Garden opens its gates late on Wednesday evenings throughout July to host a season of open-air music from Cambridge Summer Music.

Cambridge University Botanic Garden 

The Garden opens its gates late on Wednesday evenings throughout July to host a season of open-air music from Cambridge Summer Music.

Kettle's Yard

A Studio Sunday Special for families with a child about to start school. Siblings welcome!

The Fitzwilliam Museum

The Fitzwilliam Museum is hosting a display with a small selection of interesting finds.

03 Mar 2019

Joshua Lynch (cello) and Sally Halsey (piano) perform Beethoven's Sonata in G minor and Saint-Saens' Sonata No 2 for Cello and Piano.

The Fitzwilliam Museum

Consisting of two works, one outside and one inside the Museum, this light installation has been created by Cambridge artist, Emma Smith, following a programme of workshops with local groups.

Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
03 Dec 2019

This one-day workshop will discuss the benefits of heritage science research in the context of collections-based research and outreach activities.

Cultural Objects Worked in Skeletal Hard Tissues

The Fitzwilliam Museum

University of Cambridge Museums is holding a hands-on introductory workshop on procedures in salvaging museum, library and archive collections.

Museum of Zoology
05 Mar 2019

Explore the animals of Africa with stories and play for under 5s.

Museum of Zoology
03 May 2019

Book onto a tour and uncover the fascinating stories behind our collections, from the beetles of Charles Darwin to the tale of our fin whale.

Museum of Zoology
03 Aug 2019

Join us for a relaxed afternoon aimed at children with sensory sensitivities along with their families, siblings & carers.

Museum of Zoology
05 Mar 2019

Book onto a tour and uncover the fascinating stories behind our collections, from the beetles of Charles Darwin to the tale of our fin whale.

Museum of Zoology
05 Jul 2019

Book onto a tour and uncover the fascinating stories behind our collections, from the beetles of Charles Darwin to the tale of our fin whale.

Museum of Zoology
03 May 2019

From earthworms to beautiful butterflies, discover and create marvellous minibeasts with stories and play.

Museum of Zoology
05 Jul 2019

Take a trip to the seaside with stories and play, and make a fish to take home with you.

Museum of Zoology
03 Oct 2019

Drop in to discover one of the amazing specimens from the Museum's stores not normally on public display.

Museum of Zoology

Drop in to discover one of the amazing specimens from the Museum's stores not normally on public display.

Museum of Zoology
04 Aug 2019

Drop in to discover one of the amazing specimens from the Museum's stores not normally on public display.

Museum of Zoology
06 Dec 2019

Drop in to discover one of the amazing specimens from the Museum's stores not normally on public display.

Museum of Zoology

Drop in to discover one of the amazing specimens from the Museum's stores not normally on public display.

Museum of Zoology
04 Nov 2019

Discover eggs of animals past and present, and have a cracking time with egg-themed crafts in the Museum. 

Museum of Zoology

Discover eggs of animals past and present, and have a cracking time with egg-themed crafts in the Museum. 

Museum of Zoology
04 Oct 2019

Join Dr James Barrett from the Department of Archaeology as he discusses the growth of trade in walrus ivory, furs and fish from the North Atlantic region in the Middle Ages.

Museum of Zoology

Conserving the little things that run the world

Museum of Zoology
04 Dec 2019

Author and zoologist Jack Ashby will explore the quirks and biases we might spot in how museums talk about animals, in ways that can reflect politics as much as science.

Cambridge University Botanic Garden 

Join us as we explore the Botanic Garden for wildlife, counting as many species as we can in 24 hours. 

Museum of Zoology

Explore the Museum out of hours and discover the creatures that come out at night.

Museum of Zoology

Audio descriptive tour for blind and partially sighted adults

Museum of Zoology

Get creative with your cat camouflage with making activities at the Museum.

Museum of Zoology

With hands on activities, live insects, makes and lightening talks, celebrate the amazing world of animals with us at this festival of all things Zoology.

Museum of Zoology

Drop in to discover one of the amazing specimens from the Museum's stores not normally on public display.

Museum of Zoology

Drop in to discover one of the amazing specimens from the Museum's stores not normally on public display.

Museum of Zoology

Drop in to discover one of the amazing specimens from the Museum's stores not normally on public display.