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

The Fitzwilliam Museum
05 May 2019

An evening lecture on old Cyprus by Professor Paul A. Cartledge.

The Fitzwilliam Museum
06 Jan 2019

Drop-in on the first Saturday of the month and join us for activities and art-making on the theme of 'dazzling doodles'.

The Fitzwilliam Museum
05 Aug 2019

10.30 – 12.00 • 5 – 7 yrs
13.00 – 14.30 • 8 – 12 yrs

Visit the Beggarstaffs exhibition and create your own playful poster with artist Lara Jones.

The Fitzwilliam Museum
06 Nov 2019

Go behind the scenes with Dr Victoria Avery, Curator of the upcoming food themed exhibition, Feast & Fast. Handle objects that will be included in the show and assist with co-curation by sharing your thoughts and ideas!

The Fitzwilliam Museum
06 Oct 2019

Eliza Spindel, exhibition co-curator, discusses some of the hidden stories behind objects in 'Artist: Unknown'.

Kettle's Yard

Join Kettle’s Yard Director, Andrew Nairne, for a short introduction to the House. Hear more about Jim Ede, founder of Kettle’s Yard and find out more about the artists in our collection.

Kettle's Yard

Join exhibition co-curator Eliza Spindel and find out more about the Artist: Unknown exhibition.

Kettle's Yard

Join exhibition curator Sarah Griffin and find out more about our Jennifer Lee: the potter's space exhibition.

Kettle's Yard

Join us in our new Clore Learning Studio for free, practical art making workshops all day.

Kettle's Yard

Artist led workshop for 0-4s and their carers.

Kettle's Yard
07 Apr 2019

Join us in our new Clore Learning Studio for free, practical art making workshops all day. 

Kettle's Yard

Join Kettle's Yard Assistant Curator Grace Storey and find out more about our Jennifer Lee: the potter's space exhibition. 

Kettle's Yard

Artist led workshops for families.

Kettle's Yard

Get creative at Kettle’s Yard with free, drop-in drawing activities in the gallery spaces across the whole of the bank holiday weekend.

Kettle's Yard

Artist led workshop for 0-4s and their carers.

Kettle's Yard
08 Jul 2019

Join us for a free tour of our current exhibitions with Andrew Nairne, Director of Kettle’s Yard.

Kettle's Yard

Artist led workshop for 0-4s and their carers.

The Fitzwilliam Museum

Join Dr Richard Kelleher, Assistant Keeper of Coins and Medals, for a behind the scenes handling session of some wonderful coins and medals from our collection, to complement the current exhibition.

The Fitzwilliam Museum

Inspired by the Cycladic figurines of ancient Greece and their influence on modernist sculptors including Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore, we will create our own sculptures using simple stylised elements to represent the human form.

The Fitzwilliam Museum
06 Sep 2019

Exploring art together can be magical. Hear stories about objects in the collection, and make art of your own to take home.

The Fitzwilliam Museum
06 Oct 2019

0 - 2 yrs

This gently structured session allows babies to discover aspects of the collection through sensory exploration of colour, shapes, texture, sounds and movement. Look at the galleries together and get creative in the Studio.

The Fitzwilliam Museum
06 Jun 2019

Drop-in on the first Saturday of the month and join us for activities and art-making on the theme of 'caring for our museum'.

The Fitzwilliam Museum

Ever wanted to know how you balance a chair on your chin or if you can juggle liquid? StrongWomen Aoife and Maria reveal the scientific secrets behind their astounding tricks.

The Fitzwilliam Museum
08 Feb 2019

Ages 5+

Pick up your Discover Arts Award Challenge at the Fitzwilliam. Hunt around the Museum and gather inspiration.

The Fitzwilliam Museum
08 Mar 2019

Drop-in on the first Saturday of the month and join us for activities and art-making on the theme of 'circus tricks'.

The Fitzwilliam Museum

Crack codes and solve clues in this fun workshop based on the Hidden Tales, an exciting new adventure series where families go on a treasure hunt around the museums of Cambridge. 

The Fitzwilliam Museum

15 - 18 yrs

A session using mindfulness and body awareness to help you relax and find your inner calm. Gain new creative energy and learn techniques to help with everyday stress.

The Fitzwilliam Museum

13 - 18 yrs

Become Journey men and women (art apprentice graduates of the medieval period!) and search for your next inspiration by travelling the world through the collections of the Museum. Your artistic journey will be led by artist Caroline Wendling, who will support you in recording your findings and discoveries and creating new artworks.

The Fitzwilliam Museum

11 - 13 yrs

Follow in the footsteps of famous artists as we travel through the Museum’s galleries. Make your own journal to capture the observations from your artistic journey with artist Caroline Wendling.

The Fitzwilliam Museum
06 Nov 2019

This small display brings together objects from the Fitzwilliam’s collection that particularly resonate with the award-winning artist and potter, Jennifer Lee. Her choice includes modern studio ceramics, ancient Chinese bronzes and antiquities from Greece and Rome, with each object accompanied by an explanation of the affinity she feels with it.

The Fitzwilliam Museum

13 - 18 yrs

Ignite your imagination with a tour of the Museum then join artist Iona McCuaig in the Studio to find your own creative self using a range of materials. Your studio, your art, your time to experiment and explore.

The Fitzwilliam Museum

11 - 13 yrs

Find your Fitzwilliam favourites or discover something new to inspire your very own artwork. There is no set theme but lots of lovely art materials – join us and get creative in the Studio with artist Iona McCuaig.

The Fitzwilliam Museum
08 Jan 2019

Ages 11+

Join us for our popular summer arts festival creating a circus of the bizarre in our marquee on the front lawn.

The Fitzwilliam Museum
07 Jun 2019

11 - 14 yrs

Work with staff and artists on a special Arts Award project to develop and test creative ideas for an upcoming exhibition on the theme of food, feasting and fasting. Find out about what goes on behind the scenes at the Museum and share your own mini-exhibition at the end of the week.

The Fitzwilliam Museum

This in-focus exhibition is centred on a new acquisition: Jan Adam Kruseman’s posthumous portrait of the celebrated adventurer, Giovanni Battista Belzoni, known as ‘The Great Belzoni’.

Kettle's Yard

Join us for a talk by Jennifer Lee, followed by a conversation with Jennifer Lee, Helen Ritchie (Associate Curator, Fitzwilliam Museum) and independent curator Sarah Griffin. Chaired by Andrew Nairne, Director, Kettle's Yard. 

Kettle's Yard

Inspired by the 'Artist: Unknown' exhibition, conservator Rupert Featherstone (Director, Hamilton Kerr Institute) gives a short talk about the ways modern analysis can uncover hidden secrets in artwork.

Kettle's Yard
08 Mar 2019

Join Iku Nishikawa for a practical workshop of the centuries-old Japanese technique for repairing broken ceramics, Kintsugi, which translates as 'gold-mend'. Dr Bonnie Kemske, who is writing a book on the subject, will introduce the day. 

Kettle's Yard
07 Aug 2019

An audio described and touch tour of the Jennifer Lee exhibition for blind and visually impaired audiences.

Kettle's Yard
09 Jan 2019

Artist led workshops for families.