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

Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences, Whipple Museum of the History of Science
19 Nov 2022
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Explore complex, intriguing and challenging stories about power within our collections.

26 Oct 2022

What does power mean to you? Submit your event ideas for 2023.

 

Museum of Zoology
08 Dec 2022
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Join us as we chat LIVE to expert Dr Emily Mitchell, plus winter crafts to make.

Museum of Zoology
11 Nov 2022
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Uncover the fascinating stories behind our collections, from the beetles of Charles Darwin to the tale of our fin whale.

Museum of Zoology
09 Dec 2022
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Uncover the fascinating stories behind our collections, from the beetles of Charles Darwin to the tale of our fin whale.

Museum of Zoology
13 Jan 2023
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Uncover the fascinating stories behind our collections, from the beetles of Charles Darwin to the tale of our fin whale.

Museum of Zoology
10 Feb 2023
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Uncover the fascinating stories behind our collections, from the beetles of Charles Darwin to the tale of our fin whale.

Museum of Zoology
10 Mar 2023
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Uncover the fascinating stories behind our collections, from the beetles of Charles Darwin to the tale of our fin whale.

Museum of Zoology
11 Nov 2022
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Find out about the creatures that live in your garden pond and animals at the seaside with stories and play.

Museum of Zoology
09 Dec 2022
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Travel to the coldest places on Earth with our animal storytime at the Museum.

Cambridge University Botanic Garden 
15 Nov 2022
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Have some festive fun and follow the Botanic Garden's new family trail. 

Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences, Whipple Museum of the History of Science, Museum of Classical Archaeology
12 Jan 2023

Remix our objects, work with fellow creatives, and get your voices heard in our museum spaces

Cambridge University Botanic Garden 
01 Jan 2024

Step into a world of winter colour and enjoy the textures, colour and fragrance with an uplifting walk around Cambridge University Botanic Garden’s Winter Garden.The Winter Garden is open every day from 10am and will be looking good until the end of March.

The Polar Museum
05 Nov 2022

Enjoy a visit to our new exhibition; exploring our icy world from the sky and space 

Museum of Zoology
10 Dec 2022
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Visit the Museum for some fun crafty activities in the galleries!

Museum of Zoology
23 Nov 2022

Discover the reflections of two Cambridge students at our Student Voices: What is Nature? display

The Fitzwilliam Museum
21 Feb 2023
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Join us for a talk that explores how Western European religious painting was embraced and transformed by women and queer artists working in 19th and 20th century Britain. The talk relates to works from the Fitzwilliam collection.

Cambridge University Botanic Garden 
07 Jan 2023
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Drop-in to this free workshop and have a go at making a portrait of your family or friends using sticks and other bits and bobs from our craft cupboards.

Museum of Zoology
13 Jan 2023
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Bring your little ones to have fun in the Museum!

Museum of Zoology
08 Feb 2023
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Join us online for a talk on the heroes behind our collections 

The Polar Museum
13 Jan 2023
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Grab a glass of wine, browse the museum and drop by our pop-up object handling stations and mini talks.

The Polar Museum
13 Jan 2023
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Grab a glass of wine, browse the museum and drop by our pop-up object handling stations and mini talks.

The Polar Museum
13 Jan 2023
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Grab a drink, browse the museum and drop by our pop-up object handling stations and mini talks.

Cambridge University Botanic Garden 
21 Jan 2023
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Join RHS medal-winning garden designer Paul Herrington and start designing your own garden

Cambridge University Botanic Garden 
27 Jan 2023
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Go on a journey with garden historian Twigs Way learning about our seasonal wild flowers

Cambridge University Botanic Garden 
02 Feb 2023
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Join tutor Laura Mayer for a colourful introduction to the Georgian garden

Cambridge University Botanic Garden 
07 Feb 2023
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This course will teach you the science of pruning and maintaining health in woody plants in winter

Cambridge University Botanic Garden 
08 Feb 2023
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Learn how to create a beautiful illustrations with Janie Pirie on this three part course

Cambridge University Botanic Garden 
13 Feb 2023
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Join our assistant curator, Dr Ángela Cano, on this two-day course, journeying through the many dimensions of tropical plant diversity

Cambridge University Botanic Garden 
18 Feb 2023
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Do you want to learn how to keep your roses healthy, flowering and under control?

Cambridge University Botanic Garden 
24 Feb 2023
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Go on a journey through the seasons learning about wild flowers with garden historian Twigs Way

Cambridge University Botanic Garden 
08 Mar 2023
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Learn about what composition is, why it matters in botanical illustration, and how to make a composition work

Cambridge University Botanic Garden 
14 Mar 2023
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Learn about this fascinating plant family with Botanic Garden expert Luigi Leoni

Cambridge University Botanic Garden 
21 Mar 2023
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Learn tips to tackle your own plot with increased confidence

Cambridge University Botanic Garden 
31 Mar 2023
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Go on a journey with garden historian Twigs Ways learning about our seasonal wild flowers

Museum of Zoology
10 Feb 2023
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Discover animal sounds with stories and play in the Museum.

Kettle's Yard
04 Mar 2023
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Celebrating one of the most significant potters of the twentieth century, this major new exhibition is a rare opportunity to experience Lucie Rie’s (1902-1995) ground- breaking practice across six decades.