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 
21 May 2023
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Science on Sundays is a programme of free, informal, monthly science talks, bringing the latest discoveries in plant science, as well as research linked to the plant collection at CUBG, to our visitors in a 30 minute nutshell. 

Cambridge University Botanic Garden 
18 Jun 2023
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Science on Sundays is a programme of free, informal, monthly science talks, bringing the latest discoveries in plant science, as well as research linked to the plant collection at CUBG, to our visitors in a 30 minute nutshell. 

Cambridge University Botanic Garden 
18 Jun 2023
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Science on Sundays is a programme of free, informal, monthly science talks, bringing the latest discoveries in plant science, as well as research linked to the plant collection at CUBG, to our visitors in a 30 minute nutshell. 

The Polar Museum
01 Apr 2023
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Pick up our Egg-cellent Penguins trail at the Polar Museum this Easter break.

Museum of Classical Archaeology
13 Apr 2023
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Join us for a relaxed afternoon of Roman board games.

Whipple Museum of the History of Science
12 Apr 2023
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Create your own experiments with light at the Whipple Museum

Whipple Museum of the History of Science
13 Apr 2023
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Create your own experiments with light at the Whipple Museum

Museum of Classical Archaeology
04 Apr 2023

An exhibition by Zachary Eastwood-Bloom.

Museum of Classical Archaeology
03 Apr 2023
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Celebrate the opening night of our new exhibition with a glass of wine

The Fitzwilliam Museum
26 Apr 2023
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Historian Elizabeth Key Fowden talks about collectors of Mediterranean textiles in the new Fitzwilliam display 'Mediterranean Embroideries' and discusses the short film made for the display 'Running threads, dancing bodies', featuring the life of a contemporary Greek collector and maker, Andreas Peris Papageorgiou.

The Fitzwilliam Museum
15 May 2023
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In celebration of the display, 'Refugee Silver: Huguenots in Britain', join us in person for a study day exploring the contributions of Huguenot craftspeople to the visual arts in Britain. Curators and experts will provide new perspectives on silver, ivories, prints and portrait miniatures.

The Polar Museum
22 May 2023
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Join us for our museum wellbeing and making workshops for adults at the Polar Museum!

The Fitzwilliam Museum
03 May 2023
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Where are our borders? This talk with Dr Tugba Basaran will engage with politics of borders, migration policies, as well as the growing role of islands as part of border politics.

The Fitzwilliam Museum
10 May 2023
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Historically, safe passages have turned into dangerous routes. This talk with Dr Tugba Basaran will look at whether the duty to help at sea is still upheld.

The Fitzwilliam Museum
10 May 2023
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Student wellbeing creative workshop. Join guest artist Sa'adiah Khan for a dose of joy as we create lino block prints inspired by the patterns of South Asia.

The Polar Museum
24 Jul 2023
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Join us for our museum wellbeing and making workshops for adults at the Polar Museum!

For ages 16+

The Polar Museum
16 Oct 2023
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Join us for our museum wellbeing and making workshops for adults at the Polar Museum!

The Polar Museum
19 Jun 2023
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Discover some of the fascinating themes in the museum with our new tea and talk programme.

Museum of Zoology
22 Apr 2023
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Join us for a FREE clay workshop & more on Earth Day 22nd April

Museum of Zoology
19 Apr 2023
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Visit the Museum to see our nature inspired ceramics exhibition from three local primary schools. 

Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences
02 May 2023

Six dinosaur eggs that featured as part of the Grand Arcade Jurassic Arcade Easter event will be on display in the museum

Museum of Classical Archaeology
18 May 2023
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Have a glass of wine and join our friendly artists for a relaxed evening of sketching in the gallery.

Whipple Museum of the History of Science
31 May 2023
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Find out about different calculating devices and see if you can use them to solve puzzles and problems! 

Whipple Museum of the History of Science
01 Jun 2023
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Find out about different calculating devices and see if you can use them to solve puzzles and problems! 

Museum of Zoology
12 May 2023
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Calling all 2-5 year olds! Join us for this 45 minute, free, expert led session on animals that fly.

Museum of Zoology
12 May 2023
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Join us for a FREE guided tour of the Museum of Zoology

Museum of Zoology
09 Jun 2023
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Join our expert guided tour as we uncover the stories behind our collection.

The Polar Museum
30 May 2023
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Pick up our Polar Sensory Trail at the Polar Museum this May half term.

 

University Library
18 May 2023
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This talk with Professor Martin Salisbury explores the legacy of Raymond Briggs and his influence on contemporary visual storytellers and picturebooks.

University Library
25 May 2023
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We're taking an out of season look at Raymond Briggs's festive classics, and the traditions of Christmas storytelling.

University Library
17 Jun 2023
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Explore Cambridge University Libraries' Raymond Briggs: A Retrospective exhibition with BSL interpretation.

University Library
29 Jun 2023
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Nicolette Jones, co-curator of the exhibition, provides an insight to the famous author and illustrator.

University Library
29 Jun 2023
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Join one of the exhibition curators for this special guided tour.

Museum of Zoology
03 Jun 2023
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Visit the Museum of Zoology after-hours with specially lit galleries and hands-on activities.

 

Museum of Zoology
31 May 2023
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Get crafty this half-term and help us create a micro-climate! 

Museum of Zoology
01 Jul 2023
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Join us for a day of family activities celebrating urban wildlife!

29 Jun 2023
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Join us LIVE online as we chat about urban wildlife!

The Polar Museum
24 Jun 2023
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Join us for a walk and talk to explore our Museums and their complex, challenging and contradictory stories of power.

The Polar Museum
15 Sep 2023
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Discover the story of how the Scott Polar Research Institute was founded through archival displays and a new interactive textile work created by textile artist, Lindsey Holmes.

 

Cambridge University Botanic Garden 
10 Jun 2023
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Join us for a day exploring the wonderful world of plants!