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

Kettle's Yard
03 Nov 2023
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Cambridge University Botanic Garden 
21 Oct 2023
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This autumn, grab your pencils and head to the Botanic Garden to have a go at our new Autumn Art Adventure. 

Cambridge University Botanic Garden 
14 Sep 2023
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Our autumn animal cards are back again!

The Fitzwilliam Museum
05 Oct 2023
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Be the first to see Real Families: Stories of Change at this special after-hours event with pay bar and music.

The Fitzwilliam Museum
06 Oct 2023
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Join Jackie Kay and Imtiaz Dharker for two poetry performances to celebrate the opening of Real Families.

Museum of Classical Archaeology
26 Oct 2023
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Discover the scary creatures of Greek Myth and make your own monstrous mask to take home.

Kettle's Yard
24 Oct 2023
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The Fitzwilliam Museum
04 Oct 2023
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Learn about the role Olaudiah Equiano played in the shaping of Cambridge and London society for the black population.

The Fitzwilliam Museum
18 Oct 2023
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This talk focusses on the enslavement of white Europeans on the Barbary coast of North Africa between the 16th and 19th century.

Kettle's Yard
26 Oct 2023
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Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
26 Oct 2023
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Join Dr Carol Brown-Leonardi in a talk focusing on two prominent females in Caribbean history.

Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
12 Oct 2023
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Join Dr Carol Brown-Leonardi in a talk focusing on slave rebellions across the Caribbean.

Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences
24 Oct 2023

Conversations between whales in the oceans, bursts of vibrations excited by earthquakes...normally these vibrations are inaudible, but this art-science collaboration reveals the sounds of the Earth. 

 

Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences
24 Oct 2023
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Be amazed by the sounds of the earth and explore the science of sound with our hands-on activities. Jump to make your own earthquake, make giant waves with slinkies, and more.

The Polar Museum
21 Oct 2023
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Explore the museum this half-term with your family and friends. Try out our pop-up activity station bursting with different activities boxes, puzzles and books.

Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences
26 Oct 2023
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Be amazed by the sounds of the earth and explore the science of sound with our hands-on activities. Jump to make your own earthquake, make giant waves with slinkies, and more.

Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences
27 Oct 2023
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Be amazed by the sounds of the earth and explore the science of sound with our hands-on activities. Jump to make your own earthquake, make giant waves with slinkies, and more.

Museum of Classical Archaeology
10 Oct 2023

An exhibition of student art

Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences
27 Oct 2023
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Join us for an exclusive evening tour of the installation 'Earth Traces', and explore the mesmerising sounds of the Earth.

Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
31 Oct 2023
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Join us at the Museum for an evening of music, spoken word and conversation in the atmospheric setting of the galleries after-hours.

Museum of Zoology, Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
24 Oct 2023
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Two museums, one great day out! Join us and the Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology for a day of family activities. 

26 Oct 2023
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Join us as at the Grand Arcade for an afternoon of sustainable craft making!

Museum of Zoology
10 Oct 2023

This exhibition explores the relationships between humans and the natural world. 

Kettle's Yard
30 Nov 2023
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Kettle's Yard
29 Oct 2023
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Whipple Museum of the History of Science
25 Oct 2023
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Find out more about some creeping, crawling creatures at the Whipple Museum

Whipple Museum of the History of Science
26 Oct 2023
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Find out more about some creeping, crawling creatures at the Whipple Museum

Kettle's Yard
18 Jan 2024
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Join us for this year’s New Music concert series, programmed by our New Music Curator Tom McKinney. The first concert features Rakhi Singh.

Kettle's Yard
14 Mar 2024
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Join us for this year’s New Music concert series, programmed by our New Music Curator Tom McKinney. The second concert introduces us to John Butcher and Rhodri Davies.

Kettle's Yard
25 Apr 2024
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Join us for this year’s New Music concert series, programmed by our New Music Curator Tom McKinney. For the third concert, pianist Eliza McCarthy will take to the Kettle’s Yard Steinway.

Kettle's Yard
30 May 2024
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Join us for this year’s New Music concert series, programmed by our New Music Curator Tom McKinney. The Hermes Experiment will be the last concert of the series, offering an exciting finale in the Kettle’s Yard house.

Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences
20 Dec 2023
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Get in the festive spirit among the dinosaurs at our late opening, with Christmas shopping, crafts and live festive music with a local choir.

Whipple Museum of the History of Science
27 Oct 2023
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A guided tour of uncomfortable histories at the Whipple Museum of the History of Science.

Whipple Museum of the History of Science
24 Nov 2023
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A guided tour of uncomfortable histories at the Whipple Museum of the History of Science.

Whipple Museum of the History of Science
15 Dec 2023
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A guided tour of uncomfortable histories at the Whipple Museum of the History of Science.

Kettle's Yard
26 Jan 2024
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