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
08 May 2019

A short talk by historian Dr Carol Atack (University of Oxford) responding to the 'Artist: Unknown' exhibition. 

Kettle's Yard
08 Jul 2019

Ann-Marie James discusses her new work made for Helen Ede's bedroom in the Kettle's Yard House.

Kettle's Yard
08 Oct 2019

Rosy Greenlees, Executive Director, Crafts Council, responds to the Jennifer Lee exhibition and discusses how the Crafts Council supports contemporary ceramics.

Kettle's Yard

Artist led workshop for families

Kettle's Yard

Join Victoria Avery (Fitzwilliam Museum), Alex Partridge (The Polar Museum), Nicholas Thomas (Museum of Archeology and Anthropology), and Eliza Spindel (Kettle's Yard) as they discuss some of the exhibition's themes. 

Kettle's Yard

Anna Taylor, who provides the flowers for Kettle's Yard, will show you how to decorate your home with seasonal flowers - taking inspiration from the variety, styling and scale of flower arrangements in the House.

Kettle's Yard

Weekly after school club every Thursday from 26 September to mid-November

06 Jul 2019
-

This year we are bringing Studio Sunday to the Big Weekend. Find us in the University of Cambridge Museums marquee on Parker's Piece and get creative. 

The Polar Museum
12 Aug 2019
- , -

Listen to a special adaptation of Coleridge's 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner '

 

Kettle's Yard

Artist Lucy Steggals and our community collaborators invite you to join them for the fourth iteration of #Ooh0: a series of circular surprises. This event stems from the groups fascination with the double lipped jug that belonged to Jim and Helen Ede. 

Kettle's Yard
08 Jul 2019

Come and meet archivists from across the University of Cambridge Museums, and explore the themes of 'Artist: Unknown' through their collections.

The Polar Museum
04 Aug 2019
-

Drop-in to discover an amazing new book by Mark Wells.

Kettle's Yard

Structured around drawing in the House, followed by activities in the studio to develop the possibilities of your drawing and question the boundaries of drawing practise. With artist and lecturer Kimberley Foster.

Kettle's Yard

Take part in a creative evening for 18-25 year olds. A chance to make some art, meet new people and discover what's on offer this year through our young people's programme, Circuit. Everyone is welcome - no previous art experience necessary. 

Kettle's Yard

Welcome in the new school year with this informal, creative professional development evening for teachers. Explore the exhibitions with an artist and strengthen your making skills in readiness for the year ahead. 

Museum of Zoology
06 May 2019

Calling all 2-5 year olds! Discover the amazing world of birds with stories and play!

Museum of Zoology
07 Dec 2019

Join the Director of the Museum as he talks about butterflies.

Museum of Zoology

Discover the work of artist Jonathan Kingdon after hours.

Museum of Zoology

Explore skeletal anatomy of animals with this drawing workshop.

Museum of Zoology

Join us to hear the story of Wicken Fen, including the tale of trying to bring back a lost frog species to Cambridgeshire.

The Polar Museum
29 Jul 2019
-

Enjoy sensory play, crafts and books to read.

06 Jul 2019
-

Find us in the Museum tents at this year's Big Weekend

Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences, Whipple Museum of the History of Science, Cambridge University Botanic Garden , Museum of Zoology
01 Aug 2019
-

Calling all detectives in training!

Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology

Visit two of our Museums in one day and enjoy coral themed activities.

Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
22 Aug 2019
-

Make your own headdress to take away.

Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
29 Aug 2019
-

Can you survive a changing climate?

Join in a summer celebration of the river Great Ouse. 

08 Feb 2019

Join a kite making workshop

07 Sep 2019

Sew a summer themed dream catcher.

07 Oct 2019

Celebrate the summer with Pebbles and Friends.

16 Aug 2019
-

Want to be an Archaeologist?

23 Aug 2019
-

Get messy with paint.

Enjoy a range of activities about Ancient Egypt.

Enjoy a range of activities about Ancient Egypt.

Enjoy a range of activities about Ancient Egypt.

Museum of Classical Archaeology
02 Aug 2019
-

Time travel with Odysseus.