The Museum of Cambridge

Workshop: Make Your Own Love Token
2018-02-10 13:00 - 15:00 (Europe/London) | The Museum of Cambridge, 2-3 Castle Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB3 0AQ, United Kingdom
Join us on Saturday and make your very own love token for the person most dear to your heart
We will be making cards, origami hearts and decorating sweetheart pincushions during the afternoon. You will also have the opportunity to learn how to decipher the bobbin inscriptions to be found on lacemakers’ bobbins and even make up your own.
Everyone is invited and people of all ages are welcome. There’s no need to book ahead, just drop in on the day.
We will be asking for a donation to help to cover the cost of materials for the makes. The usual admission charges will apply to get into the Museum. Don’t forget to visit our special exhibition Accept My Love: a Display of Courtship Tokens for St. Valentine’s Day
This workshop is supported by Tracing Traditions, a project funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund and delivered by the Museums Association

Exhibition: Accept My Love: a Display of Courtship Tokens for St. Valentine's Day
2018-02-10 11:00 - 2018-02-23 16:30 | Fens and Fenland Room, Museum of Cambridge, 2/3 Castle Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB3 0AQ, United Kingdom
Before the advent of St. Valentine’s Day cards, expressions of love in the Fenland villages came in sweet but rather unusual guises
Young men would make tokens of affection from local plants and flowers, tie them with a true-lovers’ knot and then give them to a sweetheart as a proposal of marriage – often without the exchange of a single word. Others might consult with a local wise woman and obtain love potions made with dragon’s blood… And, if such overtures were ignored, there were also rituals performed in the light of a full moon that could win a person the attention they desire.
Many courtship practices have been forgotten or superseded by greetings cards and other modern contrivances, but you can learn about some of them in our special Valentine’s Day Exhibition, hosted in our Fens and Fenland Room
This exhibition is part of Tracing Traditions, a project funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund and delivered by the Museums Association

Exhibition: Safeguards Against Witchcraft
2018-02-10 10:30 - 2018-03-25 17:30 | The Museum of Cambridge, 2-3 Castle Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB3 0AQ, United Kingdom
We have extended Safeguards Against Witchcraft until Sunday 25 March 2018, to take account of our temporary closure for spring cleaning during the month of January
For centuries, builders and homeowners secreted spiritual middens, such as shoes, bones and witch bottles, in the walls, fireplaces and under the floors in order to protect their property, their kin and themselves from the forces of witchcraft.
Using some rarely displayed objects from our own collection, we are exploring the customs and traditions that guarded Cambridgeshire homes against evil intent. We are also collecting your stories about any finds that you may have made during renovations and building work, in order to further our understanding of local traditions in Cambridge and Cambridgeshire.
What should you do if a witch tries to enter your house? Read our blog to find out more
This exhibition is part of Tracing Traditions, a project funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund and delivered by the Museums Association

Ghost Hunt with Ghost Hunt UK
2018-01-27 20:00 - 2018-01-28 02:00 | The Museum of Cambridge, 2-3 Castle Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB3 0AQ, United Kingdom
Whose restless spirits roam our corridors and rooms after darkness falls…?
Over hundreds of years, we must have gathered a ghost or two along the way. Join our friends from Ghost Hunt UK for a night of paranormal investigation and experience our Museum in a new and very different way.
The evening will include a hosted group vigil as well as a opportunity to explore the unique atmosphere of the building on your own. The Ghost Hunt UK team will provide a variety of equipment such as K2 electromotive force meters, dowsing rods, a spirit box and Ghost Ark to help you with your investigations and there will be a chance to try communicating with our etherial residents through glass work, table tipping and a spirit board.
Tickets are available from the Ghost Hunt UK booking page.
You can find out more about the supernatural happenings at our Museum from our blog.

Volunteer Muster Meeting
2018-01-05 14:00 - 16:30 | The Museum of Cambridge, 2-3 Castle Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB3 0AQ, United Kingdom
We are preparing for a deep clean of the whole of our Museum during January, ready for us to reopen with everything spick-and-span in the second week of February 2018, and we need your assistance.
Would you like to help us as we:

Maintain the exhibition spaces;
Undertake basic conservation of the objects on display;
Tidy the courtyard;
Clean and paint the Enid Porter Room;
Clear the back offices and workspaces?

We will be working in small teams from Monday to Friday each week, with shifts from 10.30am to 1.30pm and 1.30pm to 4.30pm. On-the-job training in object-handling, object-moving and basic preservation will be provided.
If you can spare any time, we would very much appreciate your support as we undertake what may be one of the largest maintenance exercises in our eighty-one years of opening. This is your chance to make a difference and help us to secure the future of the Museum of Cambridge.
We will also be opening the Museum Shop to the public from 11:00am to 3:00pm on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday each week and need volunteers to help us. Previous sales experience in a small retail outlet would be particularly useful.
Interested? Join us in the Enid Porter Room on Friday 5 January to find out more. We will be serving coffee, tea and cake from 2:00pm.
If you can’t make it on Friday, You can also email us for details at volunteer@museumofcambridge.org.uk

Father Christmas visits the Museum!
2017-12-20 12:00 - 16:00 | Cambridgeshire
https://www.museumofcambridge.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/FatherChristmas.mp4

Father Christmas takes time out from the busy run up to Christmas to visit the Museum! Join in the fun by writing a poem all about how you celebrate Christmas and send it into the Museum. Tell us what traditions and customs your family follows at this special time of the year. The winning entry will be read out by Father Christmas himself!
This is part of our Tracing Traditions project, supported by the Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund, delivered by the Museums Association.

Annual General Meeting 2017
2017-12-14 19:15 - 21:00 | The Museum of Cambridge, 2-3 Castle Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB3 0AQ, United Kingdom
The Board of Trustees at the Museum of Cambridge are pleased to announce the 81st Annual General Meeting to be held on Thursday 14th December 2017 at 7.15pm at the Museum.
The agenda for the meeting and minutes of the previous AGM and EGM are available for download below.
If you cannot attend the meeting but would like to ask your vote by proxy then please download and fill in the reply slip and return by Tuesday 12th December. If you would like to stand as a trustee then please download the nominations form and return by Monday 11th December.

AGM 2017 Agenda
Minutes of the AGM held on 1 December 2016
Minutes of the EGM held on 28 September 2017
Nominations for appointment to the board of directors
Reply slip and proxy form

The 2016/2017 Annual report will be available shortly and will be available from this page.

Needle Felting Workshop with Annie Brown
2017-12-09 13:00 - 16:00 | Cambridgeshire
Join textile artist Annie Brown and learn how to make a beautiful needle felted landscape using natural and dyed, unspun wool. You will have the opportunity to try out various techniques and embellishments before beginning your main piece. Materials will be provided during the workshop, but you are welcome to bring any wool that you would like to include. There will be the option to buy a needle felting kit at the end of the workshop if you so wish.
Images to work from will also be provided but please feel free to bring along your own photos for inspiration.
Beginners are welcome
The cost of the workshop is £32 per person (includes materials).
Maximum class size is 12 so booking is essential.
Book your tickets through Cambridge Live
or email enquiries@museumofcambridge.org.uk with any questions.

Willow and Rush Christmas Decorations Workshop (Afternoon)
2017-12-02 13:00 - 15:00 | The Museum of Cambridge, 2-3 Castle Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB3 0AQ, United Kingdom
Join basket weaver Nadine Anderson for a workshop creating stars and hearts and other rustic decorations to grace your home and Christmas table.
Maximum 15 people per workshop
Suitable for adults and 13+
£20 per person (includes materials)
Book your tickets through Cambridge Live
or email enquiries@museumofcambridge.org.uk with any questions.

Willow and Rush Christmas Decorations Workshop (Morning)
2017-12-02 10:00 - 12:00 | The Museum of Cambridge, 2-3 Castle Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB3 0AQ, United Kingdom

Scandi Folded Star Christmas Workshop
2017-11-25 10:00 - 16:00 | The Museum of Cambridge, 2-3 Castle Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB3 0AQ, United Kingdom
Join Niki Chandler for a no sew workshop making stunning folded Christmas Scandi style stars.
Maximum class size is 15, so booking is essential. Tickets cost £40 per person
Specialist materials will be provided, please bring with you a basic sewing kit, thread and fabric if you wish for a particular colour scheme. If bringing your own fabric avoid anything too thick or anything that frays excessively. Some silk may work o.k. You can use up to 4 different fabrics per star.
Book your tickets through Cambridge Live
or email enquiries@museumofcambridge.org.uk with any questions

Ghost Hunt with Ghost Hunt East Anglia
2017-10-31 20:00 - 2017-11-01 00:30 | Cambridgeshire
Celebrate Halloween at the Museum with Ghost Hunt East Anglia (if you dare)! Book your ticket via their website
Find out more about the ghost hunt and spooky happenings at the museum in our blog post here.

Halloween Family Activities
2017-10-28 13:00 - 17:00 | Cambridgeshire
Share your memories and stories about Halloween for our Tracing Traditions Project – how do you celebrate this spooky time of the year? Join us for family craft activities and story telling.

Drop in Memory Cafe: Hobson's Conduit: Cambridge's Unique Watercourse
2017-10-13 15:30 - 17:30 | The Museum of Cambridge, 2-3 Castle Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB3 0AQ, United Kingdom
Do you have memories of water running through the streets as a child? Did you car ever get stuck in the runnels on Trumpington Street? Come and share your memories and stories of Hobson’s Conduit to coincide with the exhibition (and enjoy a cup of tea and a piece of cake on us)!

Evening Reception: Hobson's Conduit - Cambridge's Unique Watercourse
2017-09-29 20:00 - 22:00 | The Museum of Cambridge, 2-3 Castle Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB3 0AQ, United Kingdom
Join us for the official reception of this exciting exhibition.
The trustees of Hobson’s Conduit are concerned about urban pressures on this precious water course which has graced Cambridge for over four centuries. the Conduit corridor from Nine Wells to the city centre is one of Cambridge’s surviving green lungs.
This year the trustees commenced a ten year programme to record and monitor the ecological diversity of the Conduit and its green corridor. This was launched at a public Bioblitz on 10-11 June 2017. The initial findings of the Hobson Conduit Bioblitz are presented at the Museum of Cambridge from 26th September – 22nd October. Hobson’s Conduit: Cambridge’s Unique Watercourse not only shows the rich but pressurised asset we have , it also describes the changing contribution the Conduit has made since the early sixteenth century to heritage, health and well-being of the city. Visit the exhibition to discover the Conduit is much more than the runnels in Trumpington Street.
Reserve tickets

Exhibition: Hobson's Conduit - Cambridge's Unique Watercourse
2017-09-26 - 2017-10-23 | Cambridgeshire
The trustees of Hobson’s Conduit are concerned about urban pressures on this precious water course which has graced Cambridge for over four centuries. The Conduit corridor from Nine Wells to the city centre is one of Cambridge’s surviving green lungs.
This year the trustees commenced a ten year programme to record and monitor the ecological diversity of the Conduit and its green corridor. This was launched at a public Bioblitz on 10-11 June 2017. The initial findings of the Hobson Conduit Bioblitz are presented at the Museum of Cambridge from 26th September – 22nd October. Hobson’s Conduit: Cambridge’s Unique Watercourse not only shows the rich but pressurised asset we have , it also describes the changing contribution the Conduit has made since the early sixteenth century to heritage, health and well-being of the city. Visit the exhibition to discover the Conduit is much more than the runnels in Trumpington Street.

Talk: Fabric Pictures of the Past
2017-07-31 15:00 - 16:30 | The Museum of Cambridge, 2-3 Castle Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB3 0AQ, United Kingdom
Talk on Fabric Pictures of the Past and a tour of the museum.

Quilt Workshop: Art of the Stitch
2017-07-27 11:30 - 13:30 | The Museum of Cambridge, 2-3 Castle Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB3 0AQ, United Kingdom
Join Niki Chandler for a morning of hand stitching where you will use a variety of fabric scraps to build up a beautiful small abstract artwork for your wall.

Quilt Workshop: Patchwords
2017-07-26 15:00 - 17:00 | The Museum of Cambridge, 2-3 Castle Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB3 0AQ, United Kingdom
Join author Adele Geras for a creative writing workshop. Adele will be using items from the Museum’s collection to help inspire you to write your won story or poem.

Quilt Workshop: Colour and Pattern
2017-07-26 11:30 - 13:00 | The Museum of Cambridge, 2-3 Castle Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB3 0AQ, United Kingdom
This workshop will look at the interconnecting themes of colour and pattern through analysis of the fabrics in quilts and costume from the Museum’s Collection.

The British Quilt Study Group Study Day
2017-07-25 11:00 - 17:00 | The Museum of Cambridge, 2-3 Castle Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB3 0AQ, United Kingdom
This full day workshop will teach you to begin quilt research.

Volunteer Day
2017-06-02 - 2017-06-03 | The Museum of Cambridge, 2-3 Castle Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB3 0AQ, United Kingdom
Looking forward to a fun day on Fri 2 June at the museum when we welcome people to see what our volunteers do during volunteers week.

Women's Wisdom Cafe
2017-05-19 15:00 - 17:00 | The Museum of Cambridge, 2-3 Castle Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB3 0AQ, United Kingdom
Join artist Emma Smith for this special event celebrating the wisdom of local women over history from wives tales to female pioneers with special guests Antony Carpen and Alice Wroe.
– Chart the wisdom of women who have guided your life
– Discover the folkloric foresight of local women
– Contribute your knowledge and future predictions
– Enjoy free tea and cake
Held in our Enid porter Room, this is a FREE event.
Drop in, no need to book
This event is part of hunch – a programme of public events and artwork for Parker’s Piece by Emma Smith commissioned by UNIVERSITY ARMS, CAMBRIDGE.
For more information visit: www.hunch.exchange
t: @HunchCam
i: @HunchCambridge
Photograph courtesy of Cambridgeshire Archives
