Name: Behind the Scenes at the Museum of Zoology
Start: 2026-08-17T10:00:00+01:00
End: 2026-08-17T11:30:00+01:00
Location: University Museum Of Zoology

Behind the Scenes at the Museum of Zoology

Join a special behind the scenes tour at the Museum of Zoology in Cambridge to explore the museum galleries and insect store!
About this Event

It's Youth Week with the Wildlife Trust for Beds, Cambs and Northants! If you're aged 12-25, join us on a special behind the scenes tour at the University Museum of Zoology in Cambridge to explore the museum galleries and insect store. You will get the chance to see specimens that are not normally on display to the public and specimens selected by the Wildlife Trust BCN’s Young People’s Forum.

We'll be guided by Zoology Museum Research Assistant Matt Hayes. Matt's research investigates the ecology, behaviour and habitat requirements of invertebrates in the UK so that appropriate management can be implemented to maintain biodiversity on fragmented reserves. In recent years he has been particularly interested in the impacts of climate change and how management could help provide refuges to protect species from extreme weather events. He also studies historical museum specimens, investigating how losses from the past can help guide conservation of the future. His fieldwork is partnered with us at the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire. This collaboration allows Matthew to study species on Wildlife Trust nature reserves and for his research to directly feed into real world management.

We're delighted to offer this event free of charge, as part of the Peatland Progress project. Our thanks to the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

This is an activity for young people aged 12 to 25. This session is designed for participants to attend independently. We try to be as inclusive as possible, but this session may not suit every young person, and unfortunately, we cannot provide 1:1 support.

Please note: Attendees must be 12+ for this event. Parents/guardians will be asked to fill out a consent form, for any participants under the age of 18, to include relevant concerns/issues to help us ensure participants get the most out of the session.

Bookings are not confirmed until we have received your completed paperwork and a consent form (for each child).

Please enter the New Museums Site via the Pembroke Arch (located on Downing Street, almost opposite the end of Tennis Court Road). The Museum entrance is located through the Whale Hall, the large glass building to your right. What3Words for the arch: ///minds.push.placed

Further access and parking information from the Museum.