Museum of Cambridge and Cambridge Old Quarter Tour

Departure Time: 10:30am

Duration: 90 minutes

Meeting Point: The courtyard of Museum of Cambridge, 2-3 Castle St, Cambridge CB3 0AQ

Important Information:

• Please arrive 5 minutes early
• Please dress appropriately for the weather as this tour will be both indoors and outdoors
• This is a shared tour conducted in English

Want to hear about the history of Cambridge beyond just the history of the University?

The tour begins with the origins of Cambridge and the Castle Mound site, before the University came to the town. You will learn about the history of the White Horse Inn to Leach pub signs, from Napoleon invading(!) to traffic lights. It will conjure up images of people dropping in for a pint at the magnificent old inn building, and consider the burning issues of the day they may have been discussing.

Find out about the biggest dinner in Cambridge, the origins of the word snob, and which toys kids would have been allowed to play with on Sundays. If you are lucky, you might hear of links to Graham Greene, Charles Darwin and Stephen Hawking, and discover why being giant, a witch or a good liar is not a bad thing.

Professional tour guide Chris Jagger has lived as both 'Town and Gown' of Cambridge: first as a student and then a fellow of the University of Cambridge, and now is one of the townsfolk. He has written history tours, ghost tours, women’s tours and more about Cambridge. An advisor and former trustee of the Museum, Chris is leading these tours on a voluntary basis, so the entirety of the ticket price supports the upkeep of the Museum.

The Museum of Cambridge is an independent charity and does not receive funds from the Cambridge Council or the University of Cambridge. Your ticket supports the continued running and conservation care of the Museum and its objects, and includes the entry fee of the Museum (usually £6/Adult, £4.5/Student or Jobseeker).

Please arrive five minutes early prior to the tour start, and meet in the courtyard of the Museum.

We are in the centre of Cambridge. You’ll find us at the corner of Castle Street and Northampton Street. We are right beside Kettle’s Yard and only a 15-minute walk from King’s College.

You can park your bike at the bike parks on Bridge Street or on Northampton Street. There is a bus stop on Bridge Street. Check out the Stagecoach website to plan your journey to and from the Museum. Find out more about how to get here by train, bike, bus, car or on foot on our website.

The Museum of Cambridge is unfortunately not wheelchair accessible, which you can read about our accessibility information (Accessibility – The Museum of Cambridge) on our website. There are also steps within the tour, and the walking tour has limited seating opportunities. If you'd like to chat through any accessibility requirements, don't hesitate to give us a call on 01223 355159 or email [email protected]. Event attendees with additional needs are welcome to bring a supporter or carer who will be admitted to the event free of charge.

We are happy to transfer your ticket to another week up to 24 hours notice before the event, if necessary. We will refund your ticket up to 24 hours before the event, but will be unable to refund the administration fee Eventbrite takes from the ticket.

If you’re feeling unwell or have recently tested positive for Covid-19, please do not attend this tour. We will be happy to offer you a refund as per our refund policy, and welcome you at the Museum on another day.

Please note that photographs may be taken throughout this event, and images may be used in future marketing and reporting materials. If you do not wish you or your family's photograph to be taken, please make sure to let us know.

Love events? Love them even more when they’re free? Join the Friends of the Museum of Cambridge today and you’ll get access to free events, discounts in our shop and year-round free entry for you and a guest.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Museum of Cambridge, 2-3 Castle Street, Cambridge, United Kingdom