The Sedgwick Museum is proud to present its new LGBTQ+ tour as part of the University of Cambridge Museums' Bridging Binaries programme.
It is hard to say for certain that a 19th century scientist was queer just from their memoirs. It is difficult to know whether they were in a romantic relationship with the ‘secretary’ they lived with, or were they just that – a secretary? Were the two unmarried women who lived together for thirty years really just ‘close friends’? Looking for gender queerness in museum collections can be challenging.
The Sedgwick Museum is proud to present its new LGBTQ+ tour as part of the University of Cambridge Museums' Bridging Binaries programme.
It is hard to say for certain that a 19th century scientist was queer just from their memoirs. It is difficult to know whether they were in a romantic relationship with the ‘secretary’ they lived with, or were they just that – a secretary? Were the two unmarried women who lived together for thirty years really just ‘close friends’? Looking for gender queerness in museum collections can be challenging.
How do rare earth element-rich minerals form? What makes some minerals 'critical' and not others? Why are they in the news so often? Discover the work of a small team of Earth Scientists at the University of Cambridge, who study minerals that formed in magma chambers millions of years ago in Greenland. The minerals contain ‘rare earth elements’, which due to their use in powerful magnets are crucial to high-tech industries and the global transition to green energy.
SOURCE is our annual programme of workshops for young people aged 15-25 studying Art and Design at GCSE, A-Level, BTEC and Foundation level.
Book an artist-led workshop, join a tour to get ideas for your themes or bring your portfolio for a review with lecturers from Cambridge School of Art at Anglia Ruskin University.
The themes for each day are:
- Thursday: Nature and natural forms
- Friday: Human form
- Saturday: Abstraction
Join us for a celebratory late opening marking the exhibition launch of The Auzoux Project at the Whipple Museum. Over the past six months, artist Anna Brownsted and our Whipple Scribble community have been co-creating a takeover of our Victorian Parlour, inspired by the incredible papier-mâché models of Dr Louis Auzoux. Experience the installation up close and explore the Museum after-hours with a glass of wine.
Discover the remarkable contributions made to the history of science by pioneering Black scientists. Learn about medical breakthroughs, moon missions, advances in agriculture, and the art of teaching taxidermy.
Access Update at the Whipple Museum: Lift Works 2026
What is an orrery? Why is the clock chiming 13? Why would you collect and display a set of plaster horses’ teeth, some green spectacles and several hundred pocket calculators?
Join us for a tour of the Whipple’s collection in 10 objects, featuring spectacular instruments, fascinating scientific stories, and links to some of Cambridge’s most famous names.
Meet at the reception point in the Main Gallery.
At the Whipple, our collection is brimming with objects that highlight LGBTQ+ histories and themes, showcasing the remarkable contributions of individuals and their stories throughout history. Each tour is uniquely crafted by our specially trained volunteer guides, who bring their own perspectives and creativity to the experience.
Access Update at the Whipple Museum: Lift Works 2026
Fury of the peaks: A journey through the new dangers of frozen mountain ranges
Louie Bell is a Geography PhD student at Queen's College with very close ties to the Scott Polar Research Institute after completing his MPhil here in 2024.
From Louie:
Explore the collections of the Whipple Museum to find out more about measuring time, travelling around the world and how ideas have changed and moved through history. Find out about scientists in different times and places and create your own time travelling adventure!
All activities are drop in. Additional information to follow soon.
This event is part of the Cambridge Festival programme 2026.
Access Update at the Whipple Museum: Lift Works 2026
