Cambridge University and its many colleges dominate the city centre with cobbled courts, chapels, gardens and bridges but Cambridge is a busy city with modern architecture too. The City Centre and Bus Station are about 1 mile from the Rail Station. There are frequent buses from the Rail Station: alight in St Andrews Street (near the Post Office) for the Bus Station, return buses leave from Emmanuel Street. The bus journey to the city centre is covered by Cambridge PlusBus.
TI The Old Library, Wheeler Street. Tel. 0871 226 8006.
Accommodation in Cambridge (with distance from station):
Hotel ibis (¼ mile) Centennial Hotel (¼ mile) Hilton Hotel (1 mile) search Booking.com Cambridge
40 acres of gardens and glasshouses designed for year-round interest and
containing over 8000 plant species. Features include a Rock Garden with alpine
plants, Winter and Autumn Gardens, Scented Garden, Woodland Walk and Herbaceous Beds.
Tropical rainforest and seasonal displays in the glasshouses. Café (closed M-F in winter).
Open Daily 1000-1800 (closes 1700 Feb-Mar & Oct, 1600 Nov-Jan).
www.botanic.cam.ac.uk
A small museum with exhibits relating to the polar regions, including
the Expeditions of Captain Scott and other polar explorers. Admission free.
Open ThFS & BH 1000-1230, 1330-1600.
www.spri.cam.ac.uk/museum
One of Britain's earliest public art museums, opened in 1848.
The collections include Western European paintings from the 14th century to
the present day, antiquities, sculpture, ceramics, furniture, coins and medals,
illuminated musical and literary manuscripts and rare private books.
Exhibitions programme. Café. Admission free.
Open TWThFS 1000-1700, Sun & BH 1200-1700.
www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk
An extensive collection of art from Pacific, African, Asian and native American peoples.
Exhibits include a totem pole, canoes, masks and ornaments. Historic photographs collection. Admission free.
Open TWThFS 1000-1700. Sun 1200-1700. Closed BH.
maa.cam.ac.uk
A spectacular collection of fossil animals and plants of all geological
ages from around the world, including a 125,000 year old hippo found in Cambridge. Admission free.
Open M-F 1000-1700. Sat 1000-1600. Closed BH.
www.sedgwickmuseum.org
A collection of Zoological specimens used for teaching and research,
including materials collected by Charles Darwin on his voyage on the 'Beagle'.
Many large skeletons of mammals. Collection of British birds. Admission free.
Open TWThFS 1000-1630, Sun 1200-1630.
www.museum.zoo.cam.ac.uk
Housed in the 17th century Free School, the museum has a collection of early
scientific instruments. Exhibits include microscopes, telescopes, laboratory equipment,
slide rules and pocket calculators. Exhibitions programme. Admission free.
Open M-F 1230-1630. Closed BH.
www.hps.cam.ac.uk/whipple
King's College was founded by Henry VI in 1441 and the Chapel is an important example of perpendicular
(late gothic) architecture. It is a working College so the Chapel is the only building open to the public.
The famous service of the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols has been broadcast from the Chapel since 1928.
Open Times vary, please see the website for opening arrangements.
www.kings.cam.ac.uk
A small museum of social history housed in a 16th century timber-framed building, formerly
the White Horse Inn. Exhibits illustrate the work and everyday life of local people over the last 300 years.
Displays cover local trades such as brickmaking, basket-weaving, chemist, barber, chimney-sweep and thatcher.
Open MThFS 1000-1700, Sun 1100-1600.
www.museumofcambridge.org.uk
Kettle's Yard was the home of Jim Ede, the first modern art curator at the Tate Gallery, and it
houses a permanent collection of modern British and European art. Next door is a Gallery that presents
contemporary and modern art exhibitions. Admission free.
Open TWThFSSu & BH 1200-1700.
www.kettlesyard.co.uk
A large collection of plaster casts of Greek and Roman statues. Activities programme. Admission free.
Open TWThF 1000-1700.
www.classics.cam.ac.uk/museum
The museum is based in the original sewage pumping station for Cambridge
with the original pumps and boilers as well as many other engines. Exhibits
include hand-pumps, measuring instruments, a printing room and early radios. Café.
Open SSu 1030-1600, see website for other days and when engines are in steam.
www.museumoftechnology.com
Bus Citi-3 from Rail Station (same stop as for City Centre) to Newmarket Road
(alight Cheddars Lane then ¼ mile walk), 17 minutes journey. M-S every 10 minutes, Sun & BH every 30 minutes.
Cambridge PlusBus tickets are valid for this journey.
Operated by Stagecoach.
A Jacobean style house containing sumptuous furnishings, books, works of art and a collection of
clocks. The extensive formal and landscape gardens contain many pieces of classical sculpture.
Winter Garden, wildflower meadows and Wildlife Discovery area. 18th century Lode Mill.
Open Mar-Oct, Daily 0930-1700, House 1100-1500. Nov-Feb, see website.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Bus 11 from Bus Station* to entrance, watch for NT sign shortly after Stow cum Quy, about 25 minutes journey.
M-S hourly. Operated by Stephensons.
* Cambridge Bus Station is 1 mile from Cambridge Rail Station but there are frequent
Stagecoach buses between them.
A large museum of aviation history at the historic RAF airfield. See famous aircraft including the
Lancaster, Spifire, Concorde and Vulcan, plus historic aircraft being restored for flight.
Battle of Britain exhibits and 1940s Operations Room. Land Warfare and Air & Sea exhibitions.
American Air Museum. Royal Anglian Regiment Museum. Events include` major Air Shows (see website for dates).
Children's playground. Café and restaurant.
Open Apr-Oct, Daily 1000-1800. Nov-Mar, WThFSSu 1000-1600.
www.iwm.org.uk
Taxi: see Cambridge station poster.
Bus 132 from Bus and Rail Stations to Museum, about 30 minutes journey.
Sun only, every 2 hours. Operated by CG Myall. Traveline.
The Museum is 1¾ miles from Whittlesford Parkway station.
Taxis are also available from Royston.
A wide variety of animals and birds from around the world. Coffee shop.
Open Apr-Oct, Daily 1030-1700. Nov-Mar, SSu 1030-1530.
www.lintonzoo.com
Bus 13/13A from Bus Station and Hills Road (¼ from Rail Station)
to the first stop in Linton (watch for Zoo signposted to the right), then ½ mile walk.
M-S every 30 minutes, Sun & BH hourly, about 30 minutes journey.
Operated by Stagecoach.
A wetland nature reserve with lakes and riverside meadows.
Wetland birds and other wildlife including dragonflies in summer.
There are several trails to explore starting from the Busway stop, download a map from the RSPB website.
Picnic area but no toilets. Admission free.
Open at all times.
www.rspb.org.uk
Bus Busway A/D from Rail Station to Fen Drayton Lakes, shortly after Swavesey,
about 45 minutes journey. M-S every 15 minutes.
See www.thebusway.info.
Buses also operate from Huntingdon.
An historic market town which was once an important port on the River Great Ouse.
The picturesque 15th century bridge over the river has a chapel in the middle.
There is a statue of Oliver Cromwell in the Market Square.
Bus Busway A/D from Rail Station to St Ives Bus Station (return buses from Station Road),
about 50 minutes journey. M-S every 15 minutes.
See www.thebusway.info.
Buses also operate from Huntingdon.
The museum tells the story of the historic county of Huntingdonshire (now a district of Cambridgeshire).
Exhibits include fossils, arms and armour from the Civil War and displays of lace-making.
Riverside garden. Events and temporary exhibitions programme. Admission free.
Open M-S 1000-1600.
www.norrismuseum.org.uk
Bus see St Ives above.
The island was once worked Osier (basket willow) beds and is now maintained to encourage a range of wetland plants,
insects, birds and mammals. Admission free.
Open Apr-Sep, SSu & BH 1000-1600.
www.holtisland.org
Bus see St Ives above.
