Fitzwilliam Museum 🇺🇸

You will find the Fitzwilliam Museum located on Trumpington Street in central Cambridge, serving as the art and antiquities museum of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1816 through the bequest of Richard FitzWilliam, 7th Viscount FitzWilliam, this world-class institution boasts a collection of over half a million objects and artworks spanning world history from antiquity to the present day. You should visit to explore one of western Europe's finest displays, housed within stunning Grade I listed architecture complete with a majestic Palladian Entrance Hall.

During your walk through the museum's five diverse departments, you can marvel at famous masterpieces by iconic painters such as Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, Peter Paul Rubens, Vincent van Gogh, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Rembrandt. Beyond the canvas, you will encounter remarkable ancient treasures, including a winged bas-relief from Nimrud, a colossal caryatid from Eleusis, and a massive collection of rare printed books, coins, and applied arts. Be sure to wander into the popular Egyptian Galleries, where interactive exhibitions bring ancient landscapes to life, or admire the carefully restored Qing Dynasty porcelain vases.

Best of all, public admission is always free for everyone.

What to see at Fitzwilliam Museum

• Paintings by masters including Monet, Picasso, Rembrandt, and Van Gogh
• Refurbished Egyptian Galleries featuring family-friendly, participatory displays
• Ancient antiquities including a winged bas-relief from Nimrud
• Restored Qing Dynasty porcelain vases, now safely behind security glass
• The largest collection of 16th-century Elizabethan virginal manuscript music

Visiting tips

Take advantage of the museum's free admission to explore at your own pace, and bring your family to enjoy the participatory exhibitions inside the popular Egyptian Galleries.

How long: 2-3 hours · Best time: Morning

How to get there & what’s nearby

Fitzwilliam Museum is easy to reach on Cambridge’s public transport. For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our Cambridge travel guide.