Bucket list experience:
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World-class art without world-class crowds, the Fitzwilliam houses a spectacular collection of artworks, illuminated manuscripts, decorative arts and sculpture.
Galleries filled with paintings by the French Impressionists open into rooms of sculpture from Ancient Greece and Rome, while the manuscripts collection includes autographed music by Handel and Purcell and handwritten drafts by Thomas Hardy and Virginia Woolf.
It’s particularly welcoming to families, with trails and activities to get kids involved and interested.
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Destination Guide >Cambridge is about 1.5 hours by car from London. There are excellent train connections from London King’s Cross, taking approximately 50 minutes.
Check the website to see if tickets must be booked in advance. There are only guided tours for groups, but you can download a map from the website.
The museum’s own Courtyard Café is a pleasant space with a spectacular glass ceiling, offering light lunches and snacks all day.
The museum is open all year round, Tuesday to Sunday. Closed Monday.
Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first
Cambridge , Cambridgeshire , United Kingdom (UK)[0.1 miles]
A beautifully converted former university building, serving up Hotel du Vin’s classic brand of hedonistic charm, with a buzzing bistro and predictably excellent wine cellar.
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Cambridge , Cambridgeshire , United Kingdom (UK)[0.5 miles]
A re-imagined Victorian hotel, with one of the city’s best restaurants and elegant rooms with a Modern British design.
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Cambridge , Cambridgeshire , United Kingdom (UK)[0.6 miles]
One of Cambridge’s best boutique hotels, with a renowned restaurant and separate spa. Ideal for couples, looking for a romantic base among the bustle.
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Cambridge , Cambridgeshire , United Kingdom (UK)[0.8 miles]
Elegant rooms, a convenient central location and a warm personal welcome make this lovely Victorian house the best B&B in town.
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Destination guides including or relevant to this experience
Cambridgeshire , United Kingdom (UK)
A picturesque, charming city steeped in learning, architecture and history. It’s home to two world-class art museums and one of the world’s oldest and most famous universities.
Our writer’s recommendations of other bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first
Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom (UK)[0.6 miles]
One of the world’s most illustrious universities, Cambridge consists of 31 magnificent colleges rich in history, architecture and stories, most open to the public.
Best for ages: 13+ | Free
Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom (UK)[0.9 miles]
A leading centre for horticultural research for 175 years, the Botanic Gardens is home to over 8,000 different plant species, with Mediterranean gardens and flower-filled glasshouses.
Best for ages: 10+ | £6
Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom (UK)[1.1 miles]
Quintessential Cambridge and the best way to enjoy the glorious architecture of the university colleges and their ‘backs’ – the gardens that stretch down to the river.
Best for ages: 6+ | £20 | 2 hours
Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom (UK)[1.3 miles]
An impressive collection of 20th-century art, including works by Joan Miro, Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore, housed in the collector’s former home.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
Other worthwhile experiences near this experience if you have time or interest..
Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom (UK)[0.4 miles]
Originally built in 1749, and rebuilt twice to the exact specifications, this bridge across the Cam looks curved, but is created from entirely straight timbers.
Best for ages: 13+ | Free
Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom (UK)[0.5 miles]
The second-oldest pub in the city, dating back to 1684, is famous for its RAF bar, where the ceiling still shows the signatures and doodles of Allied airmen, who drank at the bar between missions.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom (UK)[0.6 miles]
Perhaps the most famous of all the university buildings is King’s College Chapel, founded in 1441 by King Henry VI. The 12 large stained-glass windows on each side of the chapel are considered some of the finest in the world.
Best for ages: 18+ | £10
Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom (UK)[0.6 miles]
Traders have been running stalls on the city’s central square since the Middle Ages, and today visitors can buy everything from fresh food to jewellery, clothes, books and second-hand music.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
