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Bucket list experience:

Paintings and sculptures in an art gallery

Photo by Paul Allitt

Last updated: 04 November, 2022
Expert travel writer: Annabelle Thorpe

Part of the University of Cambridge, Kettle’s Yard was originally the private home of Jim Ede, curator at the Tate Gallery in the 1920s and ’30s. The beauty of Kettle’s Yard is that it still feels like a private home, yet houses one of the most impressive collections of 20th-century art in the country.

Ede’s private collection includes works by Joan Miró, Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore.

Price: Free
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 18+
When: All year around

Getting there & doing it

Kettle’s Yard is located at the intersection of Castle and Northampton Streets. The number C1 bus runs from the train station to nearby Bridge Street (walk over Magdalene Bridge to reach Castle Street) or a taxi from the station takes approximately 15 minutes.

Check the website to see if you need to pre-book tickets. Before you go, take a look at their online guide to the five most important exhibits.

When to do it

The gallery 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

Varsity Hotel & Spa

Cambridge , Cambridgeshire , United Kingdom (UK)[0.3 miles]

A buzzy riverside bolthole, with two of Cambridge’s most popular restaurants and an Elemis spa in a cleverly-converted warehouse. 

Official star rating:

Duke House

Cambridge , Cambridgeshire , United Kingdom (UK)[1 miles]

Elegant rooms, a convenient central location and a warm personal welcome make this lovely Victorian house the best B&B in town. 

Official star rating:

University Arms

Cambridge , Cambridgeshire , United Kingdom (UK)[1.2 miles]

A re-imagined Victorian hotel, with one of the city’s best restaurants and elegant rooms with a Modern British design.

Official star rating:

Hotel du Vin Cambridge

Cambridge , Cambridgeshire , United Kingdom (UK)[1.4 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. 

Official star rating:

Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

Cambridge

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.

Website >
Overview >

Our writer’s recommendations of other bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first

Punting on the River Cam

Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom (UK)[0.2 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

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Cambridge University Colleges

Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom (UK)[0.8 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

Fitzwilliam Museum

Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom (UK)[1.3 miles]

A world-class collection of art and architecture, ranging from illuminated manuscripts to sculptures from Ancient Greece.

Best for ages: 13+ | Free

Cambridge University Botanic Garden

Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom (UK)[2.1 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

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Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom (UK)[0.3 miles]

Queen Victoria was said to have loved this elegant, covered bridge more than any other spot in the city. Straddling the Cam between the Third and New Courts at St. John’s College, it dates back to 1831.

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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.

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King’s College Chapel

Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom (UK)[0.7 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

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