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Faculty of Classics

 
Athena's owl, with statues behind against a red wall

Family Activities in the Museum

Looking for family activities in Cambridge to keep the little ones entertained? Need things to do during the holidays or at weekends? We have a range of free activities on hand to help you explore the Cast Gallery with the whole family.

Remember, a visit to our Museum with the kids is always free. Your children are very welcome in the Museum of Classical Archaeology all year round. If you have a pram or a push-chair, we can offer you alternative access so that you don't have to struggle with the stairs – just ask at reception. We suggest visitors take their buggy around the Gallery and take extra care where space is more restricted.

Our regular visitors may notice some differences to what is on offer to families. We have packed this page full of new trails and suggested activities for kids of all ages. Unfortunately our reading books, the build a temple & baby and toddler boxes and the drawing resources in the Kids’ Corner are not available. We strongly suggest bringing your own paper and pencils if you want to draw in the gallery.

All we ask is that you try to keep touching to a minimum – the casts are pretty resilient, but tiny fingers leave their marks. Read on for more ideas for keeping kids big and small busy with family activities in our central Cambridge museum.

 

Things to do during your visit

Trails

Follow our one-way system around the Cast Gallery learning more about the ways the ancient Greeks and Romans looked at their world with one of our exciting museum trails. 

Download them here or pick them up at our front desk in Bay A. Please do not leave these behind in the museum. 

  • Sense the Statues (pdf) – this trail will take you around the Cast Gallery. It is fully packed with foot based activities, questions that will engage your senses, and storytelling prompts for your imagination. (This trail is designed to facilitate conversation, there is no writing required). 
  • Museum Challenge (pdf) – this trail will challenge you to find a range of objects in our museum. You can write them down or draw them. 

 

Drawing in the Museum

We highly encourage that you bring your own paper and stationery. Drawing in the gallery is allowed with pencil only. Please ask at the front desk if you require any help. 

You are welcome to draw in our museum. Please remember to respect social distancing and do not block the main route through the museum.

 

Gallery Games  

The Bay Spotter Game: In each bay one member of the family picks an object. The rest of the group tries to guess it by asking only questions answered ‘yes’ or ‘no’.

Story Telling Game: Imagine the story behind the object. Who made it? Why? Why is it standing in this particular way? How long has it been standing here? What would it do if it came alive? These and lots of other questions are great prompts for imaginative story telling. 

The Colours: Most of the objects in our Cast Gallery are plasters casts of objects which were originally painted with a variety of vibrant colours. Imagine the colours! How different would the gallery look! Pick different colours for different statues. Explain your choices! 

 

Things to do before and after your visit

Before Your Visit

Have you explored our range of home activities yet? They are a great introduction to some of our favourite objects in the Cast Gallery. 

Find them on the Things to do at Home page.

 

After Your Visit

We particularly recommend the Visit the Museum: KS2 Greeks Pack as an activity after visiting. It’s a great way to discuss the things you saw with your family. 

 

Events

Unfortunately we are not currently running any events for families and children. 

Join our mailing list to stay up to date

 

FAQs

Do you have questions about your visit? Please look through our FAQs page for information on how we are making the gallery safe. 

 

 

Every cast tells two stories.
One ancient. One modern.

Admission is free.

 

Just drop in: no need to book

 

Lift out of order

Our lift is currently out of order which means we are not able to provide step-free access at present.

 

Opening hours

Tues-Fri: 10am-5pm
Sat (univ. term-time only): 10am-1pm
Sun and Monday: Closed

Closed on Bank Holidays

 

Saturday Opening

Please note: We are open on Saturdays only during University of Cambridge term time.

We are currently closed on Saturdays. Our next Saturday opening will be Saturday 27 April.

 

Visit us

Museum of Classical Archaeology
Faculty of Classics
Sidgwick Avenue
Cambridge
CB3 9DA

We do not have an entrance on the road. Find us inside the Sidgwick Site.

 

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Get in touch

Tel. +44 (0)1223 330402
Email 

 

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Copyright statement

All images and material on our websites are ©Museum of Classical Archaeology, University of Cambridge unless otherwise stated. If you would like to reproduce our images, you can now do so for non-commercial use at no charge.

See also our Copyright Notice and Take Down Policy.