Plan your visit

Step-free access: Our courtyard entrance offers street-level access for buggies and wheelchair users and is accessible from the bus stop directly outside the Museum’s gates.

Stepped access: Our main entrance is reached by a flight of 18 stone steps. From here there are a further 24 stairs to our upper galleries and 16 stairs down to lower galleries. There is no lift at this entrance and this end of the building.

Wheelchairs: We have a limited number of wheelchairs for visitors available at our courtyard entrance. Please ask a member of staff who will be happy to assist. Our kiosk cafe, situated on our north lawn in the summer months, is not accessible for wheelchair users.

Assistance animals: Guide dogs, hearing dogs and dogs for the disabled are welcome throughout the Museum.

Ground floor: Access to our ground floor galleries, cafe and shop is step-free throughout the Museum.

First floor: A lift is available at our courtyard entrance.

Seating: Seating is limited throughout our ground floor galleries. When arriving at our courtyard entrance. Most of our first-floor galleries have seating. Portable stools are available at both entrances.

Toilets and baby-changing: Accessible toilets and baby-changing facilities are available near both entrances on the lower ground floor. You can reach the lower ground floor by stairs from our main entrance and by stairs or lift from our courtyard entrance. For more information about visiting with children, see our ‘Families’ section below.

Cloakroom: Large bags should be stored in a locker or carried by your side. cannot be stored in the Museum as they pose a security risk. Other local storage options are Radical Storage and City Square Space.

Any items stored in cloakrooms or communal areas are left at the owner’s risk. Please collect all items before leaving the Museum.

We have worked with AccessAble to create an accessibility guide that includes detailed visual guides with dimensions of doorways and steps. Ahead of your visit, you can look at these guides online here.

Pull up a chair in our modern, family-friendly café serving up brunch, lunch and children’s options using fresh, sustainably sourced ingredients. Drinks, cakes and pastries are available all day, hot food served until 3pm.

Tuesday – Saturday: 10am – 4.30pm

Sundays: 12 – 4.30pm

Bank holidays: 12 – 4.30pm

Become a Friend and enjoy a 10% discount on all food and drink.

The Courtyard Kitchen café is run by Cambridge Dining Co.

Located outside on our front lawn, the kiosk serves up hot and cold drinks, artisan sandwiches, cakes, pastries and ice cream throughout the summer months.

Tuesday-Saturday: 11am-3pm

Sundays: 12 – 3pm

Opening hours are weather dependent and subject to change.

Pick up a postcard or browse the bookshelves in our courtyard shop and take home memorable souvenirs and one-of-a-kind gifts. Check out our online shop for more.

Tuesday – Saturday: 10am – 4.30pm

Sunday: 12 – 4.45pm

Bank Holidays: 12 – 4.45pm

Become a Friend and enjoy a 10% discount on purchases in the shop.

To contact the shop directly, please call 01223 764399 or email sales@fitzwilliammuseum.org

Drawing materials, picture books and sensory resources for babies are available for you to borrow and enjoy throughout your visit. Pick up whatever you’d like from either of our entrance areas and use them in any of our galleries.

You’re welcome to bottle or breast feed your baby anywhere in the Museum. Quieter spaces with seating include gallery 28 on the ground floor and gallery 7 on the first floor. You may also bottle or breast feed in our Courtyard Kitchen café and free tap water is available.

Baby-changing facilities can be found in our gender-neutral accessible toilets located near both entrances. Free sanitary products are also available in our toilets.

Buggies and slings are allowed throughout the Museum but back-pack style child carriers and large bags are not. These can be stored in lockers located at both entrances. 

Find a range of meals and snacks for children including vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options in our Courtyard Kitchen café. Highchairs are available and there’s space for prams and buggies alongside larger tables.

Alternatively, bring along your own food and eat in our Schools Lunchroom on the lower ground floor. This room is available on weekends and throughout the school holidays.

Please don’t eat or drink in our galleries.

We define a ‘group’ as If this applies to your group, be sure to read our guidelines thoroughly and book in advance. If your group is smaller than this, you don’t need to book ahead.

A £5pp charge applies to all groups of 10 people or more excluding UK school, university and HEI groups. If you would also like to visit our ticketed exhibitions, additional charges will apply.

• We’re unable to accept any groups who haven’t booked in advance. To guarantee entry, we advise you book at least two weeks in advance.
• If you’re unsure what category your group falls under, please contact us directly for guidance: events@fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk
• If any member of your group is under 18, we require a minimum of one adult group leader supervising every ten children or young people. We’re unable to facilitate any group visit without the appropriate number of group leaders. When booking, please let us know the number of adults and children visiting.
• For very large groups we recommend booking as far in advance as possible. Groups over 15 people may be divided into smaller groups and entry to the Museum staggered.
• During UK school term time we can only accept group visits during the morning from schools and universities. Other groups are welcome after 2.15pm.
• To arrange a private group tour please email events@fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

For more information, read our visiting guidelines ahead of your visit.

All UK school groups must be booked in advance with our learning team. This includes teacher-led and self-led visits. Most sessions and services are free and travel bursaries are available for schools meeting our criteria.

For commercial summer school groups, please refer to the section on ‘Commercial groups’ below.

Bookings for school groups open one term in advance and slots book up quickly. To be alerted when bookings open, sign up to our teachers mailing list.

For more information about visiting us with a school and the sessions we offer, please visit our schools website or contact our learning team: education@fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

If you are a UK university or HEI group and would like to book a group visit, please contact our learning team directly: education@fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

We define a ‘group’ as 10 people or more from the same organisation. If your group is smaller than this, you don’t need to book ahead. A charge of £5pp applies to all adult group visits of 10 people or more, including community groups, travel agencies, University of the Third Age, art groups, tour operators, summer schools, EFL groups and more. If you would also like to visit our ticketed exhibitions, additional charges will apply.

We recommend booking at least two weeks in advance.

To make a booking, please book here.

If you’re interested in additional elements such as a guided tour, our events team will be happy to discuss options and t: events@fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk. Please allow at least three months for booking a guided tour; all payments must be completed ahead of your visit.

If you’re a UK school group, university or HEI, group bookings are free. Please see guidance in the above sections. If you’re unsure what category your group falls under, please contact us directly for guidance: events@fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

• When exploring the Museum’s galleries, grounds, cafe and shop, please be mindful of other visitors and respectful of our staff and volunteers.
• Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult aged over 18.
• For the comfort and safety of all our visitors, staff and volunteers, smoking cigarettes, e-cigarettes and vapes is not permitted in the Museum or our grounds.
• For the safety of all our visitors, staff and volunteers, please follow staff instructions in case of emergency or evacuation.
• We will not tolerate abuse, bullying or harassment of our visitors, staff and volunteers. Anyone behaving in this manner in the Museum will be required to leave.

• Please store bags larger than 40x26x15cm in our lockers or carry them by your side throughout the Museum.
• For the safety and protection of our collection, unfortunately we can’t allow suitcases or bags that do not fit in lockers inside the Museum.
• Please use the bags and racks provided in our entrance areas for umbrellas and other wet items. The Museum is not responsible for items left in our communal areas. Alternatively, please use the lockers provided.

• Help us to preserve our collection for generations to come, please don’t touch any of the artworks and objects on display.
• Sketching in the galleries is encouraged provided the spaces aren’t too busy. Please be mindful of other visitors. Help us protect our collection of artworks and objects and leave your inks, liquid colours, pastels and oil paints at home!

• Please enjoy food and drink in the Courtyard Kitchen cafe, outside or in our designated areas only.

• Filming and photography without flash are permitted for personal, non-commercial use with small cameras and devices only.
• For more information, see our photography policy.

• Dogs are welcome in our grounds outside the Museum but please always keep them on a lead, never leave them unattended and pick up after them.
• Assistance animals are welcome throughout the Museum.