Visit Us

Tuesday - Saturday: 10:00 - 17:00

Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays: 12:00 - 17:00

CLOSED: Mondays, Good Friday, 24-26 & 31 December and 1 January

Free Admission to the Museum's collections and to exhibitions. Visitors' donations help keep the galleries open and are much appreciated.

The length of an average visit is approximately 2 to 3 hours, during which time it is possible to see a wide range of objects in the collection. 

Courtyard Café & Shop

Courtyard Café

Located in the covered courtyard area of the museum near the Courtyard Entrance and serves an all-day menu including morning coffee, afternoon tea, sandwiches and light lunches. It is a pleasant location to meet friends or take a break whilst visiting the Museum. The cafe opens when the museum opens and closes 30 minutes before museum closing time. View Menu online

t: 01223 764402  events.fitzwilliam@tate.org.uk

Shop

Visual Story

Please click here to download the Fitzwilliam Museum Visual Story to help plan your visit.

Access into and around the Museum

There are two entrances to the Museum: The Main Entrance and the Courtyard Entrance.

Visitors with restricted mobility or with pushchairs should use the Courtyard Entrance, which provides street level access through automatic double glass doors, and is accessible from the Citi bus stop directly outside the gates to the museum.  The Main Entrance to the Founder's Building of the museum is reached by a flight of 18 stone steps from street level. From this entrance, visitors have either to climb 24 stairs to reach the upper galleries, or descend 16 stairs to reach the lower galleries.

Lift

Lift to all floors is located near the Courtyard entrance and visitors can access the galleries on the ground floor, and galleries on the upper floor. The education suite with seminar room, studio, schools cloakroom and lunchroom is located on the lower ground floor, close to the Courtyard entrance.

Wheelchairs 

Available at the Courtyard Entrance for visitors' use. 

Seating

Available in many of the galleries and portable stools are available at the entrances on request.

Assistance dogs

Guide dogs, hearing dogs and dogs for the disabled are welcome at the museum.

Lavatories and baby-changing facilities

Located near both entrances on the lower ground floor, including accessible toilets. 

Cloakroom facilities

Available at both entrances, each open 10.00am - 4.50pm Tuesday - Saturday and 12.00pm - 4.50pm Sunday. There are self-service lockers at the Courtyard Entrance. These are 42cmx25cmx45cm and require a £1 coin for operation (returned after use). There is a manned service at the Main Entrance. Due to space limitations, we regret that we are unable to accept the following: Items larger than Maximum size 56x45x25cm or Maximum weight: 10kg
or Suitcases, Pushchairs, Shopping trolleys, Scooters, Fold-up bicycles, Musical instruments

In the interests of security it may be necessary to conduct bag searches. To help to ensure the safety of our exhibits visitors are not permitted to carry items on their backs. Bags and other items larger than 31x25x10cm (except wheelchairs, mobility aids and pushchairs) may not be taken into galleries, but can be taken into the Courtyard Shop and Courtyard Cafe.All items deposited in the cloakrooms are left at the owner's risk and should be collected before leaving the museum. The Museum reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to vary or alter these conditions without prior notice.

Verbal Description & Touch Tours

Led by a member of the Museum's Education department these 'Making Sense' tours combine the opportunity to touch selected objects on display with visual description. The tours can also include audio description of paintings. If there are specific objects or paintings that you would like to find out about, this can be discussed when arranging your tour.

To find out more please contact the Outreach and Access Officer: Tel: 01223 764392 or email education@fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk.

The Fitzwilliam is a great place to bring children. Entry is always free (including special exhibitions). You will see paintings, sculptures, drawings, photographs and more. Don’t feel like you need to see the entire Museum in one day. It’s a big place and worth many visits.

Before you begin:

• Pick up a map at the entrance desk
• Help us keep the artwork safe by not touching or climbing on objects
• Always walk, don’t run
• Please don’t eat or drink in the galleries.
• Children under 14 must always be accompanied by an adult
• And remember, security guards protect you and the art; please respect their requests

Ideas for your visit:

• Sketch: Using paper and pencils, sketch what you see in the galleries.
• Imagine: As you look at paintings, imagine the sights, sounds, and smells you would experience if you stepped inside. Try striking a pose like the sculptures you see.
• Search for colours, faces, crowns, or animals; choose a culture to explore (ancient Egypt, medieval knights). Not sure where to start? Pick up a trail or Fitz Kit at the information desk and search for objects by theme.
• Play a gallery game. For example, “I spy”, or a memory game together. Look at a work of art for a few minutes. Then, turn around and describe what you saw.
• After Your Visit Discuss together each person’s favourite object or gallery. Create a work of art together when you get home.
• Come back for more!

Eating: A children's menu is available in the café. During weekends and most school holidays the schools lunchroom is available for all visitors, particularly families, to eat packed lunches and leave buggies. Please check at the information desks for availability.

Bags and Pushchairs: There is level access at the Courtyard Entrance for families with pushchairs or those who need disabled access. Buggies are allowed in all galleries, but unfortunately not back-pack style child carriers. Secure facilities for coats and bags are available at museum entrances. Buggies and pushchairs can be left in the school lunchroom during weekends and for most days during school holidays at the owners own risk. Please check at the information desks for availability.

Nursing: Unfortunately we do not have a dedicated space for breastfeeding. Many families prefer the café.

Baby-changing: Located near both entrances on the lower ground floor, including accessible toilets.

In the interests of the safety and enjoyment of all our visitors we ask you to observe the following:

1. Please do not bring into the Museum any large items (including large bags and backpacks), cycles or animals (except guide and assistance dogs).
2. Please use the coin operated lockers at the South Entrance for coats and personal items. The main entrance also provides a manned bag check. Umbrellas may not be taken into the galleries. The Museum does not accept responsibility for items left in the lockers or bag check.
3. Please do not smoke anywhere in the Museum buildings.
4. Sketching is allowed in the galleries provided the galleries are not too busy. When sketching, please be aware of other visitors and make sure there is no risk to people or works in the gallery. No pastels, ink or liquid colour, including oils, may be used.

Please do not:

1. Get too close or touch any picture, its frame, glass, or label or any other object.
2. Use a mobile telephone for making or receiving calls. Phones and tablets are permitted for photography and messaging, but please keep mobiles on silent and use earphones for audio material. (Full photography policy below).
3. Bring food and drink for consumption in the Museum.

Read also our Policy on Photography in the galleries

We regret that from time to time some galleries are closed to the public for refurbishment or redisplay - we are sorry for any inconvenience caused.

Short-Term Closures

Wednesday 4 December

Gallery 1 (British & European art) will be closed from 2.00 - 3.00 for Dance with the Museum, the Museums supported programme for older Cambridge residents

Saturday 7 December

Galleries 7 (Italian Art), 8 (Spanish & Flemish Art) and 10 (temporary exhibition gallery) will be closed from 14.00 - 17.00 to set up for an afternoon event.

Wednesday 11 December

Gallery 1 (British & European art) will be closed from 2.00 - 3.00 for Dance with the Museum, the Museums supported programme for older Cambridge residents. 

Gallery 1 will be closed again from 16.00 to set up for an evening event.

Thursday 12 December

Gallery 1 (British & European art) and the right hand-side of the Founders Entrance Landing will be closed from 2.00 – 2.45 for Portals to the World, the Museums programme for people with a cognitive impairment.

Wednesday 18 December

Gallery 1 (British & European art) will be closed from 2.00 - 3.00 for Dance with the Museum, the Museums supported programme for older Cambridge residents

Thursday 19 December

Gallery 1 (British & European art) will be closed from 16.00 to set up for an evening event.

Long-Term Closures

Galleries 11, 12 & 13

Galleries 11, 12 & 13 are currently closed to the public to allow for the installation of Feast & Fast. This food-themed exhibition is open to the public from 26 November 2019 – 26 April 2020 in Galleries 11-13. Art from the 20th century can be seen elsewhere in the Museum and notably in Galleries 1 and 27.

Gallery 2

We regret any inconvenience this closure may cause.

In addition, individual pictures and objects are sometimes sent on loan to other museums. It is also necessary from time to time to change the contents of a display or remove items for conservation. If you are planning to visit the Museum to see a particular item, please check in advance that it is on view by contacting: reception@fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk.

Guided tours of the Museum may be arranged through Visit Cambridge and Beyond

Tel: 01223 791501
Fax: 01223 457588
tours@visitcambridge.org

Prices for a guided tour are £6 per person with a minimum charge of £90 for groups of 15 or more. Groups are also asked to give a minimum of £20 donation.

Saturday Tours of the Museum

One-hour introductory tours of the Museum’s collections on Saturdays at 14.30 from the Courtyard Entrance.

£6 per person; tickets may be bought from the Guide at the Museum or booked in advance via Cambridge Tourist Information Centre.