Is the Fitzwilliam Museum free? Yes!

Quite a few of the research departments at Cambridge University set up museums for their collections. These free museums ensure that learning is continuous and that the public can enjoy a massive range of amazing specimens, rather than those same specimens sitting in a cabinet somewhere. Is the Fitzwilliam Museum free? Yes, the most gorgeous museum in all of Cambridge is completely free for everyone. Here is what you need to know:

When is the Fitzwilliam Museum free? Always. Who made the Fitzwilliam Museum free? Cambridge University. Why is the Fitzwilliam Museum free? Because Cambridge University takes a wise & long-term view of collection management. OK, you get the idea.

I visited the Fitzwilliam a couple of times because it is too large to see in one day (in total over half a million pieces) and because the building itself left me awestruck.

Lunch Before Our Museum Excursion

Before our field trip to the museum we stopped at Honest Burgers, which gave rave reviews online and is a 5-minute walk from the Fitzwilliam. This place has locations throughout England and people are wild about it first for the flavor of the food and second, for its commitment to honest farming. That’s their term for knowing the farmers and the fields that they use in every ingredient.

We ordered a Tribute Burger and an order of eight Buffalo Wings. Then, we went halfsies on everything.

The burger bun wasn’t toasted, which it should have been, but despite that it didn’t fall apart. It was smaller than an American burger, but since we overeat as a culture, that’s fine too. The burger was perfectly cooked and the fries were super crispy and delicious. The Buffalo wings were excellent and the green cooling sauce drizzled over them was delish!

There were a couple of disappointments, though. First, the website said they opened at 11:30am. When we go there we could see staff inside hanging out. One guy signaled me through the window that they didn’t open until noon. That is a pet peeve of mine. Update your website! Update your outgoing voicemail so customers know what’s going on! That alone nearly ruined the experience for me. We wandered around for 30 minutes and went back at noon. It’s a good thing we did because once we were seated we noticed people filing in steadily. By, 12:30pm, there was a line of 15 people waiting for tables.

The second downside was the price. Yes, the food was absolutely delicious. However, the burger and fries alone cost us $17.00. The wings were a good price at about $8.50. They are famous for their burgers, so I guess customers pay for that reputation. Ouch.

A Bit of History

In 1816, Richard, seventh Viscount Fitzwilliam of Merrion, bequeathed his works of art and library to the University of Cambridge. He felt that the University should have its own museum AND that the museum should have its own library. In fact, the astounding amount of 100,000 GBP was provided for the construction. Over the years, the museum has been renovated and expanded in size multiple times. It’s hard not to feel like royalty (or at least of blue blood) strolling through this place.

The Fitzwilliam’s 2D Collection

First, I should clarify that the museum’s collections are so extensive that everyone will find something to love, even those people who think they don’t like art museums. (Yes, those weirdos are actually out there. Crazy, right?) Since I am a sucker for the Impressionists, I made sure to look those up on the handy map that the staff gave me as I climbed the front steps. European Art from the 17^th Century to the 21^st Century is one floor up. An excuse to climb the grand staircase? Hooray!

The museum currently owns four Monets. Non-flash photography is permitted throughout the facility, so obviously, I took a lot of pictures.

There are gorgeous two-dimensional works in several galleries and they span both the globe and the centuries.

The Fitzwilliam’s 3D Collection

Whether you like Greek/Roman sculpture, modern sculpture, ancient manuscripts, pottery or religious artifacts, amazingly, you will find it all here. In fact, perhaps, it is best if I just show you.

As a person who owns an antique teacup/saucer collection (a family heirloom), I was amazed at the huge porcelain collection. In particular, I was fascinated that so many of the pieces looked like mine. My collection has been on a wall in every house I’ve ever lived in, beginning in childhood. Yet, I had never seen anything similar before. And here was a collection numbering in the hundreds. The best part was that, still, no two were identical to each other or to any of mine.

In addition, students of military history will enjoy the armor and weapons collection. Furthermore, if you can’t make Ireland a part of your UK visit, don’t feel like you must miss out on the Book of Kells. Here, there are stunning illuminated manuscripts too.

Fitzwilliam Museum Free Art for the Next Generation

On one visit, a group of young school children were escorted into a gallery to learn about the exhibit entitled “Women: Makers and Muses.” Their teacher asked them what they believed the artist was thinking about when he/she created this painting or that sculpture. They bubbled with answers, actively engaging their imaginations. Often, explaining their thought processes impressively well. Unquestionably, this is what happens when we don’t allow research to overtake experiential learning. It was a beautiful moment to see.

While I don’t have a complete count of all the free museums in Cambridge tied to the university, I do know there are at least eight. Visitors can enjoy a little of the weird & wacky at the Museum of Zoology and a lot of elegance and class at the Fitzwilliam. There are also museums dedicated to archeology, science, polar expeditions and more. Above all, thank you, Cambridge, for having the sense to display these treasures for the enjoyment of all rather than having them grow mold in basements throughout the city.

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