Fitzwilliam Museum
Trumpington Street
Cambridge
Cambridgeshire
CB2 1RB
England
Website
fitzmuseum-enquiries@lists.cam.ac.uk
Telephone
01223 332900
Fax
01223 332923
From Egyptian coffins to Impressionist masterpieces; illuminated manuscripts to Renaissance sculpture; rare coins and medals to Oriental applied arts – the Fitzwilliam Museum’s world-class collections of art and antiquities span centuries and civilizations.
Located in the heart of historic Cambridge, and occupying an extraordinary building built in 1816 housing almost half a million objects, the Fitz has been hailed as ‘the finest small museum in Europe’ – and admission is completely free.
Experience works by Titian, da Vinci, Rembrandt, Caneletto, Gainsborough, Monet, Degas, and Picasso, and enjoy our diverse range of temporary exhibitions – as well as the new contemporary Sculpture Promenade in the Museum’s ground. Also, discover the Fitz’s varied programme of events and activities - including music concerts, free lunchtime talks by experts, workshops for all ages and fully accessible tours – or take a break from the galleries’ treasures with a visit to the Courtyard Shop and Café.
The entire collection of the Fitzwilliam Museum is a Designated Collection of national importance.
Venue Type:
Museum
Trumpington Street
Cambridge
Cambridgeshire
CB2 1RB
England
Website
fitzmuseum-enquiries@lists.cam.ac.uk
Telephone
01223 332900
Fax
01223 332923
The Fitzwilliam Museum has magnificent permanent collections of international importance. The entire collection is a Designated Collection of national importance.
Holdings include antiquities from Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome; English and European pottery and glass; furniture, clocks, fans and armour, coins, medals, illuminated, literary and music manuscripts and rare printed books; paintings, including masterpieces by Simone Martini, Domenico Veneziano, Veronese, Titian, Rubens, Hals, Van Dyck, Canaletto, Hogarth, Gainsborough, Constable, Degas, Renoir, Cézanne, Monet and Picasso, portrait miniatures and 20th century art, and changing displays of drawings, watercolours and prints. The collections also include artefacts from Sudan and Cyprus, and Chinese, Japanese and Korean art, rugs and samplers.
Founded in 1816, the Museum is housed in splendid buildings, the first of which, designed by George Basevi opened in 1848.
Collection details
Weapons and War, Music, Fine Art, Decorative and Applied Art, Costume and Textiles, Coins and Medals, Archaeology
Key artists and exhibits
- Ancient Egypt, Sudan
- Greece and Rome
- Roman and Romano-Egyptian Art
- Western Asiatic displays and Cypriot Art
- English and European pottery and glass, furniture, clocks, fans, armour
- Chinese, Japanese and Korean art
- Simone Martini, Domenico Veneziano, Titian, Veronese, Rubens, Van Dyck, Hals, Canaletto, Hogarth, Gainsborough, Constable, Monet, Degas, Renoir, Cézanne and Picasso
- Designated Collection
Collections services
- General guide to collections available
- Object identification and/or written enquiry service
- Public access available to collections information
- Specialist publications on collections available
- Object study facilities available (enquire in advance)
Trumpington Street
Cambridge
Cambridgeshire
CB2 1RB
England
Website
fitzmuseum-enquiries@lists.cam.ac.uk
Telephone
01223 332900
Fax
01223 332923
Work, rest and play: Women and children in prints after Chardin
In 1733 the Parisian artist Jean-Siméon Chardin, who had made his name as a painter of ‘animals, cookware and various vegetables’, began to paint domestic interiors containing women, children and servants. The paintings were an immediate hit, and engravings reproducing certain works soon became available for purchase.
This exhibition investigates the appeal of Chardin’s familial imagery for the 18th-century public, and takes a close look at the skill of the printmakers who interpreted his canvases into graphic art.
Suitable for
- Any age
Where
The Fitzwilliam Museum (Charrington Print Room 16)
Grey matters: Graphite
Discover the extraordinary expressive potential of the pencil in a display ranging from 17th-century miniatures on vellum to compositional sketches by George Romney and William Blake, and drawings by Ingres and Degas. Contemporary artist Christopher Cook pushes the medium to the opposite extreme, using a ‘primal soup’ of graphite powder, oil, resin and solvents to create enigmatic imagery that blurs the boundaries between drawing, painting, and photography.
Graphite is the first in a new series, Grey matters, which sets out to explore the impact of the greyscale on the artistic imagination.
Suitable for
- Any age
Where
The Fitzwilliam Museum (Shiba Gallery 14)
Edgelands: Prints by George Shaw and Michael Landy
‘Edgelands’ has been defined as that uncertain and overlooked zone, neither city nor countryside, lingering on the urban edge. George Shaw’s series, Twelve Short Walks, 2005, is drawn from revisited scenes of his childhood on the Tile Hill council estate in the suburbs of Coventry. Michael Landy’s Nourishment, 2002, features life-sized images of weeds, or ‘street-flowers’ - the overlooked and neglected vegetation of Edgelands.
Suitable for
- Any age
Where
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Admission
Free
Website
Trumpington Street
Cambridge
Cambridgeshire
CB2 1RB
England
Website
fitzmuseum-enquiries@lists.cam.ac.uk
Telephone
01223 332900
Fax
01223 332923
Grey matters: A conversation
Graphite is the first of a new exhibition series that will explore the impact of the greyscale on the creative imagination. Christopher Cook's 'Graphites' - such as Drivetime (2003), featured within the show, defy simple catagorisation as drawings and instead blur the boundaries between drawing, painting and photography. In conversation with the poet John Kinsella, and exhibition curator, Jane Munro, Christopher Cook will consider works by artists and writers that challenge the notional 'limitations' of monochrome and discuss why grey 'matters'.
Schedule for evening:
17.30/17.45 - 18.20: Opportunity to view exhibition
18.30 - 19.30: Discussion and Q&A in Museum Courtyard
Suitable for
- 18+
When
5:30-7:30pm
Where
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Website
Source
In the informal atmosphere of our studio, the Museum's Education team and practising artists offer one-to-one advice to students preparing for art exams, in particular GCSE and A Level. Drop-in and research your theme using the wealth of ideas and inspiration in the work of other artists, with gallery tours, practical support and online resources on offer. This year we will be focussing on drawing and looking at the Grey matters: Graphite exhibition.
Suitable for
- 14-15
- 16-17
- Not suitable for children
When
10am-4:30pm
Where
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Website
Drawing Together
Drop-in and draw at the Museum with activities and inspiration available from the Fitz Family Welcome Point. Please note: under 8’s must be accompanied by an adult
Suitable for
- Any age
- Family friendly
When
12-4pm
Where
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Twilight at the Museums 2012
Enjoy a special evening of fun, family activities and trails at a host of Cambridge Museums. Up to eleven museums across the city, and the University Botanic Garden, will be open to the public in this hugely popular event. It's a once-a-year chance to see the museums and their collections after dark. For further event information, and updates on what to expect at each venue please visit www.cam.ac.uk/twilight
Suitable for
- Any age
- Family friendly
When
4:30-7:30pm
Where
Cambridge University Museums
Website
Source
In the informal atmosphere of our studio, the Museum's Education team and practising artists offer one-to-one advice to students preparing for art exams, in particular GCSE and A Level. Drop-in and research your theme using the wealth of ideas and inspiration in the work of other artists, with gallery tours, practical support and online resources on offer. This year we will be focussing on drawing and looking at the Grey matters: Graphite exhibition.
Suitable for
- 16-17
- 14-15
Where
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Website
Source
In the informal atmosphere of our studio, the Museum's Education team and practising artists offer one-to-one advice to students preparing for art exams, in particular GCSE and A Level. Drop-in and research your theme using the wealth of ideas and inspiration in the work of other artists, with gallery tours, practical support and online resources on offer. This year we will be focussing on drawing and looking at the Grey matters: Graphite exhibition.
Suitable for
- 14-15
- 16-17
- Not suitable for children
When
10am-4:30pm
Where
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Website
Family First Saturday
On the first Saturday of each month visit our Fitz Family Welcome Point and collect drawing materials, activities and trails to use throughout the Museum, exploring a variety of themes. Please note: under 8’s must be accompanied by an adult
Suitable for
- Any age
- Family friendly
- Especially for children
When
2-4pm
Where
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Website
Uncovering the Hidden Legacy of Ancient Egypt
In this new six week course, explore the writings about Ancient Egyptian history, ethnicity of Ancient Egyptians, aspects of Old, Middle and New Kingdoms and Ancient Egyptians contribution to Science & Technology.
The course runs every Tuesday from 6 March to 10 April. Delivered by Robin Walker in partnership with Croydon Supplementary Education Project (CSEP).
Suitable for
- 18+
- Not suitable for children
When
2-4pm
Where
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Admission
Booking essential, tel. 01223 332904 or email fitzmuseum-education@lists.cam.ac.uk
Website
Adventures in Graphite
Unleash the potential of the pencil! From practical tips on use of line and tone in drawing to an exploration of the experimental possibilities of this versatile and understated medium. This workshop will use the Grey matters: Graphite exhibition as inspiration.
Suitable for
- 18+
When
10am-4pm
Where
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Admission
£40 (£35 concessions). Booking essential, tel. 01223 332904 or email fitzmuseum-education@lists.cam.ac.uk
Website
Think you can’t draw? Think again!
This one day intensive drawing course offers a way of working for those wanting to be more confident with their drawing skills. You don’t need to be an expert, just willing to open your mind and experiment.
Suitable for
- 18+
When
10am-4pm
Where
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Admission
£40 (£35 concessions). Booking essential, tel. 01223 332904 or email fitzmuseum-education@lists.cam.ac.uk
Website
It’s Magic!
Looking at art and making art can be magical. Explore work in the collections and make art of your own in our studio to take home. For ages 2 - 5 (must be accompanied by an adult)
Suitable for
- 0-4
- Especially for children
When
10-11:30am
Where
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Admission
£3 per child. Booking essential, tel. 01223 332904 or email fitzmuseum-education@lists.cam.ac.uk
Website
Conservation & Care: Behind the scenes
Join us for a unique insight into how the museum undertakes the day to day care of its valuable collection and discover how the museum tackles problems such as pest control.
Suitable for
- 18+
- Not suitable for children
When
2-4pm
Where
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Admission
FREE but booking essential, tel. 01223 332904 or email fitzmuseum-education@lists.cam.ac.uk
Website
Trumpington Street
Cambridge
Cambridgeshire
CB2 1RB
England
Website
fitzmuseum-enquiries@lists.cam.ac.uk
Telephone
01223 332900
Fax
01223 332923
Trumpington Street
Cambridge
Cambridgeshire
CB2 1RB
England
Website
fitzmuseum-enquiries@lists.cam.ac.uk
Telephone
01223 332900
Fax
01223 332923
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