Museum of Classical Archaeology
University of Cambridge museum with one of the largest collections of plaster casts of Greek and Roman sculpture in the world.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Museum of Classical Archaeology was founded in 1884 as a University of Cambridge museum and has always been a teaching collection. Art and archaeology became part of the Classics degree in 1879, and casts of ancient sculpture were soon used to illustrate lectures. The earliest casts, including the Farnese Hercules, were first given to the Fitzwilliam Museum and spent time in private houses before joining the new museum. Sidney Colvin, the first director of the Fitzwilliam, added selected Greek and Roman sculpture, among them the Nike of Paionios.
The museum was first housed in a Peterhouse building in Little St Mary’s Lane, known as the “Ark”, on a hundred-year lease. In 1983 the casts moved into a purpose-built Cast Gallery in the Faculty of Classics on Sidgwick Avenue, which brought the museum and the Faculty together under one roof.
The collection is now one of the largest sets of plaster casts of Greek and Roman sculpture in the world. Highlights include the Peplos Kore, the Sounion Kouros, casts of the pediments of the Temple of Zeus at Olympia and the Farnese Hercules. The museum also holds a collection of pottery sherds and the archive of the archaeologist George E. Bean. Undergraduate teaching takes place in the museum on most days in term time, and it also welcomes the public, school groups and families, with free entry.
Highlights
- One of the largest plaster cast collections of Greek and Roman sculpture in the world
- Casts of the Peplos Kore and the Sounion Kouros
- Casts of the pediments of the Temple of Zeus at Olympia
- The Farnese Hercules
- The George E. Bean archive and a collection of sherds
- Free entry, with family trails and tours
Permanent exhibition
- Cast Gallery – A large open gallery of plaster casts of Greek and Roman sculpture, from the Peplos Kore and the Sounion Kouros to the Olympia pediments and the Farnese Hercules.
- Founded
- 1884
- Operated by
- University of Cambridge, Faculty of Classics
- Director
- Caroline Vout
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
| Visitors with disabilities | –Companions and personal assistants are welcome. |
|---|---|
| Groups (6+ people) | –Groups of 6 or more should book in advance using the booking form. |
Entry is free for everyone.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The main entrance has a 19-step staircase, but step-free access is through a separate ramped entrance a short walk away; ask at the Enquiries desk and staff will guide visitors. A lift with voice announcements leads to the first-floor museum, and the Cast Gallery is on one level. Accessible toilets are at the main entrance and next to the lift; there is no Changing Places toilet (the nearest is in the Grand Arcade). There is no hearing loop. Large-text labels are available in each bay, and touch tours can be arranged on request. Movable seating is placed around the gallery. A visual story is available. There is no public parking on site; Blue Badge holders can use pay-and-display bays on Sidgwick Avenue and West Road. Evacuation chairs are available.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
- Stroller-friendly
- Baby changing facilities
- Playground / play area
A Family Fun area in Bay A offers rotating activities, including themed trails, drawing sheets, colouring sheets to take home, activity bags with prompts and toys, books and a building-blocks challenge. Buggies can be left in the downstairs foyer or taken up in the lift. Baby changing is in the downstairs accessible toilet, and gallery chairs can be used for breastfeeding. Visitors are asked to keep touching the casts to a minimum.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Silver Street (Universal U bus) · 5-min walk
Cambridge station is about a 30-minute walk away. The Universal U bus runs about every 20 minutes from the station (stop 8) to Silver Street, about a five-minute walk from the museum, and also stops on West Road at the back of the Sidgwick Site. The Madingley Road Park and Ride connects to the U bus.
By car
No on-site parking at the museum.
The museum has no public car park; on-site parking is reserved for University members. Metered parking is available on Sidgwick Avenue, and the nearest car parks are Lammas Land and Grand Arcade.
The museum has no entrance on the road: it is inside the Faculty of Classics on the Sidgwick Site, and the Cast Gallery is upstairs. The what3words address is odds.lunch.bless.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop: not available
- Coat check: not available
There is no gift shop, but a small selection of postcards, posters, guidebooks and a highlights pack is on sale. There is no cloakroom, but racks for coats and bags (left at the owner’s risk); rucksacks must be taken off during the visit. Food and drink are not allowed in the gallery, except bottled water.
Events & venue rental
As far as we know, the museum does not rent out spaces for external events.
The Cast Gallery is not available for private hire.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Still photography for personal use is allowed in the gallery; professional shoots must be booked in advance. |
| Good to know | The museum offers guided LGBTQ+ tours of the Cast Gallery and self-guided trails (Beyond the Pale, on colour in the ancient world, and the Queer Antiquities trail). School sessions for Key Stages 1 to 5 are available in person and online. Drawing in the gallery is encouraged, using dry materials only. |
