Open Cambridge 2022: Hidden gems revealed as city and county throw open their doors for history and culture festival

Open Cambridge will welcome visitors between Friday, September 9 and Sunday, September 18.

Part of the national Heritage Open Days (HODs) scheme, Open Cambridge offers everyone, locals and visitors, a chance to see a different side to the city and areas within the county from Huntingdon and Peterborough to St Neots and Papworth.

Several of the events include places that aren’t normally open to the public and the opportunity to try out new things.
However, there are still plenty that have spaces and, of course, lots of drop-in events to keep history buffs and culture lovers busy during the festival period.

Speaking ahead of the launch on Friday, Open Cambridge coordinator Hannah Jackson said: “The history, heritage and culture of a place are what makes us who we are.

"I’m delighted that this year’s Open Cambridge programme offers a fabulous showcase of our city and county.

"I’m also really looking forward to welcoming everyone to these events, which, very importantly, are all completely free.

"Despite the current financial situation affecting most of us, Open Cambridge offers everyone the opportunity to still have fun and explore our wonderful city and county for free.”

With over 90 free events, there is bound to be something that suits all ages and tastes.

Due to the immense popularity of Open Cambridge, some events have already ‘sold out’.

The following is a small flavour of what’s on offer during the 10-day festival period.

The American Cemetery. (Image: American Cemetery.)

For some folk tours around cemeteries might sound a bit scary.

Not so with the Cambridge American Cemetery, in Madingley, which is hosting a range of fascinating tours with lots of time slots available.

Cutting-edge groundskeeping tools at the American Cemetery (Image: American Cemetery)

The first set of tours investigates the cutting-edge tools used in 21st century groundskeeping – crucial knowledge to acquire as we all bemoan the current state of our gardens.

The second set of tours focus on how the astounding inventions and scientific discoveries from World War Two have radically reshaped our world today.

Sticking with astounding inventions, which happens to be this year’s HODs theme, it might still surprise some people to know that the creation of the modern-day laws of football took place on Parker’s Piece in Cambridge.

Nigel Fenner, who played football for both Arsenal Youth and Cambridge University, gives a talk, followed by questions at the Cambridge United Supporters Club where the history of Cambridge United FC can also be explored in the small museum located there.

Banned books exhibit at the Whipple Library (Image: Whipple Library)

Going back further in time, take a fascinating peek at those historical books that were deemed to endanger faith and morality of the reader during the Whipple Library’s exhibition of banned books, part of their rare books collection.

Another must-see exhibition is the tour with the conservators of the Cambridge University Library’s Darwin in Conversation exhibition.

One of Charles Darwin's notebooks in Cambridge University Library's Darwin in Conversation exhibition. (Image: Cambridge University Library)

The tour includes an exclusive visit to the Library’s Conservation Studio where you will get to see more items from the Darwin Archive and find out about the conservation treatments used.

Local history buffs can take a stroll down Mill Road with public historian Professor Helen Weinstein.

The 90-minute history tour starts at the former Mill Road Library on the corner of Mill Road and Headly Street and ends at The Geldart pub on the corner of Ainsworth Street and Sleaford Street.

Offering an insight into the working lives of the people of the area known in Victorian times as 'Sturton Town', the tour features the local businesses of the Headly Iron Foundry and the Coprolite Mill, Sarah Scarr 's dressmaking shop, Hannah Laurie's Laundry, the Sturton Town Brewery, the Co-Op Dairy and Abattoir, Henry Cable's Bakery, and the numerous pubs of the area no longer in existence.

You can take part in a walking history tour around a Victorian neighbourhood of Cambridge. (Image: HistoryWorks)

And finally, everyone aged 18 to 30 is invited to an evening of discovery and entertainment during OrigiNation: Cambridge celebrates invention at the Cambridge Museum of Technology.

The fun-packed event, which celebrates the collaborative spirit of inventors and creatives, includes a bookable, guided tour of the museum and a pub quiz with added team challenges, while enjoying food and drinks from the OtherSyde bar.

There is also a prize for the winning team.

OrigiNation: Cambridge celebrates invention at the Cambridge Museum of Technology on Saturday, September 10. (Image: Open Cambridge)

Open Cambridge is brought to you by the University of Cambridge’s Public Engagement team. To browse the full programme, visit the website www.opencambridge.cam.ac.uk