1. Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
   Established by the University of Cambridge in 1884, the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology has an important collection of prehistoric materials and artifacts devoted to social anthropology. Collections are drawn from around the world and include works from Africa and the Orient with an emphasis on visual and classical art. Of particular note is the Pacific collection, drawn largely from the Cook Inquiry, and other research projects by prominent British anthropologists.

Be sure to also visit the Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences, which houses the university’s geological collection, including some two million minerals, rocks and fossils. Highlights include numerous meteorite specimens as well as the Beagle Collection, consisting of fossils and rocks collected by Charles Darwin between 1831 and 1836. Also of interest is the newly renovated University Museum of Zoology, highlights include a large collection of scientifically significant zoological materials.

2. Peterhouse College

The oldest (and also one of the smallest) colleges in Cambridge, Peterhouse was founded in 1284. Its historic hall and pantry on the south side of Old Court are the earliest of the original 13th-century buildings. Among those who studied here were Cardinal Beaufort, the chemist Henry Cavendish, and the poet Thomas Gray. The stained glass windows in the chapel (imported from Munich in the 1850s) and the 17th-century altar are worth seeing.

3. Pembroke College

Pembroke College was founded in 1347 by the Countess of Pembroke, but has changed greatly since then. The chapel (1665) is known as the first work of architect Christopher Wren and was later expanded in 1881. Pembroke produced many bishops and poets, the most famous being Edmund Spencer (1552-99). Reformed bishop Nicholas Ridley, burned at the stake in Oxford, and statesman William Pitt also received their degrees here.

4. Corpus Christi College.

Corpus Christi College was founded in 1352 by “townspeople for townspeople.” The old court dates back to 1377, though it has since been restored. The library contains many valuable manuscripts collected by Matthew Parker, Archbishop of Canterbury (1550) and adjacent St. Benet’s Church was the original chapel of the college and has a late Saxon tower. Famous members of the college were the dramatists Christopher Marlowe (1564-93) and John Fletcher (1579-1625).

5. St. John’s College

St. John’s College was founded in 1511 by Lady Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry VII.The richly ornamented gates open to the first court, a fine example of Tudor architecture. The dining room of 1519, known simply as “The Hall,” was extended with later buildings in 1826 and has a fine gaveled roof, beautiful panelling and some fine portraits. The Combination Room has a magnificent plaster ceiling with festoons of vines. The Second Court, built in 1602, is exceptionally attractive with its soft brickwork , and the Third Court is the Library (1624).

Among the many notable members of St. John’s were playwright Ben Jonson and poet William Wordsworth, who described his rooms in his famous Prelude. Be sure to visit the exquisite Bridge of Sighs, Built in 1831, this enclosed bridge leads across the Cam to New Court and College.

6. Cambridge Museums, Technology and Science

One of the most popular museums in Cambridge, the Cambridge Museum has displays and exhibits on the daily life of local people from the 18th through 20th centuries. At the old White Horse Inn, the museum has an extensive collection of artifacts, including coins, costumes, medals, toys and medicine, as well as many interesting works.

Also worth a visit, the Cambridge Museum of Technology focuses on the county’s industrial past. Housed in a Victorian pumping station, the museum displays a working steam winch that once used ashes along the narrow gauge railroad, as well as many other engines and a collection of antique printing equipment. The Whipple Museum of the History of Science also deserves a visit for its fascinating collections of old science exhibits, including tools and prints dating back to the 17th century.

7. National Horse Museum.

Just 13 miles east of Cambridge, New Market has been the center of English horse racing since 1174. Horse enthusiasts will enjoy a visit to the National Horse Racing Museum on scenic High Street. The exhibits relate to the history of the “sport of kings,” which remains one of the most popular sports in Great Britain. The collection includes paintings of famous horses and jockeys, old saddles, tack and trophies. There are several stables in town, not to mention the famous racetrack and training “gallops” nearby.