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The Sedgwick Museum, Cambridge

The Sedgwick Museum in Cambridge is one of the best geological museums in the country. Exhibitions of fossil records take visitors on a trip through time from the earliest life on earth, to the origins of modern life. The fossils are arranged by age. You can simply walk from one display cabinet to the next following the ages through.

There are also galleries devoted to the history of planet Earth, and to the diversity of the mineral kingdom. The Darwin Collection displays specimens collected by Charles Darwin during his voyage aboard the surveying ship HMS Beagle between 1831 and 1836. The museum is actually named after Adam Sedgwick, the man who gave Darwin instruction in geology just before his voyage on the Beagle. Entry is free. Please note that due to the preparation of a new exhibition on Charles Darwin some exhibits in the Mahogany Wing will not be accessible to visitors until Summer 2009.

Opening Times: The museum is closed on some bank holidays. Ring ahead to check. General opening times are Monday to Friday from 10am until 1pm and 2pm until 5pm. On Saturdays the museum is open from 10am until 4pm. The museum is closed from 24th December to 1st January 2009. Please ring to book group visits.

Directions: The museum is in Downing Street, near the junction with Downing Place. If you are coming into Cambridge by car it is recommended that you use the Park and Ride services on the main roads leading into the city. If you do drive into the city Lions Yard is the closest car park to the museum, although parking in Cambridge can cost up to £25 a day. Click here for an interactive map centred on the Sedwick Museum.

Access: There is free parking for those with mobility problems, but access to the museum is difficult, so ring ahead to discuss requirements.

Contact:

telephone: 01223 333456

e-mail: sedgwickmuseum@esc.cam.ac.uk

web: www.sedgewickmuseum.org