Queen's College Old Library

The Open Cambridge festival of history and culture will return this September, with an extended programme of free live and digital events.

The event will have an extended run from September 10 to 19, and include tours, walks, films, and talks.

The free event is part of the national Heritage Open Days scheme, which is designed to offer special access to places that are normally closed to the public or charge admission.

Organisers from the University of Cambridge Public Engagement team will also be encouraging the public to get involved by using social media to share their own stories highlighting the city’s culinary heritage and culture under the Heritage Open Day’s theme ‘edible England’.  

The full programme is still being finalised but past Open Cambridge events have included peeks behind-the-scenes at the Cambridge Mosque and the ADC Theatre, a rare tour of the Parker Library, and fun and games at the Cambridge fire station.

Specialist guides have offered tours of Cambridge University Colleges’ exquisite gardens, museums, galleries, and libraries, and the Mill Road History Society has led walking tours and talks, bringing the rich history of the city to life.

Open Cambridge coordinator Sue Long said: “The team is truly delighted to be hosting a live, in person event this year, alongside an extended digital offering. Cambridge has so much to offer as a foodie city, so the theme this year is very fitting. As it is completely open to interpretation, we are expecting a range of intriguing events that really bring the city’s uniqueness and ‘flavour’ to life.

“We are also really looking forward to the whole community embracing the theme and sharing their own memories and old photos on our social media sites.”

For more information visit the Open Cambridge website.