Are you a teacher interested in shaping the future of digital learning resources for schools? If so, we'd love to hear from you! Complete the brief survey (5-7 mins) on your use of digital resources in teaching and help us ensure museum resources are relevant, practical, and useful: bit.ly/4eO3gKd

We've got an exciting programme of events at the museum coming in July! 👇

This large nassa (fish trap) has been created with a funnel-like opening that allows fish to easily swim inside but then stops them escaping. However, the traps still take a battering and require mending, which is what the fishermen in this image are doing. Did you spot the one inside the net?

It's been so hot this week we've been thinking of ways to stay cool. This led us to an exploration of our collections portal to look at some of the amazing fans we care for. Which fan would you be using in this heat?

Unfortunately the museum is currently (25 June 2026) closed. We apologise for any inconvenience caused! For up-to-date information please check our website before you visit: maa.cam.ac.uk/visit

If you've visited our 'Moving Objects' exhibition you may have noticed a very happy looking object. The grinning catfish which decorate this dish divide opinions, but it's definitely unforgettable! What do you think? Love it or hate it? #NationalCatfishDay

Hot weather update! We have the following update for members of the public hoping to visit us this week: Thursday 25 June - galleries partly closed Friday 26 June - all galleries closed Saturday 27 June - galleries partly closed Please check our website before you visit: maa.cam.ac.uk/visit

Meet the Daoist deity Kuixing, who is the brightest star in the Plough or Big Dipper (part of the Ursa Major or Great Bear constellation). He is also known as the God of Literature and exams! 1/3

Due to the Met Office warning for very hot weather, there will be a reduction in the number of galleries open to the general public this week. For up-to-date information please check our website before you visit: maa.cam.ac.uk/visit We apologise for any inconvenience caused!

This pocket watch hides a secret!

This beautifully detailed figurine probably depicts the ancient Egyptian crocodile god Sobek. Their connection to the River Nile led to crocodiles being associated with its flooding and, therefore, fertility.

Hawksbill Turtles like the one in this linoprint are not only culturally significant to Torres Strait Islanders, they are also vitally important to the ecosystems of coral reefs. However, these beautiful animals are critically endangered due to the wildlife trade, pollution and habitat destruction.

King John attached his royal seal to Magna Carta #OnThisDay in 1215. So, we thought we'd some of the seal matrices we care for. Each matrix could be used to create a seal that served in the place of a signature and thanks to Latin inscriptions we even know who some of them belonged to!

Rain or shine, remember all weather is perfect museum visiting weather! If you're in Cambridge and looking for a low-cost family adventure, don't forget we're open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am-5pm, and Sunday, 12-5pm. Entry is free. 📸 Image credit: My Linh Le, 2025.

Looking for a Saturday evening of music in Cambridge? Why not check out Cambridge Takht's blend of traditional and folkloric Arabic music with contemporary influences. 🗓️ 27/06/2026, 7pm 🎟️ Pay as you wish 🔗 Book now: www.eventbrite.com/e/1977373486... 📸 Image credit: Aida Miralaei

What connects this 18th century Cambridge latch key, an ancient Egyptian soul-house and a palm-leaf mask from Vanuatu? To find out the answer you'll need to read our latest blog post: maadigitallab.org/blog/2026/06/09/john-jack-jennings-a-man-who-lived-by-collecting/

You don't have long left to book your free tickets to the screening of a new short film celebrating queer history, visibility, and community. This will be followed by a Q&A with the film's developer, Alexander Augustus, and time to explore our galleries 📸 Image credit: Alexander Augustus, 2026

Our Archaeology and Workshop teams have been hard at work reinstalling this bust in a new display case. Dating to the Roman period it depicts a bearded god. The question is, does it show Jupiter, or his brother Pluto, god of the Underworld? What do you think?

Join us as we celebrate Cambridge #Pride with the screening of a new short film celebrating queer history, visibility, and community. Includes a Q&A with the film's developer, Alexander Augustus, and the chance to explore the collections through a queer lens 📸 Image credit: Alexander Augustus, 2026

It's #NationalPhotographyMonth, the perfect time to launch our new online exhibition exploring Igbo Mbari (spirit houses) through the 1930s photographs of Cambridge anthropologist G.I. Jones: museums.cam.ac.uk/story/exploring-the-mbari-house-with-g-i-jones/

You can see the object record which inspired this poem on our online collections database: collections.maa.cam.ac.uk/objects/5128...

Bram Stoker's Dracula was published #OnThisDay in 1897, but if you think he's scary wait until you meet the langsuir. Her long black hair hides a hole in the back of her neck which she uses to drink the blood of children!

We're obsessed with this magnificent cockerel-shaped tea pot. It's over 120 years-old and still retains its vibrant colours. Would you have it as a centre piece at your table? Happy #InternationalTeaDay!

It's #NationalPhotographyMonth, so why not explore the photographic collections we care for via our online exhibitions? From spirit-mediumship in Singapore to the evolution of Bhaktapur's Durbar Square, you're sure to find something that sparks your interest! www.maadigitallab.org/online-exhib...

Looking for a pop of colour to brighten your day? We've got a glorious range of silk scarves made from recycled saris in our gift shop. They come in a range of vibrant colours and patterns, and each one is unique. #Recycling #Upcycling

It's #InternationalMuseumDay! At MAA we care for around one million artefacts covering two million years of human history and countless astonishing stories. We're open Tuesday to Saturday 10am–5pm, and Sunday 12-5pm. Entry is free. 📸 Image credit: Children's activities by My Linh Le, 2025

We can't wait to welcome Cambridge Takht to MAA for a special performance that blends traditional and folkloric Arabic music with contemporary influences. 🗓️ 27/06/2026, 7pm 🎟️ Pay as you wish 🔗 Book now: www.eventbrite.com/e/1977373486... 📸 Image credit: Aida Miralaei

It's #InternationalChihuahuaAppreciationDay, but sadly none of the objects we care for feature this dog breed so please join us as we instead admire this beautiful jar from Paquimé in the state of Chihuahua. It's over 500 years old and the colours are so bright it looks like it was made yesterday.

Here's a behind-the-scenes peek at a new display installation! It features art created by blind and partially sighted visitors during @camunivmuseums.bsky.social Touch Tours at our off-site store. We're delighted to be able to share these pieces inspired by touch and the collections we care for.

Go behind-the-scenes at the museum with our September workshops! Are you interested in local history? Do you know someone who's fascinated by historic textiles? We've got you covered.

A plaster cast of a Maya stela on display at MAA reveals how copies can preserve lost detail, and help trace histories of erosion, collecting, as well as the enduring value of casts as evidence. To read the full story check out our blog: www.maadigitallab.org/blog/2026/05...

Don't forget applications close at 8am on Monday 11 May 2026 for the @camunivmuseums.bsky.social's fixed-term part-time Post Sixth Form Museum Experience Internship at MAA! #MuseumJobs #Internships Apply now: museums.cam.ac.uk/new-internships 📸 Image credit: My Linh Le, 2025

Studies show donkeys were probably first domesticated c.7,000 years ago, mainly for their ability to carry or pull heavy loads. At first glance this little cart appears to be pulled by one donkey but look again. Can you see the muzzle of a second donkey peeking out? #WorldDonkeyDay #DonkeyWeek

This intimidating postcard is on sale in our gift shop, but where can you see this suit of samurai armour within the museum? Watch to find out!

A moment in time frozen forever during an intense game of Mahjong. Look at the focus on the faces of Rai Bahadur Norbu and Doring Teji!

In our latest blog post Lily, one of our Teaching and Collections Assistants in Archaeology, explores what lost objects uncovered by metal detectorists can reveal about everyday lives in Cambridgeshire’s past, offering a more personal perspective on history: www.maadigitallab.org/blog/2026/04...

'From the Caribbean to Cambridge' extends special congratulations to two extraordinary Caribbean artists on their exhibitions! 👇 1/5

Don't forget there are only 2 weeks left to apply for the @camunivmuseums.bsky.social's fixed-term part-time Post Sixth Form Museum Experience Internship at MAA! #MuseumInternships #MuseumJobs 🗓️ Closing date: 11/05/2026, 8am 🔗 Apply: museums.cam.ac.uk/new-internships

Our amazing Photographic Collections team have catalogued their 180,000th photograph! Featuring bead moulds and a glass bead, it's from an album created by 'the bead man', Horace Beck, and his daughter Flora. 📸 P.180000.BCK Moulds and glass, Ur, Iraq. Photographers: Horace and Flora Beck, c.1918.

Have you ever wanted to explore behind the scenes at the museum? If so, our new exhibition 'Moving Objects: stories from behind the scenes at the museum' is the perfect window into museum life. Inspired by our Stores Move project it explores how we care for objects and shares stories about them.

The Frederick Williamson Memorial Fund application deadline is 30 April 2026! This grant focuses on furthering research relating to the society, religion, and material culture of the peoples of Tibet, Bhutan, Sikkim, and neighbouring Himalayan areas. 📸 Researching Himalayan textiles, 2025

Last month we were delighted to welcome the 'From the Caribbean to Cambridge' Advisory Group to the museum. To find out more about this community project and what the group got up to during their visit head over to our website: maa.cam.ac.uk/caribbean-ca...

This cedar mask was inspired by the night sky in Chilliwack. Although it reflects the artist's concern for the environment, it is also a deeply personal piece that speaks of identity and the place of the individual within the world. #InternationalMotherEarthDay

We're delighted to be running a free drop-in session for home schooled children aged 7 to 11 next month! Focusing on Roman Britain there'll be the opportunity for objects handling, a talk on Roman Cambridge, and the chance to identify Roman pottery sherds. 1/2 📸 Image credit: My Linh Le, 2025.

There are still places available at Thursday's sketchbook session, so book you ticket now for an evening drawing inspiration from the collections on display. 1/3

We are delighted to welcome professionally trained Bharata Natyam dancer Monisha Bharadwaj to the museum for her talk 'The Accoutrements of an Indian Dancer'. Discover what each piece of the jewellery and costumes worn by these dancers means beyond just bling! 1/2 📸 Image credit: Monisha Bharadwaj.

This jar is over 1,500 years old! Part of the vessel has been decorated with a geometric design that includes what we think could be a stylised bat hanging upside down. Or possibly a crocodile. What do you think? A bat, a crocodile, or something else?

There are still places available at next week's sketchbook session, so why not join us for an evening in the atmospheric setting of the museum galleries and build your confidence by drawing from collections on display.

This model of a Toyota truck is an alasita (miniature offering) from the Andes. Our latest blog post explores how ritual practice, landscape, and global capitalism are negotiated through Indigenous material culture: www.maadigitallab.org/blog/2026/04...

We've got a little #MuseumMystery for you. We think this zoomorphic vessel depicts a dolphin, but we'd love to hear your thoughts!