Cambridge University Museum of Zoology

University Museum of Zoology, Cambridge
Giant Finback whale at the Museum of Zoology
Giant Finback whale at the Museum of Zoology
Map
LocationMuseum of Zoology, Downing Street, Cambridge. CB2 3EJ
TypeUniversity Museum
AccreditationArts Council England accredited
CollectionsFossils, Vertebrates, Birds, Insects, Molluscs, Invertebrates
Visitors103,604 (2022)[1]
Museum ManagerJack Ashby
DirectorProfessor Rebecca Kilner
OwnerUniversity of Cambridge
University of Cambridge Museums

The University Museum of Zoology is a museum of the University of Cambridge and part of the research community of the Department of Zoology. The public is welcome and admission is free (2018).[2] The Museum of Zoology is in the David Attenborough Building, formerly known as the Arup Building, on the New Museums Site, just north of Downing Street in central Cambridge, England.[3] The building also provides a home for the Cambridge Conservation Initiative, a biodiversity project.

The museum houses an extensive collection of scientifically important zoological material. The collections were designated in 1998 by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (now managed by the Arts Council England) as being of outstanding historical and international importance.[4]

The museum reopened on 23 June 2018 after a major redevelopment[2][5] for which it had been awarded a grant of £1.8m by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The redevelopment aimed to create a "green" building" and to create displays and new interpretation to engage people with the wonders of animal diversity; create new stores to care for the museum's internationally significant collections to the highest standards and expand the museum's learning programmes, reaching out to wider audiences and increasing online resources.[6]

The museum is one of the eight museums of the University of Cambridge Museums consortium.[7]

  1. ^ "ALVA - Association of Leading Visitor Attractions". www.alva.org.uk. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Cambridge zoology museum to reopen after £4.1m revamp - Maev Kennedy - The Guardian". guardian.com. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  3. ^ "University Museum of Zoology, Cambridge: About us". Museum.zoo.cam.ac.uk. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  4. ^ "University Museum of Zoology, Cambridge: Collections". Museum.zoo.cam.asc.uk. Archived from the original on 22 March 2013. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  5. ^ "University Museum of Zoology, Cambridge | Welcome". Museum.zoo.cam.ac.uk. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  6. ^ "Museum of Zoology". Retrieved 27 June 2016.
  7. ^ "Our Museums | University of Cambridge". Cam.ac.uk. 6 August 2013. Archived from the original on 20 May 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2016.