Thousands visit University and city sites as Open Cambridge draws the crowds

On Friday 10 and Saturday 11 September, the city was teeming with people discovering some of the fascinating sights on their doorstep, from Wittgenstein’s grave at the Ascension Burial Ground, to Roosevelt’s signature in the visitors’ book at the Cambridge Union Society.

The first two days of the three-day weekend consisted of more than 40 pre-bookable Open Tours, offered by various University and non-University venues. Meanwhile a series of drop-in Open Talks took place at the New Museum Site’s Babbage Lecture Theatre, while 16 Open Libraries put their collections on public display. All of the events were free.

Many people from the Cambridge community have since contacted the University to say how much they enjoyed the event. One wrote: “Thank-you for the chance to really see behind the scenes in the City in which I was born, grew up in and have settled in.”

For the first time this year, several city attractions joined in with the Open Cambridge Tours, including the Ascension Burial Ground, Abbey House, the Festival Theatre, Cambridge American Cemetery, the Museum of Technology, John Lewis and the Fire and Police Stations.

Speakers presenting at the Folk Museum’s “Reflections on Cambridge” talk on the Friday echoed the ever-present theme of the weekend, with each in their own way illustrating the vast changes that the city has witnessed over the past few centuries, and the many treasures the city possesses as a world-renowned intellectual centre.

Presenter and author Nicholas Chrimes discussed past and ongoing divisions between town and gown, but argued: “We cannot deny the modern university’s success in bridging that gap”, adding: “The town and gown divide is merely a matter of historical fascination without modern relevance.”

For the weekend’s grand finale on Sunday, 12 September, more than 2,600 people participated in the annual fundraising Bridge The Gap walk. With some belated summer sun making a welcome appearance, the walk led Cambridge residents along a scenic route which passed through 10 colleges, the Scott Polar Museum and the Cambridge Union Society.

Emma Wenborn, University organiser for the Bridge the Gap walk, said: “It was fantastic to see so many people enjoying a Sunday stroll in the sunshine while discovering the Cambridge Colleges and supporting two great charities which provide essential and caring services to the local community.”

This year was the ninth Bridge the Gap walk and is expected to raise around £40,000 for the Arthur Rank Hospice charity and the Cambridge News Press Relief Community Fund.

Penny Wilson, Head of Community Affairs at the University, said: “We are delighted with the success of this year’s Open Cambridge and Bridge the Gap walk. The weekend wouldn’t be possible without the support of the Colleges, University departments and other partners who threw open their doors for this special weekend. They enjoyed sharing their architecture, gardens, history and secrets with the public just as much as the public going behind the scenes.”

Open Cambridge was supported by RG Carter, John Lewis, Cambridge University Press, English Heritage, Cambridge City Council, Mills & Reeve, MillCam and RMJM.