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University of Cambridge

Open: Tuesday–Sunday, 11am–5pm

We are closed on Bank Holiday Mondays

Kettle’s Yard will be closed for the festive period between 24 December 2024 – 1 January 2025 inclusive. We will open as normal from 2 January 2025.

Book Tickets

Open: Tuesday–Sunday, 11am–5pm

We are closed on Bank Holiday Mondays

Kettle’s Yard will be closed for the festive period between 24 December 2024 – 1 January 2025 inclusive. We will open as normal from 2 January 2025.

Book a School Visit

Introduction

Visit Kettle’s Yard to inspire, ignite curiosity and foster creativity.  Opportunities range from free facilitated visits, exploring the Kettle’s Yard house with discussion and drawing activities, to cost-effective artist-run workshops, curriculum-linked sessions, and online resources. We welcome visits from Early Years through to Higher Education. We can tailor your visit to Kettle’s Yard to meet your students’ learning needs and enrich your teaching.

The cost of Kettle’s Yard visits/workshops for UK state schools are subsidised by Arts Council England.

Types of Visit

1 – 1.5 hour sessions

Explore Kettle's Yard - Facilitated Visit

Join us for an introductory exploration of the Kettle’s Yard house and temporary exhibitions. Our Learning team will guide your students through discussion and drawing activities encouraging them to look and connect with artworks, ideas and the unique spaces around them.

Sessions tailored and recommended for all year levels from Primary to Higher Education.

FREE for a class of up to 30 for all UK-based state schools and universities, £50 for an additional class.

£100 per class of up to 30 for fee-paying schools and international universities.

2 – 2.5 hour sessions

Artist-led Workshops

For a deeper engagement, follow your exploration of the Kettle’s Yard house and temporary exhibitions with an artist-led workshop. Take inspiration from what you’ve seen and be supported to experiment, play and test out new skills.

These sessions can be tailored for your specific class or learning outcomes and are delivered with our learning team and one of our associate artist facilitators.

£230 for a class of up to 30 for all UK-based state schools and universities.

£330 per class of up to 30 for fee-paying schools and international universities.

1.5 – 2 hour sessions

Look / Make / Talk

Look/Make/Talk takes the Kettle’s Yard house and collection as a stimulus for further exploration. Through this, students will learn and apply critical and creative thinking skills to look closely, make connections, and explore ideas before making their own artworks to take home with them.

Sessions tailored and recommended for EYFS, Primary, Secondary and Sixth Form year levels.

£100 for a class of up to 30 for all UK-based state schools and universities.

£150 per class of up to 30 for fee-paying schools and international universities.

2 – 2.5 hour sessions

Self-led visit

Self-led school or tertiary visits can be booked during our regular opening hours. You must book in advance via schoolbookings@kettlesyard.cam.ac.uk. Groups must have a staff member or supervising adult and have a ratio of minimum 1 supervisor for every 12 students for secondary and tertiary and 1 supervisor for every 6 students for EYFS and primary.

FREE for EYFS, primary, secondary and UK universities when booked with us through schoolbookings@kettlesyard.cam.ac.uk.

1 – 1.5 hour sessions

Arts Award Discover Morning

Discover Kettle’s Yard through guided exploration and drawing activities then share what you enjoyed and learnt to gain your Arts Award Discover. As an Arts Award Centre Kettle’s Yard will coordinate the delivery and moderation.

£5 per child for moderation for state schools / £100 per class of up to 30 & £5 per child for moderation for fee-paying schools.

Language School & Other Educational Group Visits

It is essential to book any group visit in advance (including self-led groups). To do this please email schoolbookings@kettlesyard.cam.ac.uk

We will then get in touch to discuss your visit further and subsequently send a booking confirmation with final details.

Groups are very welcome to visit Kettle’s Yard galleries. Please note there needs to be 1 accompanying adult for every 12 secondary and tertiary students, and 1 adult for every 6 primary students. House visit enquiries for small groups must be received a minimum of 3 weeks in advance and cannot be guaranteed.

Planning Your School Visit

It is essential to book any group visit in advance, including self-led groups. Please try to book your visit at least 4 weeks in advance.  To do this, email schoolbookings@kettlesyard.cam.ac.uk detailing:

  • Your date and time preferences – include 1st, 2nd and 3rd choices so we can check against our booking calendar. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings are set aside for schools, academies, colleges and universities.
  • The approximate student and staff numbers.
  • The student year level.
  • What type of visit (eg., Look / Make / Talk, facilitated session or artist-led workshop) you would like for your group, or ask your questions to help us tailor your visit.
  • Any access queries or requirements

Frequently Asked Questions

How many adults should I bring?

We recommend the following ratios for supervising adult and pupils:

  • Early Years Foundation Stage & Key Stage 1–2 (3-11 years old): 1 adult for every 6 pupils
  • Key Stages 3–5 (11–18 years old): 1 adult for every 15 pupils
  • Further Education / Higher Education: 1 adult for every 15 pupils
  • All self led language school or school visits: 1 adult for every 10 pupils.

Please note that teachers are responsible for the behaviour of their group at all times during their visit.

As the house is a small space, we require that group sizes over 15 pupils are be divided into smaller session groups for the house and gallery exploration. Each group must have a supervising adult.

What activities do you recommend pre-visit?

If you are looking for activities pre-visit you can explore some of the learning resources related to the collection, including the Light, Space or Nature resources which provide inspiring introductions to key themes in Kettle’s Yard. Alternatively, explore 5 key objects from the Kettle’s Yard collection in an interactive digital resource A Handful of Objects.

There is also a virtual tour of the house and a visual story to assist preparing for your visit.

Find teachers’ resources relating to our temporary exhibitions on our past exhibition pages.

What should we bring and where can we store our bags?

For education groups participating in a facilitated session with our learning team you can securely cloak small bags and items in the Clore Learning Studio. We can supply each pupil with a clipboard, paper and pencil for their gallery and house exploration.

No wet materials or sharpeners, erasers, pens or water bottles are permitted in the Kettle’s Yard house and many exhibitions so these must stay in the Clore Learning Studio during your session.

For self-led groups you will cloak small bag items and jackets/coats at the main reception area upon arrival and you will be required to bring your own drawing materials (pencil and paper only) if required.

You are welcome to take photographs of artworks and spaces, without flash, using mobile phone cameras or small camera devices. No tripods please.

Where can we eat lunch?

You are welcome to use St Peter’s churchyard neighbouring Kettle’s Yard or, alternatively, the grassed area in front of the cottage on Northampton Street. There are also local parks including Jesus Green nearby. Education groups participating in a session led by our learning team are also welcome to use the Clore Learning Studio, if it is available. This must be booked in advance with Kettle’s Yard and supervised by the school teachers. Email us to enquire: schoolbookings@kettlesyard.cam.ac.uk

Do you have a school's risk assessment?

Yes, you can download our risk assessment as a guide to help prepare for your visit.

Download here

How do we get to Kettle's Yard?

Kettle’s Yard is located at Castle Street, Cambridge CB3 0AQ. Our entrance is accessible via pathway from Castle Street or stepped pathway from Northampton Street. Click here for further information on access.

We are open to the public 11am – 5pm, Tuesday – Sunday. If you are arriving prior to 11am for your school group visit our learning or reception team will meet you at the main reception area and assist you with entering the building.

Find out more about getting to Kettle’s Yard here.

Where do we park? Can coaches drop us off?

There is some limited on-street metered (pay) parking in the surrounding area. Alternatively, there is paid car park at Castle Hill. Coaches can drop off at Northampton Street and return to collect later.

What are the toilet facilities?

There is one accessible toilet in the Clore Learning Studio. There are two additional sets of public toilets on the ground level and level 1 of the main Kettle’s Yard building.

Can I spend time at Kettle's Yard after my booked session?

You are welcome to continue exploring the exhibitions at Kettle’s Yard in the temporary gallery spaces following your booked session. These exhibitions are always free. You are, however, unable to access the Kettle’s Yard house outside of your booked session as house tickets are pre-timed and pre-booked slots.

Access and SEND at Kettle’s Yard

Kettle’s Yard is committed to offering inclusive learning opportunities to all young visitors. Please let us know of any access requirements and your visit objectives upon booking and we can work together to tailor your visit. We have facilities and opportunities to support you and your pupils.

Find out more about access at Kettle’s Yard

Other Group Visits

Find out more

Learning Resources

See our resources