Tears and laughter on the 1st episode of the Pottery Throw Down reminded us of this double-faced pottery figure! Combining elements of the Virgin Mary and Pachamama (Pre-Columbian earth goddess), tears on one face represent fertility but the other shows the consequences of failing to appease her.

Today we're showing you where you can find a contemporary artwork that appears on one of our postcards. Decorated to look like the sky and stars, this mask represents the artist's sense of his own place within the universe and expresses his concern for the environment.

It's Cloud Appreciation Day, so just pause and take a minute to join us in admiring the clouds in this photo. In an ever-changing world clouds can be a reminder to appreciate the often fleeting nature of beauty.

Our display highlighting finds made by local detectorists was deinstalled this week, which means that Lily, our Senior Teaching and Collections Assistant for Archaeology, has been repacking the Heydon Hoard. All 341 pieces of it!

We were inspired by last night's episode of the Great British Sewing Bee to take a look through our collections portal for photographs featuring sewers. Our favourite photo has to be this portrait of a sewer with his hand-driven sewing machine and beautifully patterned fabrics.

Join us in our latest blog post as we explore how 18th and 19th Century knitting sheaths combined practical labour with love, memory, and gift-giving. Transforming everyday tools into intimate tokens of affection and remembrance: www.maadigitallab.org/blog/2026/09... #Knitting

There is something very tactile about this highly polished and shaped piece of jadeite. Measuring only 5.9cm in length it is believed to be an arrowhead, but its shape also reminds us of the delta insignia from Star Trek! #StarTrekDay

When you work in a museum it's expected that your camera roll will be full of photos from the museum. But they're not always the picture-perfect images you might expect!

Sometimes the objects we care look back at us. Literally. 👀 These are just a selection from a collection of 427 glass eyes which were processed as part of our Stores Move project. They once formed part of a taxidermy kit.

Join us for an evening talking about theatre, history, music, and the making of 'Queen Idia', a bold new African musical. Members of the musical's creative team will share their research, development process, and plans for the future. 📸 Image credit: Queen Idia the Musical

Last night's Transformation Challenge on the Great British Sewing Bee inspired us to take a look through the Photographic Collections for images of school uniforms! Does anyone from Cambridgeshire recognise the crest on this boy's blazer?

It's Ginger Cat Appreciation Day, so join us in admiring this amazing paper-cut of an orange cat. It's giving us Cheshire Cat vibes, what do you think?

Have you joined us for one of our Summer at the Museums events during the holidays? We'd love to hear your thoughts! Fill in our five-minute survey and you could win a £50 Love2Shop voucher. Give us your feedback 👇 cambridge.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

After the cone bra challenge on last night's Great British Sewing Bee, we had to search our collections portal, and we found this pair of false breasts. Worn by Iatmul men during special occasions, like initiation ceremonies, their conical shape has been created using two pieces of gourd.

It was on 24 August 79 CE that, according to Pliny the Younger, the eruption of Mount Vesuvius began, destroying towns like Pompeii and Herculaneum. Everyday objects, like this probable children's toy, are a poignant reminder of the devastating loss of life, the full extent of which is still unknown

Object handling sessions as part of our 'Caribbean to Cambridge' project have been invaluable in prompting reflections on identity, heritage, and personal connections to the Caribbean. It has been a pleasure to see the enthusiasm the Pre-Columbian archaeology collections have generated.

The wonder of photography is the way it preserves a moment in time. This little boy is believed to be Kenid anak Paka. His father, Paka anak Otor, was a former tua gawai (ritual chief). What do you think the photographer said to Kenid to make him pose like this? #WorldPhotographyDay

The cuddly toy challenge on last night's Great British Sewing Bee inspired us to search the toys we care for, and we came across this Nazar Battu. These dolls are protective figures that can be hung up to ward off evil. Its face is meant to be scary, but we find it oddly cute. What do you think?

It's #NationalBlackCatAppreciationDay, so join us in admiring the black cats which have been woven into the base of this tray. Known as a wapa, the tray was made by the E'ñepa (Panare), an Indigenous people from southeastern Venezuela.

This striking design featuring a monitor lizard has been created using Nassa shells. The shells have been filed down and then attached to the sleeveless jacket using a cord made from pineapple leaf fibres. The white of the shells creates a dramatic contrast to the rich indigo of the fabric.

As it's National Coffee Month why not check out our blog post on the Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony and discover how it unites people and generations and why a jebena like this one sits at its heart: www.maadigitallab.org/blog/2023/08...

Snow googles like these were worn to protect the eyes from the glare of the sun on snow. They won't protect your eyes during a solar eclipse. If you're excited to see the solar eclipse, today remember to never look directly at the Sun without specialised eye protection.

Hot weather update! Due to the Met Office warning, we have the following update for members of the public hoping to visit us tomorrow. The Museum will be partially closed on 13/08/2026 for general visits to the galleries. We apologise for any inconvenience caused!

As soon as we watched last night's swim shorts challenge on the Great British Sewing Bee we immediately thought of this photo featuring completely authentic mermen swimming in Lough Oughter. We'd love to see what swim wear inspired by these fishy tails would look like!

Are you ready for an afternoon of summer fun? We've got puzzles, challenges, and crafting for all the family in our galleries. Just drop-in, the session is free and there’s no need to book. 🗓 12 August 2026, 2-4pm 📍 Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology 🎟 Free, booking not required

Today we're showing you where you can find two objects which appear in our postcards can be found within our local archaeology gallery - the iconic West Tofts hand axe and a pot decorated with chariots being pulled by penises. Will you be looking for them when you next visit?

As today is International Beer Day we thought we'd raise a mug, or rather a beaker, to celebrate. This beaker probably was found in the River Cam during the 1920s. It may have been used to drink beer or ale, and it has been intricately decorated with incised patterns on its sides and base.

Conservator Ayesha has been working on a pair of Early Medieval brooches to remove glue residue and sticky tape, the result of historic display methods. Ayesha needs full dexterity whilst using a scalpel, so she isn't wearing gloves, but the surfaces of the objects were cleaned once she finished.

Ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes in a museum's store? Our LATE event is your chance to find out! Explore the store and discover how 300,000+ objects were moved there over a remarkable five year project. Hear from staff involved as they share stories about objects within the collection.

We've been inspired by last night's episode of the Great British Sewing Bee to take a look through the collection of Mexican textiles we care for. One of our favourites has to be this stunning huipil with embroidery that covers the entire surface of the garment.