Cambridge Museum of Technology
Cambridge Museum of Technology
Cambridge Museum of Technology
4.5
About
Cambridge Museum of Technology is the home of our industrial heritage. Based in the city’s historic sewage pumping station, the Museum helps people to explore, enjoy, and learn about their industrial heritage by celebrating the achievements of local industries and the people who worked in them. The large site on the River Cam has green spaces for picnics and a fun, relaxed atmosphere for families. There are audio-visual displays, hands-on exhibits, and children’s activities, as well as traditional museum displays and historic buildings. The Victorian Pumping Station with its original machinery showcases 19th-century engineering and technology. Displays on the forgotten industries of Cambridge reveal an alternative side of the city’s history to the famous colleges. And the story is brought into the 20th Century with exhibitions on innovative local companies in our new building.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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4.5
55 reviews
Excellent
35
Very good
14
Average
3
Poor
1
Terrible
2
Elena T
17 contributions
Feb 2023 • Solo
A big section of the museum was closed to the public, alongside with some more others small part of it. The rail way upstairs in the garden was hidden by grass and woods, that's a poor way to keep it. Also, many of the small realistic representation of how the machines were used, didn't work. There was a pedal and a button to press but they just didn't work. I was a bit disappointed, after paying the ticket I was expecting something more.
Written 12 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Geoff R
1 contribution
Apr 2022 • Couples
Excellent little museum,quite thought provoking and very interesting. Staff/volunteers most helpful.I went for a specific research project and Pam the curator could not have been more helpful. I had not forwarned her of my request but she found the time to help me and even emailed me the photos I needed the following day.I cannot praise Pam and the Museum enough - excellent.
Written 11 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Daniel L
United Kingdom8 contributions
Apr 2022 • Family
This museum is within the walking distance from the Airbnb I lived in. This is an interesting place which brings you back to 1830s and see the revolution of technology. This museum was converted from a riverside pumping station.
Written 16 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bellaboo
3 contributions
Dec 2020 • Family
Despite pouring rain our three year old and eight year old loved the interactive exhibits and activity area. The adults enjoyed the Pye exhibition reminding us of our grandparent's radios and early TVs as well as early communications and scientific equipment. A great bonus was being able to bring the dogs too. Lovely location by the river which we would have enjoyed if the weather had been better. Step stools are provided for little ones so they can access everything. There were covid friendly foot pedals instead of buttons too!
Written 15 December 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sue G
2 contributions
Mar 2024 • Family
"I had a great time, it was so much fun, I was able to do a trail looking for Rats and I got a rular for completing the trail. There was also.... a push along train which was built on the ash disposal railway track which was great fun." Jacob aged 10
Written 24 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mumcamb
Cambridge, UK1 contribution
Aug 2014
We've just spent a top morning at this great little museum!
Although not "in steam" we joined a boat and rocket making workshop. The volunteers were enthusiastic, knowledgeable and hugely helpful!
Got to launch our own rocket too!!!
The museum itself is definitely one for the enthusiastic steam lover-however it managed to spark interest in our two girls.
Will definitely bimble back soon.
Although not "in steam" we joined a boat and rocket making workshop. The volunteers were enthusiastic, knowledgeable and hugely helpful!
Got to launch our own rocket too!!!
The museum itself is definitely one for the enthusiastic steam lover-however it managed to spark interest in our two girls.
Will definitely bimble back soon.
Written 6 August 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BrianfromLondon
London, UK692 contributions
Apr 2013 • Family
Be sure to go when it's Steam Day, as there is much more working then. It's a fascinating place filled with volunteers and enthusiasts of steam and other industrial technology. It's a small, local museum, so don't go with huge expectations... and then you'll have good time. There's a small hut serving tea and coffee and small confectionary. Also be sure to join one of the guided tours as it helps to explain everything on the site. Enjoy!
Written 14 April 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
boilerbill
Dunstable, UK133 contributions
Mar 2013 • Couples
Good for the clag heads of motor men too.
This is a museum made up from the old sewage pumping station of Cambridge and basically hangs on the two horizontal Hawthorn steam pumping engines and two National Gas Engines.
Round which a rag bag of other engines and bits and bobs, both working and "in restoration" have accumulated.
To one side is a room where some early lamps, electronic bits and an old electron microscope have found a home and out the back is a sort of working print shop with a good array of presses.
Outside is an incline with a rope and steam winch hauled rail line.
So far much like others which have been preserved up and down the country and as such of local interest and good for a day out if staying in the area, unless you are seriously into this sort of thing.
However, this place has important but easily overlooked points of importance which raises it well above the mere average for the sort of place.
The first is a technical point in that it still works off a positively antediluvian Babcock and Wilcocks Solid fuelled water tube boiler, accessible to the visitor, not the more usual modern boiler hidden away from view. Along with this one there is another there, near it, partly stripped so the enquiring eyes can see the way it works. Behind them is the original street of such boilers where the contents of the bins of Cambridge were dispatched to the clouds over that City. Nothing like getting your own back, even back in the days.
The second is far more vital to the casual visitor and techno-freak (ie me!) alike. The staff and volunteers there that day were all very friendly, positively putting themselves where they could be questioned and engaged in conversation, seemingly to be interested in the visitor and the exhibits, making the extra effort to make the visitor feel well and truly at home there and to become connected with them and the place. So different to a lot of other places I have visited and come away wondering why they bother opening at all.
So overall this one is well worth travelling the extra distance to visit, if it is not your local steam museum, as you will be welcome and see a far fuller picture than is often the case, even in bigger name competitors.
This is a museum made up from the old sewage pumping station of Cambridge and basically hangs on the two horizontal Hawthorn steam pumping engines and two National Gas Engines.
Round which a rag bag of other engines and bits and bobs, both working and "in restoration" have accumulated.
To one side is a room where some early lamps, electronic bits and an old electron microscope have found a home and out the back is a sort of working print shop with a good array of presses.
Outside is an incline with a rope and steam winch hauled rail line.
So far much like others which have been preserved up and down the country and as such of local interest and good for a day out if staying in the area, unless you are seriously into this sort of thing.
However, this place has important but easily overlooked points of importance which raises it well above the mere average for the sort of place.
The first is a technical point in that it still works off a positively antediluvian Babcock and Wilcocks Solid fuelled water tube boiler, accessible to the visitor, not the more usual modern boiler hidden away from view. Along with this one there is another there, near it, partly stripped so the enquiring eyes can see the way it works. Behind them is the original street of such boilers where the contents of the bins of Cambridge were dispatched to the clouds over that City. Nothing like getting your own back, even back in the days.
The second is far more vital to the casual visitor and techno-freak (ie me!) alike. The staff and volunteers there that day were all very friendly, positively putting themselves where they could be questioned and engaged in conversation, seemingly to be interested in the visitor and the exhibits, making the extra effort to make the visitor feel well and truly at home there and to become connected with them and the place. So different to a lot of other places I have visited and come away wondering why they bother opening at all.
So overall this one is well worth travelling the extra distance to visit, if it is not your local steam museum, as you will be welcome and see a far fuller picture than is often the case, even in bigger name competitors.
Written 4 April 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marilyn B
London, UK101 contributions
Aug 2012 • Family
Interesting technology museum with working engines and regular tours of the buildings to explain the history and function of the site. Situated on the riverside, a short walk from the centre of Cambridge. There is a small cafe attached.
Written 2 April 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jaygeebse
Bury St. Edmunds130 contributions
Jan 2012 • Solo
The Cambridge Museum of Technology is a former Victorian sewage pumping station complete with its original pair of steam engines and its pair of gas engines. The steam engines are sometimes run. In a very ecologically sound way the furnaces were run on city rubbish and the ash was used to fill the clay pits next door. The works feature a massive chimney, which fans of Fred Dibnah may have seen on TV, and a mini railway, with its own wire winding engine.
The main works also house a display of old electrical equipment and scientific instruments. All of it is badly laid out, it is filthy, it is badly captioned if it is captioned at all, and most of the working models don’t.
In a shed at the rear an oil (Diesel) engine was running – that was fairly well presented and obviously cared for. Behind that a large new shed housed a display of “The Cambridge Phenomenon” (which I thought was called Silicon Fen), with equipment from Pye, Acorn, Sinclair, etc., though I’ve got a better computer collection than them. There was also a very large gauge model railway in use. The items present in this area were better presented but unfortunately the effect was ruined by the piles of stored items.
In summary, there is lots of interesting stuff to see, and the volunteers were friendly and helpful, but it is not open very often and it needs about a million quid and a million volunteer hours spent on it.
The main works also house a display of old electrical equipment and scientific instruments. All of it is badly laid out, it is filthy, it is badly captioned if it is captioned at all, and most of the working models don’t.
In a shed at the rear an oil (Diesel) engine was running – that was fairly well presented and obviously cared for. Behind that a large new shed housed a display of “The Cambridge Phenomenon” (which I thought was called Silicon Fen), with equipment from Pye, Acorn, Sinclair, etc., though I’ve got a better computer collection than them. There was also a very large gauge model railway in use. The items present in this area were better presented but unfortunately the effect was ruined by the piles of stored items.
In summary, there is lots of interesting stuff to see, and the volunteers were friendly and helpful, but it is not open very often and it needs about a million quid and a million volunteer hours spent on it.
Written 23 January 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
How do I get from the main bus station to the museum?
Written 7 February 2019
Morgan B
Cambridge, United Kingdom
You can take the number 3 bus to Newmarket Road and River Lane. It is a short walk from there. However, we are currently closed to the public as we are undergoing a major redevelopment. We reopen in May. You can check our website closer to the time for opening hours. We look forward to your visit then!
Written 8 February 2019
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