Open Cambridge Events at Wolfson

A man holding a notebook speaks to a small outdoor group gathered around him under tall trees.

Open Cambridge is a celebration of the community, heritage, history and stories of Cambridge and the surrounding area - a showcase of extraordinary spaces, places and people.

At Wolfson, you can explore our beautiful gardens, discover treasures from our rarely seen archival 'Cambridge Collection' and enjoy the artwork in our celebratory exhibition 'Wolfson at 60'.

Poetry Trail

Follow our self-guided trail through the College gardens which feature extracts of poetry written by Wolfson members from our latest WolfWords poetry anthology, press play.

The full anthology is available to read online, and physical copies are available from the Porters’ Lodge.

Poetry Trail maps can be collected from the Porters' Lodge or viewed online.

Children are most certainly welcome and will have plenty of space to explore - but please ensure they are accompanied at all times. Unfortunately, no dogs are allowed on the poetry trail.

Opening times:

10.00 - 16.00 every day, from Friday 12 September until Sunday 21 September 2025

Explore the Wolfson College grounds which feature a wonderful variety of trees on-site, many of which are part of our self-guided Tree Trail. Enjoy our beautiful and varied garden 'rooms' at your own pace.

Tree Trail maps can be collected from the Porters' Lodge or viewed online.

Children are most certainly welcome and will have plenty of space to explore - but please ensure they are accompanied at all times. Unfortunately, no dogs are allowed on the tree trail.

Opening times:

10.00 - 16.00 every day, from Friday 12 September until Sunday 21 September 2025

Art Exhibition: Wolfson at 60

In celebration of Wolfson’s 60th anniversary, this special collection - made possible by generous donations from artists and collectors - showcases the wide range of artistic styles and disciplines presented in past exhibitions. It honours the diversity of contributors and reflects the creative spirit of the College and its members.

Weekend visitors will also have the rare opportunity to view the Bradshaw-Bubier Studio Pottery Collection, gifted by Dr Harry Bradshaw and Dr Norma Bubier in celebration of the College’s 50th anniversary in 2015. This remarkable collection of 180 ceramics includes works by renowned potters such as Richard Batterham, Trevor Corser, Ray Finch, David and John Leach, William Marshall, and Joanna Wason. All but one of the potters, worked for a time at the Leach Pottery at St Ives, or with Bernard Leach's first pupil, Michael Cardew, at his potteries in Winchcombe or Wenford Bridge. The collection spans works made from the 1950s to 2014.

Opening times:

10.00 - 16.00 on Friday 12, Saturday 13 & Sunday 14 September 2025

10.00 - 16.00 on Friday 19 & Sunday 21 September 2025

Wolfson’s Cambridge Collection

Drop in to our library to browse this exhibition about the local Cambridge area, the colleges and the University.

The Cambridge Collection is normally stored in the Wolfson Library basement and so is rarely on display. Compiled by a variety of Fellows and librarians over the years, the collection includes a diverse array of books, many of which date from nineteenth century. It includes volumes on history, architecture, memoirs, poetry, satire and, of course, the Night Climbers!

Opening times:

11.00 - 14.00 on Friday 12 September 2025

Garden Tour

Take some time out of your day to engage your senses with the sights and sounds of Wolfson's plants and wildlife.

Our lawned courtyards feature stunning herbaceous borders which contain a wide variety of plants and shrubs which provide structure, colour and interest through the year.

Several courts reflect a Chinese influence in the design and planting with many rare small Acers and other Asian trees. The retention of some majestic trees from the original site helps to give an atmosphere of maturity and permanence to a garden which has developed greatly over the last 30 years.

Gain a special insight into the evolution of the gardens and learn new skills relating to sustainability and biodiversity from our gardening team.

Book onto the tour:

14:00 - 15:00 on Friday 12 September

Meeting Place: Porters Lodge