User audience evaluation at the Museum of Cambridge

 Lyndsay Thomson has been assigned to work at the Museum of Cambridge on a CS user audience evaluation project, which involves speaking to visitors face to face about their visit to the Museum, as well as the impact of Covid-19 on their leisure activities in this blog she describes what she encounters.

Ready for work

During a lull in visitors, I had the opportunity to discover the ‘hidden gem’ that is the Museum of Cambridge. The museum is housed in an old public house, dating back to the 1600s, which was situated on a busy crossroads, with rooms upstairs for tired travellers to rest and eat before continuing their journey. The public house closed in the 1930s and the building was then purchased by the local council who converted it into a local museum, showcasing the personal life and work of local people with everyday objects.

Front and side of the museum and a bit about the public house

The journey, back in time begins as the visitor steps through the front door, on the wall facing the door is a life size photo of the last landlord of the public house. 

The first room you encounter is the bar, which as a large fire place, with wooden seating around to warm travellers after a long journey. The original and small enclosed bar, now houses examples of local brewing bottles, and a brief history of brewing in Cambridge.

The enclosed bar, wooden seating near the open fire, bottles and flagons

 The next room is the kitchen, this is in its original 1930s state, and showcases more everyday items used in the home including cooking utensils, early refrigeration and electric kettles.

The layout of the old 1930s kitchen with early domestic items

Upstairs there are more objects of life from this area, including the tools and personal items used by the fen workers and a bit about their life on the water.

Life on the water and the fens

There is also an interesting section on folk stories, included in this is the story of the local ‘giant’ Moses Carter, who was 7 foot tall and weighed 23 stone, the locals affectionately called him ‘Mo, the Histon Giant’. He became a local character, as he could be seen pulling his own cart instead of using a horse, through the streets of Cambridge, laden with vegetables he had grown, ready to sell at the local market.

 Giant hat and boot 

One of the most unusual items was a woven mat, that had a title ‘bed bug mat’! In the same cabinet there was also a glass fly trap, and ‘demon’ beetle trap. These items show the real battle that people had trying to keep their homes and businesses bug free and hygienic!

Bug mat, fly catcher and beetle trap

So, on your next visit to Cambridge, walk over the punting bridge towards the castle mould and Kettle's yard, and spend a pleasant hour in this ‘hidden gem’ of Cambridge, and immerse yourself in the lives of the ordinary people of Cambridge and the fens.

Lyndsay is a heritage assistant for http://culturesyndicates.co.uk

Note from the author:

'My name is Lyndsay and I started working for Culture Syndicates (CS) as a freelance Heritage Assistant around 4 years ago, during the first year of my Master's in public history and heritage at Derby University. After I completed the degree, I continued to work for CS to gain experience in the sector, until a permanent role came along. I have undertaken a variety of assignments, ranging from the odd day, to longer 2/3-month assignments.'