Fitzwilliam Museum facts for kids
The primary entrance to the Fitzwilliam Museum
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| Established | 1816, by Richard FitzWilliam, 7th Viscount FitzWilliam |
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| Location | Cambridge, England |
| Type | University Museum of fine art and antiquities |
| Collection size | approx. 600,000 |
| Visitors | 349,484 (2019) |
| University of Cambridge Museums | |
The Fitzwilliam Museum is a cool museum in Cambridge, England. It's part of the University of Cambridge. You can find it on Trumpington Street in the city center.
It started in 1816 thanks to Richard FitzWilliam, 7th Viscount FitzWilliam. He left his amazing art collection and money to create it. The museum has over 500,000 items! These displays show world history and art from ancient times to today.
You can see famous artworks by Monet, Picasso, Rubens, Vincent van Gogh, Rembrandt, and Canaletto. There's even a special winged carving from Nimrud. The best part? It's always free to visit!
The museum is also part of the University of Cambridge Museums. This group helps museums grow and develop.
Contents
How the Museum Started and Its Buildings
The museum began in 1816. This was when Richard FitzWilliam, 7th Viscount FitzWilliam left his library and art collection to the university. He also left £100,000 to build a "good substantial museum."
Today, the Fitzwilliam has over 500,000 items. It is one of the best museums in the United Kingdom. The first collection was kept in the Perse School building. Later, in 1842, it moved to the Old Schools in central Cambridge.
Building the Main Museum
The main "Founder's Building" was built from 1837 to 1843. It was designed by George Basevi. C. R. Cockerell finished the work. The beautiful carvings and four lion statues were made by William Grinsell Nicholl.
The first stone for the new building was laid in 1837. The museum officially opened its doors in 1848. The grand entrance hall was finished in 1875. In 1912, Charles Brinsley Marlay gave another large gift. This included £80,000 and 84 paintings.
A new two-story part was added in 1931. The Courtauld family helped pay for this. This addition made the museum much bigger. It also allowed research teams to work right there. The museum buildings are very important. They are listed as Grade I historic buildings.
What You Can See: The Collections
The museum has five main areas:
- Antiquities (very old objects)
- Applied Arts (decorative items)
- Coins and Medals
- Rare Manuscripts and Printed Books
- Paintings, Drawings, and Prints
These areas cover many things. You can see ancient items from ancient Egypt, Nubia, Greece, and Rome. There's also art from Roman Egypt and a new gallery for Cypriot art.
The applied arts section has English and European pottery. It also includes glass, furniture, clocks, and armor. You can find Chinese, Japanese, and Korean art too.
Among the famous old items is a carving from Persepolis. There's also a huge statue from Eleusis called the Saint Demetra.
Music Manuscripts
The museum has the largest collection of 16th-century music for the virginal. This music was written by famous composers. These include William Byrd, Doctor John Bull, and Thomas Tallis.
Egyptian Collection
The Egyptian Galleries were updated in 2006. This project cost £1.5 million. It allowed more ancient Egyptian items to be shown. Many of these were previously kept in storage.
The Egyptian Galleries are very popular. They have interactive displays. These help families and young visitors learn about ancient Egypt. The Fitzwilliam's Egyptian Galleries are among the best outside the British Museum.
Paintings and Artworks
The museum has a huge collection of paintings and sketches. You can see works by Monet, Picasso, Rubens, Vincent van Gogh, and Rembrandt.
There are also many works by J. M. W. Turner. These started with 25 watercolor drawings. John Ruskin gave them to the university in 1861. The museum's director, Sir Sydney Cockerell, bought more of Turner's art later.
The museum also has Pre-Raphaelite paintings. One famous one is The Last of England by Ford Madox Brown. People voted it the eighth-greatest painting in Britain in 2005.
Many artworks are on loan from other parts of the University of Cambridge. For example, King's College owns some important Impressionist paintings. These include The Abduction by Cézanne. Many paintings were also given by university students and supporters. The economist Maynard Keynes donated his own collection. This included Cezanne's Still Life With Apples.
Featured Artists
Here are some of the famous artists whose works you can find:
- Dutch School: Rembrandt, Vincent van Gogh, Frans Hals
- English School: William Blake, John Constable, Thomas Gainsborough, William Hogarth, J. M. W. Turner
- Flemish School: Peter Paul Rubens, Anthony van Dyck
- French School: Cézanne, Degas, Monet, Picasso, Renoir, Georges-Pierre Seurat
- Italian School: Canaletto, Andrea Mantegna, Raphael, Titian
Michelangelo Bronzes
In 2015, the museum showed two bronze statues. They are called the Rothschild Bronzes. Experts believe they might be by the famous Italian artist Michelangelo. If this is true, they would be the only bronze sculptures by him still known today. The statues show men riding panthers.
Museum Incidents
Sometimes, accidents happen in museums.
- In 2006, a visitor accidentally broke three large Qing Dynasty vases. They had been on display since 1948. Museum experts were able to put the vases back together. They look almost as good as new! Now, they are protected behind strong glass.
- In 2012, 18 pieces of Chinese jade were stolen. The people who stole them were caught and sent to jail. Sadly, the artworks were never found.
Friends of the Fitzwilliam Museum
The Friends of the Fitzwilliam Museum started in 1909. It is the oldest group in Britain that supports a museum for a long time. The Friends raise money to buy important artworks. They also help expand and improve the museum building.
Princess Alexandra of Kent is the president of the Fitzwilliam Museum Development Trust.
Directors of the Museum
- Sidney Colvin 1876–1884
- Sir Charles Walston 1883–1889
- John Henry Middleton 1889–1892
- Montague Rhodes James 1893–1908
- Sir Sydney Cockerell 1908–1937
- L. C. G. Clarke 1937–1946
- Carl Winter 1946–1966
- Sir David Piper 1966–1973
- Professor Michael Jaffé 1973–1990
- Simon Swynfen Jervis 1990–1995
- Duncan Robinson 1995–2007
- Timothy Potts 2007–2012
- Tim Knox 2012––2018
- Luke Syson 2019–
See also
In Spanish: Museo Fitzwilliam para niños
- Ashmolean Museum — a similar museum at the University of Oxford
- British Museum — a major partner for research and exhibitions
- Hamilton Kerr Institute — a part of the Fitzwilliam Museum that studies and cares for paintings
- RuneScape - The Varrock Museum in this game is based on the Fitzwilliam Museum!
