Visiting the Cambridge colleges: hours, prices and routes for 2026–27

Which colleges let visitors in, when they close, what they charge, and how to see the best of them in two hours, half a day or a full day.

By the Cambridge Society editorial desk · Updated 11 October 2026

Cambridge has dozens of colleges, but you cannot simply stroll into all of them. Each college is a private community with its own rules, and in 2026–27 access varies sharply: some colleges charge, some are free, some admit visitors only on a guided tour, and a few are closed to tourists for long stretches. This guide sets out what each college's own website says, so that you can plan a visit that works.

Every opening hour and price below is taken from the college's own page, as of October 2026 – check before you go. Where a college's page gave no figure, we say "see the college website" rather than guess. Cover photograph: King's College Chapel, by Andreas Praefcke, licensed CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

This guide grows out of our short A–Z entry on college visiting, which explains the basic idea of how access works.

At a glance

All details as of October 2026 – check before you go. "Free" means no charge is stated for the general public on the page we read; it does not mean access is unrestricted.

How visiting works

Most colleges let visitors in through the Porters' Lodge, the gatehouse where the porters control access. A few things are common to almost every college:

• Hours change with the academic year. The university year has three terms. Michaelmas 2026 runs from 1 October, with Full Term from 6 October to 4 December. Lent 2027 has Full Term from 19 January to 19 March. Easter 2027 has Full Term from 27 April to 18 June, with the term ending on 25 June.
• The Easter Term squeeze. Many colleges close or restrict visitors in the weeks around exams. Christ's calls it a Quiet Period, running roughly from early May to the end of June. Pembroke closes to visitors from mid-May to mid-June, Magdalene from mid-April to mid-June, and Trinity Hall in April–June. Sidney Sussex is closed from April to June inclusive, and Queens' lists closures from 19 April to 1 July 2027. If you are visiting in May or June, expect disappointment and check first.
• Graduation days. Degree ceremonies are held at the Senate House in daylight hours, and colleges can be busy or closed on those dates. In Michaelmas 2026 they fall on 23 and 24 October and 28 November. Lent 2027 has 27 February, 3 April and 10 April, plus 29 January for degrees in absence. Easter 2027 has 1, 21 and 22 May. General Admission runs from 30 June to 3 July 2027, with Long Vacation ceremonies on 22–24 July. Queens' lists closures on 27 February, 22 July and 24 July, which coincide with ceremony days.

Etiquette

The colleges are places where people live, study and sit exams. The rules are simple and consistent:

• Keep off the grass. Walking on lawns is generally forbidden. Trinity lists no walking on grass, no bicycles, no dogs, no flower picking and no picnics or barbecues. Jesus is a pleasant exception, allowing walking on lawns except in First Court, Cloister Court and the nuns' burial sites.
• Keep to the paths and keep your voice down. Buildings other than chapels, halls and named visitor areas are private. Christ's says that, apart from the Chapel, no buildings are accessible.
• Do not go up staircases or into rooms. Staircases lead to students' and fellows' rooms. Emmanuel states that all its buildings are private.

Photography

Casual photography of courts and gardens is part of most visits. Rules are tighter in services and for organised shoots. King's allows no photography or recording during services, and applications for filming need at least 10 working days and are much less likely in Easter Term. St John's requires prior permission for organised photography, filming and drones. We could not confirm Trinity's photography rule, so ask at the lodge.

King's College

Founded in 1441 by Henry VI. The chapel is the building most visitors come for. Henry VI laid the first stone on 25 July 1446, and building went on in phases until 1515. It has what is described as the world's largest fan vault, and above the altar hangs Rubens' *Adoration of the Magi*, painted in 1634.

A ticket covers the Chapel and the grounds, which offer views of the Backs. Other college buildings are closed year-round. The Chapel and grounds stay open in the quieter academic periods, but the Turing Sculpture needs an advance request and a chaperone and is not available in the quiet period, typically April to June. The college's ticket page is dynamic, so we cannot quote prices or hours: see the college website. It offers early-bird discounted tickets, with the reduced price ending every Sunday night for the week ahead.

Local residents can buy a residents' pass for £25, valid for 12 months, if they live within 10 miles. Other colleges accept it only at their discretion.

Chapel services are free and open to visitors. Evensong is typically held six days a week in term, with King's Voices on Mondays. Arrive in good time, because nobody is admitted once a service has started, and allow up to an hour. Bags must be no larger than airline hand luggage, and there are no public toilets.

Trinity College

Founded in 1546 by Henry VIII. Great Court is reputed to be the largest enclosed courtyard in Europe, and it was completed by Thomas Nevile in the early 17th century. Visit Cambridge notes that the "sceptre" in the hand of the Henry VIII statue is a chair leg placed there by a student.

In 2026–27 the courts, including Great Court, are not open to the public except on tours. Guided tours run daily at 10:00 and 14:00 and cost £10 per person (under-12s free), paid by card on the day and booked online. They meet at the Great Gate on Trinity Street and are led by Porters. The Dining Hall is not included, and some areas may be inaccessible because of renovations.

The Wren Library, designed in 1676 and completed in 1695, is where Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh manuscripts are kept. It is normally open Monday to Friday from 12 noon to 2pm and on Saturdays from 10.30 to 12.30 in term time, free of charge, via Garrett Hostel Lane. The Backs grounds are normally open 9am to 5pm but may close for events; phone the Porters' Lodge on 01223 338 400.

Free entry is available to University members with ID (up to three guests), Cambridge residents with a King's resident's card (up to three guests), and prospective applicants with two working days' notice.

St John's College

Founded in 1511 by Lady Margaret Beaufort. St John's has eleven courts, a chapel by George Gilbert Scott and the Bridge of Sighs, built in 1831 by Henry Hutchinson and named after the Venice bridge.

Its grounds are currently closed to tourism. Paid visits are offered only on 5 December 2026 and 18 January 2027, from 9.30am to 4.30pm. The entrance fee for 2026 is £17 for adults, £10 for seniors aged 66 and over, students and National Disability Card holders, and £10 for children aged 12–16 (£8 between 25 June and 1 September). Payment is by bank card only, there is no re-entry, and only assistance dogs are allowed.

Free entry covers alumni, University card and CAMCard holders (plus two guests), Cambridge residents with a CB postcode, prospective students, and anyone attending a chapel service or event. Commercial groups of five or more must be led by a guide from the Society of Cambridge Tourist Guides, provided by Cantab Tours, at a group rate of £10 per person.

The best way in for most visitors is choral Evensong. It is sung Tuesday to Sunday at 6.30pm during Full Term, with a Sung Eucharist on Sundays at 10.30am. No ticket is needed: enter via the Great Gate or Forecourt Gate, and the Chapel opens 15 minutes before the service. Access in term is limited to the Chapel.

Queens' College

Founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou and refounded in 1465 by Elizabeth Woodville. The Mathematical Bridge was designed by William Etheridge and built in 1749 by James Essex, and rebuilt in 1866 and 1905. The popular tale that Isaac Newton built it without nuts or bolts is a fable.

Visitors are welcome from 10:00 to 16:00 for £5.00. Free entry applies to under-12s with an adult, alumni (up to two guests via CAMCard), alumni children, University members (one guest via CAMCard), residents with proof of address (one guest), and prospective students and families. The Old Hall is normally open, subject to events, and the cloister areas are open.

Closures for 2026–27 are 29 September to 6 October 2026, 23 December 2026 to 3 January 2027, and in 2027 27 February, 17 April, 19 April to 1 July, 8–10 July, 22 July, 24 July and 12 September. Groups of six or more need a Cambridge Blue Badge Guide. For wheelchair access, use the Porters' Lodge and enter by the Visitors' Gate in Queens' Lane. The Porters' Lodge is open 24 hours. (The Queens' page blocks automated access, so we read it through a different tool; double-check its figures.)

Corpus Christi College

Founded in 1352 by the Guilds of Corpus Christi and of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the only college founded by townspeople. Its Old Court has survived to the present day. Mounted on the outside of the college is the Corpus Clock, with its Chronophage, a grasshopper-like creature that appears to eat the seconds. It was unveiled on 19 September 2008 by Stephen Hawking, and was conceived and funded by John Taylor. Visit Cambridge says it cost £1 million.

In the summer months the college is open to visitors from 10.30 to 16.30, with a possible lunchtime closure. Admission for those aged 18 and over is £5, and CAM card holders enter free with up to two guests. Report to the Porters' Lodge. We could not confirm visiting terms for the Parker Library, so check with the college. There is no parking at Corpus; the nearest car park is Grand Arcade.

Clare, Trinity Hall and the Backs colleges

Clare was founded in 1326 and refounded in 1338 by Elizabeth de Clare. Old Court frames King's Chapel in views from the Backs, and Clare Bridge is a familiar sight from a punt. Clare's gardens are currently closed because of the refurbishment of Old Court, so enjoy it from the river or the bridge instead.

Trinity Hall was founded in 1350 by William Bateman, Bishop of Norwich. The college is open to the public on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10am to noon and 2pm to 5pm, and on Sundays from 2pm to 5pm. It is closed from 21 December to 2 January and during April to June. No fee is stated on its page.

Pembroke, Peterhouse and Emmanuel

Pembroke (1347, Marie de St Pol) has the first chapel designed by Christopher Wren, and William Pitt the Younger studied here. It is open daily from 9am to 5pm, but closed to visitors from mid-May to mid-June. You can walk the grounds and visit the Chapel if no service is taking place, and an audio tour is available from the Porters' Lodge.

Peterhouse (1284, Hugh de Balsham, Bishop of Ely) is the oldest college, and its dining hall is the only building surviving from the 13th century. The college's visiting page is aimed at prospective applicants, and it advises speaking to the Porters if the College is closed to the public. For general hours, see the college website.

Emmanuel (1584, Sir Walter Mildmay) is one of the easiest colleges to enter. Grounds and Chapel are usually open daily from 09:00 to 18:00 with no charge, entering via the Porters' Lodge on St Andrew's Street. The chapel was designed by Wren and dates from 1677, and the grounds include a large fish pond. John Harvard is an alumnus.

Christ's College

Founded in 1437 by William Byngham and refounded in 1505 with the support of Lady Margaret Beaufort. Christ's has two mulberry trees, the older planted in 1608, the year of Milton's birth. Denys Lasdun's New Court, nicknamed "the Typewriter", was built in 1966–70.

College grounds are open from 09.00 to 12.00, seven days a week. The Fellows' Garden is open from 09.00 to 12.00, Monday to Friday. Apart from the Chapel, no buildings are accessible. Choral Evensong is sung in term on Thursdays at 6.45pm and Sundays at 6pm.

Jesus and Magdalene

Jesus (1496, John Alcock, Bishop of Ely) has the oldest university building still in use in Cambridge, its chapel. Visitors should report to the Porters' Lodge, which is open 6am to midnight. We found no visitor hours or fees on the pages we read, so see the college website. Its events list showed a Choral Evensong on Sunday 11 October from 18.00 to 19.00.

Magdalene (founded 1428 by the Abbot of Crowland, refounded 1542) welcomes visitors year-round except mid-April to mid-June. Check in at the Porters' Lodge, on Magdalene Street. The Pepys Library is closed to visitors until 2027, with no drop-in visits, tours or group visits, and the college says it will reopen in spring 2027. The Chapel is open to visitors.

Sidney Sussex, Downing and Gonville and Caius

Sidney Sussex (1596, Frances Sidney, Countess of Sussex) is open through much of the year, closed April to June inclusive and on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. Report to the Porters' Lodge on Sidney Street, opposite Sainsbury's. The college has a very small car park, so use Park and Ride. A tablet marks the burial nearby of Oliver Cromwell's head.

Downing (founded 22 September 1800 by Sir George Downing, designed by William Wilkins) is the one major college for which we could not confirm any public hours or prices. The Porters' Lodge number is 01223 334800.

Gonville and Caius (1348, Edmund Gonville, refounded 1557 by John Caius) is closed to general visitors on weekdays in term, and visits should be arranged in advance. Prospective applicants are welcome at any time without booking.

Selwyn, Newnham and Churchill

Selwyn (1882) allows small family groups to see the outdoor parts unaccompanied. Report at the main entrance on Grange Road.

Newnham (1871, founded by Anne Clough, Henry Sidgwick and others) was the second women's college, after Girton. Its gardens are open "on most days throughout the year", though closed at times such as Christmas. Groups must be no larger than six, and you should call the Porters' Lodge on 01223 335 700 before a special trip.

Churchill (1958, recognised in 1966) is a modernist campus of 50 acres designed by Richard Sheppard, Robson & Partners, and it houses the Churchill Archives Centre. Informal visits are for prospective students, most days 09:00–17:00, and the college is routinely closed to visitors from Easter Sunday to mid-June. Phone the Porters' Lodge on +44 (0) 1223 336000. It sometimes opens its grounds to the public for its sculpture trail.

Free ways to see the colleges

You can see a great deal of Cambridge without buying a ticket.

• Choral Evensong. King's and St John's hold services open to visitors without a ticket, and Christ's and Jesus list choral Evensong too. Rules differ: at King's nobody is admitted once the service starts, and at St John's you can enter via the Great Gate from 15 minutes before the service.
• Free-to-enter colleges. Emmanuel states no charge for its grounds and Chapel, and Trinity's Wren Library is free in its limited hours.
• The Backs. The Backs are the meadows and gardens behind the colleges along the River Cam. Clare describes the Backs as Grade I-listed, and from the Backs paths and the river you can see the college gardens and King's Chapel.
• Punting. Seen from the river, the colleges look their best.

• Open Cambridge. The university's Open Cambridge festival, part of the national Heritage Open Days, ran from 11 to 20 September in 2026 with more than 70 free events, some needing booking. Colleges including St John's, Corpus Christi, Trinity, Christ's and Selwyn took part. We have no dates yet for 2027.

Three routes

All routes are walkable, but none is guaranteed to be step-free. Courts have cobbles, kerbs and old doorways. Queens' states a wheelchair route through the Porters' Lodge and the Visitors' Gate in Queens' Lane, and Newnham mentions accessible toilets. Beyond that, ask each college about step-free access.

Two hours: the essential centre

1. Join the 10:00 Trinity tour, which gives you Great Court (allow about an hour).
2. Walk down King's Parade to King's College and see the Chapel, or cross to the Backs.
3. If you have time, see the Corpus Clock on the corner outside Corpus Christi.

Half a day: the central colleges

1. Begin at Emmanuel (usually open from 09:00) or Christ's (grounds open 09:00–12:00).
2. Take the Trinity tour at 10:00, then King's.
3. Walk to Queens' (10:00–16:00) for the Mathematical Bridge.
4. Finish at Corpus Christi (summer hours 10.30–16.30).

A full day: colleges and river

1. Start at Christ's or Emmanuel in the morning, then take the Trinity tour.
2. See King's and Queens', and the Corpus Clock.
3. In the afternoon, visit Pembroke (9am–5pm) or Trinity Hall on an open day, and walk past Clare and Peterhouse.
4. Hire a punt for the Backs, then stay for choral Evensong at King's or, in Full Term, St John's at 6.30pm.

Practical notes

• Tickets and cost. Prices run from free (Emmanuel) to £17 (St John's, on its two open dates). Trinity's £10 tour and Queens' £5 are the most typical. King's price is shown on its own site.
• Residents and alumni. Residents with proof of address enter Queens' free, residents with a CB postcode enter St John's free, and residents with a King's card enter Trinity free. King's residents' pass costs £25 for 12 months. Alumni enter Queens' and St John's free, and CAM card holders enter Corpus Christi free.
• Guides. Queens' requires a Cambridge Blue Badge Guide for groups of six or more, and St John's a Society of Cambridge Tourist Guides guide for commercial groups of five or more.
• Getting there. The railway station is about a mile from the centre, roughly 20 minutes on foot. There are five Park and Ride sites and a Stagecoach X5 service. Colleges have little or no parking.

Frequently asked questions

Facts at a glance

• Oldest college: Peterhouse, founded 1284.
• Newest in this guide: Churchill, founded 1958.
• Michaelmas 2026 Full Term: 6 October – 4 December.
• Lent 2027 Full Term: 19 January – 19 March.
• Easter 2027 Full Term: 27 April – 18 June.
• Evensong listed by: King's, St John's, Christ's, Jesus.
• Prices and hours: as of October 2026 – check before you go.

Sources

• kings.cam.ac.uk/your-visit-kings
• kings.cam.ac.uk/opening-times-and-tickets
• kings.cam.ac.uk/local-resident-pass
• kings.cam.ac.uk/chapel/attend-chapel-services
• kings.cam.ac.uk/filming-and-photography-kings-college
• trin.cam.ac.uk/about/visiting-trinity-college/
• joh.cam.ac.uk/visit-us/visitor-information
• sjcchoir.co.uk/chapel-services/
• queens.cam.ac.uk/visiting-the-college/tourist-information
• clare.cam.ac.uk/gardens/opening-times-information
• trinhall.cam.ac.uk/contact-or-visit-us/
• corpus.cam.ac.uk/contact/how-find-us
• pem.cam.ac.uk/college/people/staff-directory/admissions-office/life-pembroke/location-and-grounds
• pem.cam.ac.uk/study-here/undergraduate/visit-us
• pet.cam.ac.uk/prospective-applicants-visiting-college
• pet.cam.ac.uk/
• emma.cam.ac.uk/contact/findus
• christs.cam.ac.uk/about/visiting-christs
• jesus.cam.ac.uk/college/undergraduate/visiting-and-open-days
• jesus.cam.ac.uk/contact
• magd.cam.ac.uk/about
• magd.cam.ac.uk/visitors-and-conferencing/pepys-library
• sid.cam.ac.uk/about-sidney/visiting-sidney
• dow.cam.ac.uk/contact
• cai.cam.ac.uk/discover/visiting-caius
• sel.cam.ac.uk/joining-selwyn/undergraduates/discover-selwyn/visiting-and-contacting-us
• newn.cam.ac.uk/about/gardens/visiting-gardens
• chu.cam.ac.uk/about/visits/
• cam.ac.uk/about-the-university/term-dates-and-calendars
• cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk/graduation/degree-ceremonies/degree-ceremony-dates
• opencambridge.cam.ac.uk/
• cam.ac.uk/news/go-behind-the-scenes-at-cambridge-with-open-cambridge-2026
• visitcambridge.org/place-categories/universities-colleges/
• visitcambridge.org/place-categories/city-tours/
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King%27s_College_Chapel,_Cambridge
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematical_Bridge
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_of_Sighs_(Cambridge)
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corpus_Clock
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wren_Library
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Court,_Trinity_College,_Cambridge
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King%27s_College,_Cambridge
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity_College,_Cambridge
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_John%27s_College,_Cambridge
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queens%27_College,_Cambridge
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clare_College,_Cambridge
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity_Hall,_Cambridge
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corpus_Christi_College,_Cambridge
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pembroke_College,_Cambridge
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peterhouse,_Cambridge
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmanuel_College,_Cambridge
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ%27s_College,_Cambridge
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus_College,_Cambridge
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magdalene_College,_Cambridge
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidney_Sussex_College,_Cambridge
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downing_College,_Cambridge
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonville_and_Caius_College,_Cambridge
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selwyn_College,_Cambridge
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newnham_College,_Cambridge
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Churchill_College,_Cambridge

Join the Society

This is an independent member's guide compiled by Cambridge Society. We are not affiliated with the venues and institutions mentioned; opening arrangements change, so always confirm details on the official websites before making plans.