ROSE NEW, ACADEMIC SCHOLARS CO-ORDINATOR

Academic Scholars in Years 9–12 enjoyed an inspiring visit to Cambridge on Thursday. The morning was spent exploring colleges: we visited Pembroke, Magdalene, Christ’s, Trinity Hall, Downing and Sidney Sussex, appreciating their varied architecture and peaceful gardens, and discovering something of their rich history. Amongst many highlights were the chapel at Pembroke designed by Christopher Wren, the medieval Old Court at Magdalene and the imposing 18th century buildings of Downing College.

After a picnic lunch on Jesus Green, we spent the afternoon at the Fitzwilliam Museum, taking in two exhibitions: Picturing Excess, which displays the huge, sumptuous still life paintings of 16th century Dutch artist Jan Davidsz de Heem, and Rise Up, exploring the fight to abolish the transatlantic slave trade between 1750 and 1850. We ended the day at the Polar Museum, where we saw some of the equipment from various Arctic and Antarctic expeditions, and the scholars were fascinated to handle a genuine narwhal tusk.

Altogether it was a stimulating day which generated a lot of thought and discussion about future academic plans.