Power, Women & Queer History Tour Cambridge: 90 minutes

Walk Cambridge's hidden histories with a guide who knows them

A 90-minute walking tour of Cambridge led by university researchers exploring the overlooked stories of women and LGBTQ+ individuals throughout the city's past. The tour moves through five stops: Parker's Piece, a historic laboratory, sites connected to DNA discovery, figures who shaped gender and power in Cambridge, and streets named after the town women who built the city. Children from age one are welcome. The route is wheelchair accessible and suitable for all fitness levels.

Step-by-step itinerary

Discover Cambridge's hidden histories

• Explore Parker's Piece history
• Visit historic science laboratory
• Learn new perspective on DNA discovery
• Discuss power and gender in history
• Examine street names and women's impact

The experience

The tour starts at Parker's Piece, an open green space in the city centre, and moves through Cambridge's landscape to uncover what the standard history leaves out. Your guide, a university researcher, walks you through the role women played in Cambridge science, revisits the DNA discovery story from a new angle, and explores how power, homosexuality and gender shaped the lives of figures the city claims as its own. Street names become evidence: they mark the town women whose work built Cambridge itself.

Each stop anchors a different thread: the laboratory where women contributed to groundbreaking research, the complexities of gender and sexuality in Cambridge's famous past, the ways women experienced the urban space and family life in a university city built around men. The guide connects these moments across 90 minutes, offering a narrative that standard tours skip. The route is wheelchair accessible, and you can bring a pram or stroller. Service animals are welcome.

Uncomfortable Cambridge runs group tours up to 20 people, private tours for up to 6, and public departures. Last-minute bookings within 24 hours need direct contact with the operator, so plan ahead if you want to join a specific departure.

What’s included

• A certified Uncomfortable Cambridge tour guide leading the 90-minute walk.
• access to five stops across the city centre exploring women's and LGBTQ+ histories in Cambridge.

Options for this experience

2 options

Group tour (for up to 20 people)Up to 15 people · Guide in English · 6 departure times: the first at 13:00, the last at 18:00Group tour (for up to 20 people)

Private tour (for up to 6 people)Up to 6 people · Guide in English · 6 departure times: the first at 13:00, the last at 18:00Private tour (for up to 6 people)

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day6 departure times: the first at 13:00, the last at 18:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (18 to 64 years) · Senior (65 and older) · Youth (12 to 17 years) · Child (1 to 11 years)

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Uncomfortable Cambridge Tours

Is this one for you?Book a group tour if you're joining others and want a set departure time. Choose private if your party wants the flexibility to book within the next day or two and move at your own pace. Public departures suit solo travellers and small groups comfortable with a shared walk.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 17 years); Child (1 to 11 years).

What exactly is Parker's Piece and why does the tour start there?

Parker's Piece is an open green space in Cambridge's city centre with a hidden history the tour uncovers. It's the first stop because the landscape itself tells stories about who used the city and how.

Will the tour talk about the discovery of DNA?

Yes. The tour revisits the famous DNA discovery story from a new perspective, shifting focus to the people and contributions the standard account overlooks.

What's the difference between the group, private and public tour options?

Group tours accommodate up to 20 people and run on a set schedule; private tours are for up to 6 people and can be arranged for your party; public tours are shared departures. All are led by the same university researchers and follow the same route.

Who leads these tours?

Each tour is led by a university researcher passionate about Cambridge's history and its diverse past. They bring firsthand knowledge of the city and the scholarship behind the stories.