Pepys Library Visiting and Opening Hours

Images © Sara Rawlinson.  To reuse any of these images, please enquire with the Pepys Library.

Individual Visitors

Pepys Library is open to visitors during Cambridge University Full Term and for a period over the summer. Booking in advance is not required. Entrance to the Pepys Library is free for individuals; a voluntary donation box is available. Library staff will be happy to answer questions from individual visitors. We regret that, due to the historic nature of the building, access to the library is currently only available via a flight of stairs. Children under 6 years old are not allowed in the Library.

The opening times for individual visitors to the Pepys Library are:

Group Visits and Tours

Non-commercial groups of up to 10 people can visit during the Pepys Library public opening hours without needing to book, though if the Library is busy it might be necessary to wait a few minutes.

Groups larger than 10, or commercial tour groups of any size, are required to book in advance for a tour of the Library, to take place in a morning or late afternoon on dates which we are open to the public. Tours are arranged subject to availability and a charge. A group tour consists of a 45 minute talk about Samuel Pepys and his library, with a further 15 minutes to look at the displays.

The maximum group size is limited to 25 people in the Library, though larger groups may be able to be accommodated by the running of two tours ‘back to back’. We regret that due to the historic nature of the building, access to the Library is currently only available via a flight of stairs.

If you wish to book a tour, please contact the Library, including the group leader’s name, contact email and a postal address. Please let us know in advance if you’re interested in a particular aspect of the Collection as it might be possible to take account of this in the tour.

Educational groups

The College welcomes schools visits, arranged outside of public opening hours, usually from October to March (though other times may be available). Teachers are advised to contact the Library at an early stage with details of student ages and any particular interests and the relevance of the visit to work for the National Curriculum, for example, the Great Fire of London or Scientific Writing.

School groups are limited to 15 people in the Library at a time. Larger groups will be asked to divide up into smaller groups. There is a supervision level requirement for an educational group; you will be informed of the minimum number of accompanying staff when your booking is confirmed. Children under 6 years old are not allowed in the Library.

A Key Stage 1 education pack is available for follow-up work after a visit.

The charge for educational groups including a Key Stage 1 Education Pack is £3.50 per child (teachers and accompanying adults are free) Free tours for school groups ages 6-18 are available as part of the Magdalene Outreach programme, please contact the Library for further details.