Museum
Pepys Library
Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0Some booking links are affiliate links. If you book through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We never let this influence which places we recommend.
The Pepys Library at Magdalene College is a time capsule of 17th-century intellectual life. It contains Samuel Pepys's famous diary, written in shorthand, along with his extensive collection of books, manuscripts, and prints. The library is housed in a beautiful 17th-century building, and visitors can see the original bookcases and the diary itself on display. The collection reflects Pepys's wide-ranging interests, from naval history to music and science.
Don't miss
- Samuel Pepys's original diary manuscripts, including the Great Fire of London entry
- Pepys's personal book collection arranged by size, as he specified
- Rare items such as a 15th-century manuscript of Chaucer's 'Canterbury Tales'
Tickets & tours
Ways to visit Pepys Library
You can visit Pepys Library on your own. A guide mainly adds context, what you are looking at and why it matters, and a tour can add transport or combine nearby sights into one day.
Cheapest way inFormer Student’s Cambridge Colleges: An Outdoor Audio Tour4★ · 55 travelers1-2 hoursFree cancellationFrom$9 per personSee dates →
Most bookedCambridge University Tour by Alumni™ with optional King's Chapel4.9★ · 2,483 travelers2-3 hoursFree cancellationFrom$34 per personSee dates →
Private & flexiblePrivate Self-Guided Dinky Door Hunt in Cambridge4.6★ · 111 travelers2-3 hoursFree cancellationFrom$12 per personSee dates →Getting there
More attractions in Cambridge


