In October 2017, nine children from a Cambridge city nursery spent five consecutive mornings “in residence” at the Fitzwilliam Museum (FM) and Cambridge University Botanic Garden (CUBG). The residency formed the basis of a multi-disciplinary action research project led by a team of museum, garden and nursery practitioners. The Fitzwilliam Museum and CUBG have developed programmes specifically targeted at children under five years old and both sites offer opportunities to groups who may not routinely access their public programmes. The nursery is run as a parent co-operative and the community of parents, teachers and children encourage individual development within a context of co-operation, mutual responsibility and respect. The practitioners at the FM and CUBG also had experience of planning and running sessions together as part of their main public programme and during University of Cambridge Public Engagement Events.