An apparatus for culturing cells of the present invention is an apparatus for culturing cells using a culture medium in a culture vessel. The apparatus includes: pump connected to pipet held by first holder; first shifter configured to shift first holder; second holder configured to hold culture vessel; second shifter configured to grip and shift culture vessel; and controller. Controller is programmed to, when pipet draws a liquid in culture vessel or discharges a liquid into culture vessel, control second shifter to translationally shift lid of culture vessel in a horizontal direction.