Guided MIT & Harvard Walking Tour in Cambridge
Trace campus history, pranks, and architecture from MIT to Harvard Square
Duration
3 hours 30 min
Ideal For
1 to 30 people
Includes
Guide, subway fare
Highlights
Explore the history, architecture, and campus legends of MIT and Harvard with a private guide. Travel between the campuses by subway, then finish in Harvard Square.
- Discover MIT history, inventions, famous alumni, and student "hacks"
- See landmark architecture and views of Boston across the river
- Learn about Harvard's academic legacy, traditions, and Revolutionary War history
- Visit both campuses from the outside; this tour does not enter campus buildings
- Explore the schools' history and legends rather than prospective-student information
Itinerary
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10 min - MIT Sign Start the tour at the MIT Sign and map outside Ripple Cafe, where you will meet your guide and see your walking route!
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5 min - MIT Media Lab See the MIT Media Lab, home to some of the most innovative cross-discipline creations stemming from MIT.
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10 min - MIT Gray House Stop by the Gray House, one of the first buildings MIT build in Cambridge!
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10 min - Green Building See the Green Building, designed by the famous architect I.M.Pei, and learn about a famous prank that used its windows!
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15 min - Great Dome See the iconic MIT Dome and learn about some of the most famous MIT “hacks,” including the police car placed on top of the dome to protest parking tickets.
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15 min - Harvard/Mass Ave Bridge See the Smoot markers on the Harvard Bridge, connecting Cambridge and Boston. Make sure to snap a photo of the Boston skyline!
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10 min - MIT Banana Lounge Learn about the story behind the Banana Lounge - a story as unexpected as the lounge name!
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15 min - Stata Center See the quirky Stata Center, simultaneously an architectural marvel and a design nightmare.
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15 min - Break End the MIT tour and take a quick break for a snack or the bathroom before continuing to Harvard
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20 min - MBTA Subway Ride Follow your guide through the Boston subway system to start your Harvard tour!
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10 min - Harvard Student Center Stop outside the Student Center to check out a map of Harvard's sprawl and see your walking route.
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10 min - Wadsworth House See one of the oldest buildings in Harvard Yard, where George Washington stayed during the American Revolution.
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15 min - Widener Memorial Library Take a photo on the steps of the main library of Harvard University and hear the tragic story behind its founding.
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10 min - Harvard Memorial Church See Memorial Church, a multifunctional building inside an old church.
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10 min - Harvard Yard Continue the tour into Harvard Yard and learn about the various dormitories located around the historical quad the famous alumni who lived there while at Harvard.
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10 min - Johnston Gate See the main entrance to Harvard Yard: Johnson Gate.
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10 min - John Harvard Statue Learn why the famous Harvard Yard statue is called the "Statue of the Three Lies".
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15 min - Kirkland House See the buildings where upperclassmen live at Harvard University and learn about the tradition of "Housing Day".
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5 min - Harvard Square End the tour at Harvard Square, and hopefully leave a five-star review!
What's Included
- Subway fare between MIT and Harvard
Important details
- Children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian
- Requires significant, mostly flat walking
- Harvard Yard may occasionally close to non-students
Cancellation Policy
Receive a full refund when you cancel at least 14 days before your tour, or a 50% refund when you cancel at least 7 days before. No refunds within 7 days.
FAQs
No. You stay outdoors and do not go into any buildings on either campus.
No. This tour focuses on history, architecture, and legends rather than admissions or student-life information for prospective students.
You ride the subway two stops between campuses. Your public transit fare is included.
Meeting details
MIT Sign outside Ripple Cafe, 314 Main St., Cambridge, MA 02142
