It’s one of America’s most famous universities and visiting the historic campus is free. There’s a dedicated Information Center for visitors at the Holyoake Center Arcade on Massachusetts Avenue in the heart of Harvard Square. Free guided historical tours are available too from Monday to Saturday at 10am, 12pm and 2pm or you can just wander round the site on your own. We liked the feel of the open space in the centre of the campus which is surrounded by most of the major buildings. Harvard is in Cambridge, Massachusetts which is a short ride on the T from Boston Centre. The stop you’ll need is Harvard Square. This is an extract from our free Boston City Guide.
University Hall, Harvard
The Harvard campus stretches over a large area, but most of the significant buildings are in Harvard Yard. There are several buildings of note that you can look out for on your self guided tour here. Pictured above is University Hall which was Harvard’s first stone building. The bright white colouring comes from the granite it was constructed from. The Widener Library (pictured below) is dominated by huge stone columns and is an impressive sight. It’s the primary building in the Harvard library system, which is the largest university library system in the world. One other building to look out for is the Memorial Church (opposite the library) with its distinctive New England style tower. The church is often open for visitors and it’s well worth a look inside.
The Widener Library, Harvard Yard
LOCATION AND CONTACT
Address: Harvard Information Centre, 1350 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
Tel: +1 617 495 1573
Email: info_center@harvard.edu
Harvard Yard at Harvard University, Cambridge
MORE ON VISITING HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Hotels near Harvard – Great deals from Hotels.com
More Boston Hotels – Expedia.co.uk
Wikipedia – Harvard University page
Visiting Harvard – Official website
Harvard Memorial Church – Official website
Boston Guide Books – Amazon.co.uk
“The Hahvahd Tour” (www.harvardtour.com) is an amazing way to see Harvard. Led by Harvard students, this walking tour covers 400 of Harvard history through a trademark “laugh and learn” style.
The New York Times calls this tour “The Daily Show of walking tours” and NPR calls the tour “The Real Deal!”
Best of all, the tour costs nothing to join, the Harvard Student Guides simply accept tips.
Running 7 days a week from April 1 – Nov 1 annually.