Harvard University Tour Review

Use our realistic Harvard University Tour Review to plan your next visit to this historic campus.

Harvard University is an Ivy League university. The university was founded in 1636. It makes Harvard the oldest school in the United States.

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Sights & Places of Interest

Harvard Yard, or “The Yard”, is the university’s campus with historic buildings. It is a great place to visit for architecture lovers.

Johnston Gate

The Johnston Gate will be the closest entrance to the Yard if you take the subway. This Gate is the oldest entrance. It dates back to 1889.

The Johnston Gate is a source of several Harvard legends. This gate is closed most of the year. This way, a student cannot ruin their graduation chances just by taking the wrong turn.

Harvard Hall

Once you go through the Johnston Gate, you will see the Harvard Hall. This building is to the left of the Gate.

Despite its name, the Harvard Hall is not the oldest building on campus. Fires destroyed most of the original buildings during the university’s early years.

Massachusetts Hall

The Massachusetts Hall is opposite the Harvard Hall. It is the oldest building on campus. This Hall dates back to 1720.

This building served many purposes over the years. But its original purpose is no different than it is today. The Massachusetts Hall is still home to Harvard students to this day.

Matthews Hall

The Mathews Hall is a “newer” Harvard dormitory. This Hall was only built in 1872.

Weld Hall

The Yard sure has a lot of student residencies. Here is a look at another one. The Weld Hall is a freshman dormitory.

It is easy to think that the Yard has only dormitories. But there are other buildings on campus, too. The next section of our Harvard University Tour Review will focus on them.

Harvard Library

The Harry Elkins Widener Memorial Library is one of them. It is the main library of Harvard University. It is only fitting that it is the largest building in the Yard.

Houghton Library

There is another library building next to the main one. Houghton Library houses the university’s rare books.

You will see coats of arms of different Harvard University Schools if you visit the university during the graduation weekend.

Emerson Hall

As you walk towards the Memorial Church you will pass the Emerson Hall. This building is not a a residence hall or a library. Rather, it is home of the Philosophy Department.

Memorial Church

The Memorial Church is a building opposite the main library. It is easy to recognize the church thanks to a tall bell tower.

The Memorial Church was built in place of the Appleton Chapel in 1932.

The church has two beautiful entrances. Each of them has four columns.

The Memorial Church is close to the Cambridge Street. This street is the northern boundary of the Yard. Harvard Yard is quite small. You can cross it in under 5 minutes.

Memorial Hall

There are a few notable buildings outside of Harvard Yard. Without a doubt, the Memorial Hall is one of them.

The Hall is massive. It houses Sanders Theatre, Memorial Transept, and Annenberg Hall.

Annenberg Hall

The Annenberg Hall, or “Berg”, is the university’s dining hall. It has several elements of the Gothic design. You can see them both inside and outside of this building.

When you pass the Annenberg Hall, you will arrive at the Oxford Street. Both the street and town names are tributes to the famous universities in England.

If you continue on the Oxford Street, you will arrive at the Harvard Museum of Natural History.

The museum is near the end of the historic part of the campus. You might want to turn left to the Pierce Hall. It is home to the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

Harvard Law School

If you go around the Pierce Hall, you will see the Harvard Law School.

The Law School has several buildings. But you are certain to notice one of them. The Langdell Hall is the largest academic law library in the world.

There is a place of worship in the Harvard Law School. The Harvard-Epworth United Methodist Church is another historic building on campus.

Other Sights in Cambridge

You have several nearby sights to explore in Cambridge.

• Cambridge Common: you can make a quick stop in this park across the street from the Law School.
• Longfellow House: you can explore the historic house museum. Its grounds are open year round. Free house tours run in the summer.
• MIT: or you could take the Red Line to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The choice depends on your preferences. But since you are already on a campus tour, you might want to visit MIT.

Both universities are on the same subway line. In fact, only one T station is between the two campuses. So, it takes just a few minutes to get from one campus to another.

You would want to exit at the Kendall/MIT station. It takes about 10 minutes to reach the Great Dome from there. The Great Dome is the most iconic building of the university. It is a library and a lecture hall.

The Great Dome dates back to 1916. So it is not surprise that the entire MIT campus is from a different era than Harvard University. None of the campus buildings come close to the Great Dome in beauty.

You can walk back to the subway station or extend your exploration. If you choose the latter, cross the Charles River via the Harvard Bridge. You can enjoy the boats from the MIT’s and Harvard’s sailing clubs.

This path will bring you to Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood. You can extend your walking tour to Boston Public Library or Gibson House Museum.

Continue with our Harvard University Tour Review to learn more about ways to reach the sights, entrance requirements, and places to stay.

Getting to Harvard University

Harvard Yard is at 2 Kirkland Street in Cambridge, MA. You can reach the campus easily via public transport. Just take the Red Line of the T.

Once you exit Harvard Station, you will find yourself on the Harvard Square. Harvard Yard is just across the Peabody Street. You can walk to the nearest gate and start your visit.

Where to Stay near Harvard University

Cambridge has a good selection of places to stay. But you might not have much choice if you visit the Yard during certain times of the year.

You would have to compete with students, friends and family during the graduation weekend. Staying in Cambridge will get very expensive during such times.

But Boston has a good public transport network. You could look for places to stay along the Red Line. In fact, you could go as far southeast as Quincy.

You can get a better deal if you expand your search. But check for long term MBTA service disruptions during your trip. A ride share or taxi from Quincy will be expensive.

Entrance Requirements & Passes

You can visit the campus of Harvard University for free.

The campus is open to public most of the year. But you cannot visit it during certain events. Check the university website for upcoming closures.

It is easy to visit the Yard. You have two tour options.

• Guided Tour: free student-led tours that last up to an hour. You need an advance reservation.
• Self-Guided Tour: download a free smartphone app to explore the campus at your own pace. The app has a map with bite-sized notes of the buildings on campus.

This Harvard University Walking Guide has key information about visiting the campus in one place.

Takeaways: Harvard University Tour Review

Harvard University is the oldest university in the United States. Its campus is a collection of historic halls, dormitories, and churches.

It is a great place to visit if you have a couple of hours to spare in Boston. It cannot compete with the Freedom Trail. But you will like the Yard if you enjoy architecture and history.

Here is how to make the most from your Harvard University tour.

• Take public transport to reach the Yard.
• Download the university app to guide your visit.
• Or reserve a spot on the guided tour.

There is a word of caution if neither architecture nor history are your cup of tea. In this case, you could find the campus tour a bit boring.

Frequently Asked Questions

Safe realist travels!