How to Tour Harvard Campus: Virtual and In-Person Options

Harvard University offers multiple ways to experience its historic Cambridge campus, whether you're across the world or across the Charles River.

Official In-Person Tours

• Information Sessions + Tours: Run by Harvard College Admissions (register online)
• Student-led: Current undergraduates share personal perspectives
• Duration: ~60-90 minutes
• Highlights: Harvard Yard, Widener Library, Memorial Hall, Science Center, residential Houses
• Schedule: Multiple daily (reduced in summer/holidays)
• Cost: Free
• Registration: Required via Admissions website

Self-Guided Options

• Harvard Tour app: Official audio/GPS guide (iOS/Android)
• Printed map: Available at Smith Campus Center info desk
• Harvard Yard: Always accessible (gates open dawn-dusk)

Virtual Experiences

• Official Virtual Tour: 360° panoramas, video, interactive map (admissions website)
• YouTube: Harvard's channel has student-led tours, dorm tours, neighborhood walks
• Google Maps Street View: Comprehensive indoor/outdoor coverage
• HarvardX: Free online courses (edX) often include campus footage

Specialized Tours

• Graduate Schools: Separate tours for Business, Law, Medicine, Design, etc.
• Art Museums: Harvard Art Museums (Fogg, Busch-Reisinger, Sackler) - free admission
• Arnold Arboretum: 281-acre living collection (Jamaica Plain, separate tours)
• Harvard Forest: 4,000-acre research forest (Petersham, MA)

Planning Tips

• Best times: Spring (flowering), Fall (foliage), weekdays
• Groups: 10+ require advance arrangement
• Accessibility: Routes available, notify in advance
• Combine with MIT: Kendall Square Red Line stop connects both
• COVID note: Check current visitor policies

Nearby Attractions

• Harvard Square (bookstores, cafes, street performers)
• Mount Auburn Cemetery (historic, arboretum)
• Longfellow House (Washington's HQ)
• Charles River Reservation (walking/biking paths)

Whether virtual or in-person, a Harvard tour reveals nearly 400 years of American academic history in one walkable campus.