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Visit
Whether you’re a prospective student or just visiting the Boston area, we invite you to explore our dynamic campus and experience firsthand how MIT is making a better world.
MIT is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, across the Charles River from Boston, in the vibrant innovation district of Kendall Square. Founded in 1865, MIT established a new kind of independent educational institution relevant to an increasingly industrialized America. Since then, the Institute has built a robust tradition of solving problems in the public interest at the intersection of technology and humanity.
Welcome Center
The MIT Welcome Center is open at 292 Main Street in Kendall Square, conveniently located next to the Kendall/MIT MBTA subway station. Stop by to get guidance about visiting MIT and pick up a campus map(and to use the restroom, fill your water bottle, or access free Wi-Fi and power outlets). The adjacent green space is also a great place to have lunch or take a break. Open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m., excluding MIT holidaysand Institute closures.
The MIT Welcome Center isa gift of Tina and Hamid (SB 1977, SM 1978) Moghadam.
Campus Tours & Information Sessions
The Undergraduate Admissions office hosts virtual and in-person information sessions for prospective students. Visit mitadmissions.org/visit to register.Please note: We are unable to accommodate walk-in guests for information sessions, so please make sure to register in advance.
Prospective graduate students usually arrange visits through individualdepartments, though theMIT Sloan School of Managementand select departments within the School of Engineering offer tours.
Other resources
Getting Here & Getting Around
A great place to start your visit is at the MIT Welcome Center, located at 292 Main Street, Cambridge.Parking can be tough here!We recommendpublic transportation or a taxi/rideshare service (such as Uber or Lyft)to campus.
Via public transportation
Boston’s public transportation system is the MBTA, known as “the T.”
Subway: From any terminal at Logan Airport, take the Silver Line bus to South Station. At South Station, change to the Red Line subway to Kendall/MIT (inbound toward Alewife). The ride should take about 30 minutes and is free.
Bus: The 64, 68, and 85 lines stop near the MIT Welcome Center. The #1 busstops on Massachusetts Avenue, about a 15-minute walk from the Welcome Center.
Shuttle: The EZ Ride shuttle runs to and from Boston’s North Station, with stops at Kendall Square and around MIT’s campus (Note: EZRide is not operated by the MBTA; fare is $2 cash per trip).
From Logan Airport
Taxi or rideshare: Taxi fare from the airport is about $35–$40, and a rideshare service can range from about $20–$35. During non-rush hour, the ride will take about 15 minutes; during rush hour, it may take 30 minutes or more.
Subway: From any terminal at Logan Airport, take the Silver Line bus to South Station. At South Station, change to the Red Line subway to Kendall/MIT (inbound toward Alewife). The ride should take about 30 minutes.
Amtrak
- South Station, Boston, is the closest train station. South Station is served by the MBTA Red Line, which connects to MIT at the MIT/Kendall stop.
Bluebikes
- Bluebikes is the Boston area’s public bike share program. There are several stations around campus for renting or returning a bike. Visitors may purchase an Adventure Pass, which is valid for 24 hours.
Parking
Parking in Cambridge and Boston can be expensive and hard to find. Whenever possible, park where you’re stayingand use public transportation or a taxi/rideshare service. If you must drive to the campus, on- and off-street parking is available for a fee, but most public parking is not very close to the center of campus. More parking information is available from Parkopedia.
Other resources
- Campus map
- Accessibility map
- Campus walking tour
While You’re Here
From art and architecture to history and culture, there is plenty to see and do, both on campus and in the greater Boston area. Explore the MIT Events Calendar to see what's happening on campus. Many events are open to the public.
Visitors are welcomein many campus buildings and our outdoor spaces. See the visitors policyfor details.
On the MIT campus
- Stop byKillian Court, the leafy oasis where we hold each year’s Commencement, and gaze up at the Great Dome. (At 8,800 square feet, it’s larger than the domes of St. Paul’s in London and the U.S. Capitol Building. And it was thesite of some historic hacks.)
Take in the galleries and exhibits at theMIT Museum—where art, science, and technology intersect—atit* new Kendall Square location.
Explore public art on campus, including works by Picasso, Calder, and other major artists.
Visit the List Visual Arts Center, MIT’s contemporary arts museum.
Witness the work being done at the cutting edge of cancer research at the Koch Institute Public Galleries.
See a display of hacks on the Charles M. Vest Student Street in the Stata Center.
Shop atthe MIT Coop for MIT-branded apparel and other souvenirs.
Stop byMIT Recreation for some movement during your visit. Guest passes are available.
Trace the footsteps of Boston’s founders and revolutionarieson the Freedom Trail.
Quack your way through a duck tour.
Take a short scenic cruise to the Boston Harbor Islands.
TourFenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox.
Learn about the life and presidency of John F. Kennedy at his namesake library.
Experience the exceptional collection of one of the oldest art institutions in the nation, Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts, or get some hands-on learning at the Museum of Science.
Climb to the top of the Bunker Hill Monument for a panoramic view of Boston.
Other resources
- Where to eat
- Where to stay
