harvard tour highlights

Explore the ideas, artifacts, people, and places that have shaped our history for nearly 400 years.

Tour updates

Harvard visitor center tours.

All tours are 45 to 60 minutes long. Registration is required in advance for both in-person and virtual tours. Weekly tour registration will be available every Friday. You can download the Visit Harvard mobile app on iOS and Android devices. During business hours you may purchase a Self-Guided Tour Map for $3 available in multiple languages.

For information about Harvard College Admissions tours for prospective students, visit their website .

Official Historical Tour of Harvard

The free, student-led public walking tour through Harvard Yard provides a history of the University, general information, and a unique view on the students’ individual experience. 

Register for the in-person tour

Visit Harvard mobile app

Explore Harvard with our free mobile app, featuring a collection of self-guided walking tours. Whichever tour you decide to embark on, you’ll be sure to learn something new.

Download the app on  iOS  and  Android devices.

Historical Tour of Harvard

Learn the history behind well-known spots across Harvard’s campus! Each stop highlights iconic buildings, traditions, alumni, and much more.

Harvard Public Art & Culture Tour: Allston

Explore vibrant public art in Allston! You’ll encounter can’t-miss installations along Western Avenue and learn the stories behind them and their artists.

Harvard Public Art & Culture Tour: Cambridge

Discover a new side to our campus through an art-filled adventure! Explore outdoor art, famous architecture, renowned cultural institutions, and more.

Discover more Harvard tours

From nature walks to art galleries, these tour offerings include virtual options, in-person experiences, student and staff-led excursions, and more.

Tour spotlight

Harvard and the Legacy of Slavery

The Harvard and the Legacy of Slavery Walking Tour Experience explores Harvard University’s entanglements with the institution of slavery through a 10-stop tour around Harvard’s campus.

Learn more about the tour

Prospective students

Harvard College In-Person Campus Visit Options: in-person, student-led

Harvard College Virtual Tour Options: virtual

SEAS Tours Options: in-person, student-led

Harvard Business School Options: in-person, virtual, student-led, mobile

Harvard Law School Virtual Tour Video Options: virtual

Arts and culture

Harvard and the Legacy of Slavery Options: mobile

Harvard Art Museums: Student Guided Tours Options: in-person, student-led

Harvard Forest Field Trips & Tours Options: virtual, in-person, staff-led, self-guided

Arnold Arboretum: All Tours Options: in-person, virtual, staff-led, self-guided

Museums and libraries

Peabody Museum: All Tours Options: in-person, virtual, self-guided, staff-led

Houghton & Widener In-Person Tours Options: in-person, staff-led

Widener 360-Degree Virtual Tour Options: virtual, self-guided

Houghton Library Virtual Tour Options: virtual

Harvard Art Museums: Gallery Tours Options: in-person, self-guided, staff-led

Harvard Museums of Science & Culture: Virtual Tours Options: virtual, self-guided

Frequently asked questions

General tour information.

The Harvard University Visitor Center offers several different types of tours. For our in person tour offerings on campus, we provide the Official Historical Tour of Harvard. All tours are provided to the public for free and to private groups for a fee. Our tours typically run 45-60 minutes.

To view the schedule and register for our free public tours (virtual and in person), please visit our Eventbrite page . To request a virtual or in person private tour, visit this link .

We also offer a free self-guided historical tour through the Visit Harvard mobile app, which you can download on iOS and Android devices. You can take this self-guided tour on campus or from the comfort of your own home.

Information About Free In Person Tours

The in person Historical Tour of Harvard explores Harvard Yard. Tours depart from the Visitor Center which is located at the front desk in the Smith Campus Center. Our address is 1350 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138.

Registration for our in person tours must be made in advance. Registration is made available starting the Friday before your tour week. Parties of up to 14 persons can register for a free in person tour. Parties of 15-60 are encouraged to submit a request for a private tour .

Registered tour goers should arrive at the Visitor Center at least 15 minutes before your tour to check-in. Tours depart from the Smith Campus Center and end in Harvard Yard.

Information About the Visit Harvard Mobile App

Visit Harvard is a free mobile app by the Harvard Visitor Center that features a collection of self-guided tours centered around the Harvard University experience. The Visit Harvard mobile app can be downloaded by anyone with a smartphone, tablet, or desktop, to be enjoyed from wherever you might be visiting, whether it’s in-person at Harvard or from the comfort of your own home.

What tours are being offered in the mobile app? Currently on the app, visitors can take a mobile version of our popular in-person and virtual tour, the Historical Tour of Harvard.

How long is the mobile tour? This self-guided tour takes place across 14 mapped stops through Harvard’s campus. At a standard walking pace, it will take between 45-60 minutes to complete the 1 mile long tour.

Can I take the mobile tour in-person or virtually? The mobile tour is designed to be accessed in-person on Harvard University’s campus, starting at the Harvard Visitor Center, located at the Smith Campus Center in Harvard Square (1350 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA). It can also be viewed from the comfort of your own home. Simply download Visit Harvard in the app store, select the Historical Tour of Harvard, and begin your journey!

Where can I download the Visit Harvard mobile app? You can download the Visit Harvard mobile app on the Apple App Store and Google Play . There is also a desktop version of the app you can access here .

Learn More About the Harvard College Admissions Process

For more information about Harvard College Admissions, please visit their official website . Their contact information can be found here .

Harvard Campus Tour: 15 Best Places to Visit at Harvard

From lofty libraries to picturesque walks, from Harvard Square to Charles River, here are the 15 best places to include on your Harvard campus tour!

Whether you’re a new Harvard student starting your school year, or visiting Harvard University on a campus tour, there is so much to discover. My lovely university is a heaven for students, tourists and photographers alike. During my time at Harvard, I got plenty of visitors, both friends and family. And for everyone, it was an overwhelming experience taking in all the beauty of our breathtaking campus.

Harvard University is one of the most visited places in Boston, and even all of East Coast. A Harvard University tour is a memorable experience, since every visitor has seen parts of the campus either in movies, pictures or places that have been inspired by Harvard architecture.

Harvard Campus Tour – Where to Go

Harvard University is full of new and old buildings, beautiful architecture and iconic spots to take your pictures. Of course, some of the best places at Harvard are reserved for the students, so if you aren’t one, it’s best to visit with a student or during the Open House.

But whether you have a Harvard ID or not, Harvard University will have a lot to offer you if you’re visiting. From hallowed libraries to historic dining halls, busy dorms to picturesque riverside walks, here is my list of the 15 best places to visit at Harvard.

Harvard Square and the Coop

Harvard Square may not be the most iconic place at Harvard if you’re just googling images of the university. But for every student and visitor, this is where the tour starts. Harvard has a whole T station (metro, subway or underground) dedicated to it, called Harvard Square, which can be the starting point of your Harvard university tour. It’s also the meeting point if you ever lose your tour partners!

Located at the junction of John F. Kennedy Street and Massachusetts Avenue is the building of Cambridge Savings Bank, which has become something of a landmark over the years. Along with this building, other structures and shops such as bookstores, toy stores, and a Bank of America also surround Harvard Square.

Harvard Square is unmissable, central and is the congregation point, where students run into old friends, meet new acquaintances and grab a bite to eat. The most popular and central spot is Starbucks, below the Cambridge Savings Bank, which is right at the corner of Mass Ave, and opened while I was a student at Harvard. Right outside is the Cambridge Visitor’s Information Center booth.

Some other popular spots next to it are the Au Bon Pain, next to Starbucks, and The Coop, across the road, where you can buy all possible books and official Harvard merchandise.

Harvard Yard & John Harvard statue

The green space between undergraduate dormitories is called Harvard Yard, which is enclosed by iron fences, walls and gates. Harvard Yard is the most iconic place at Harvard University, and is a must on any Harvard campus tour.

It is one of the oldest areas that became a part of Harvard University in the late 1600s, housing Harvard College dorms. Now it is also home to the famous John Harvard Statue, where you can see throngs of tourists taking pictures every time, everyday, touching his shoe to take pictures.

However, Harvard students would never touch it, because we all know that urinating on John Harvard’s shoe is one of three traditional deeds some Harvard College students strive to complete. It still remains the most touched spots of Harvard University. Sigh.

Harvard Yard is spread over 25 acres (10 ha) and it’s boundaries have 25 gates, opening at Mass Ave, Science Center. The yard is also home to libraries and memorial church, where the Harvard graduation ceremony takes place annually.

The Yard is the best place to soak the sun and read, be around College students. If you’re traveling in the fall season, it’s a beautiful place to take pictures. Here, you can see the New England fall colors in their full glory.

Widener Library

This is right in the part of Harvard Yard that is behind the John Harvard statue (called Tercentenary Theater). Widener library is the oldest one at Harvard University. And it’s the largest private and university-owned library in the United States. It is home to 3.5 million books, countless stacks and all types of reading spaces.

The library is named after Harvard College alumus and book collector Harry Elkins Widener, who died in the sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912.

Although Harvard has many beautiful libraries, Widener is my favorite one. With high ceilings, chandeliers and royal chairs, it’s easy to forget Widener can also have so many hidden low-lit spots in its depths too. I used to spend all my free time there as much as possible, discovering new reading spots and books. My favorites were the comfy high-backed chairs that face the tall windows opening into Harvard Yard.

Memorial Church

Situated right across Widener Library, this is another iconic building in Harvard University and one of the best parts of Harvard. Most Harvard students see and pass by it daily, whether on their way to their dorms, dining halls or classes. And of course, almost all Harvard students graduate here, although not every student has been inside it!

The interiors themselves are often used for ceremonies, commemoration, etc. For example, the only time I ever went inside was for a candlelight vigil for Japan’s 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

Although every year, the Church is home to bittersweet memories for everyone. The area in front of Memorial Church, the central green of Harvard Yard, is known as Tercentenary Theater. This is where the Harvard commencement ceremony takes place every year. Many celebrities and famous Harvard alumni have delivered graduation speeches on its porch, such as Steven Spielberg, Mark Zuckerberg, J.K. Rowling and John F. Kennedy.

Memorial Hall & Sanders Theater

Memorial Hall is yet another iconic building in Harvard University. The building is located near the Yard, at the junction of Cambridge, Kirkland, and Quincy Streets. It has high Victorian Gothic architectural style. Constructed in 1878, the building has many stained glass windows, ribbed vaults, spires and pointed arches.

Also called Mem Hall or just ‘Mem’, the building used to be the background of the John Harvard Statue in the early 1920s and before. Mem Hall houses three parts: Sanders Theater, Annenberg Hall and Memorial Transept.

Memorial Transept is a vault that anyone can enter, and is serves as the congregation space for Sanders Theater. It has a high vaulted ceiling and large stained-glass windows above the entrance on either side. Great place to take pictures, if only it were better lit. Either way, it’s an important one to include in your Harvard campus tour.

The Sanders Theater is Harvard University’s largest indoor space. Used for lectures, concerts and most notably, the annual graduation ceremony for Harvard College students. Sanders is where they receive their diplomas.

Even Harvard students aren’t allowed inside, unless it’s for a mandatory lecture or they have a pass for a particular lecture or ceremony. Most lectures that take place in Sanders are by celebrities or famous alumni, such as Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Theodore Roosevelt have spoken there. One of the times I have attended a lecture there was when Bill Gates came to speak.

Although if you are accompanied by a Harvard student and you request, they may allow you to take a peek inside when the theater is not in use.

Annenberg Hall

Located inside the Memorial Hall, Annenberg Hall serves as the dining hall for freshmen of Harvard College. When it was constructed in 1874, people from all over the country came to visit, since it was one of the largest indoor meeting spaces ever constructed in the US.

It is also breathtakingly beautiful, and serves a large selection of food (yum!). With its large expansive, unobstructed space, Annenberg Hall is designed in Gothic style. It has stained glass windows, wooden trusses and vaulted ceiling. The hall is decorated with large hanging candelabras. Its walls have paintings of benefactors and presidents and its ceiling is so high I’m not even sure it exists!

Originally meant to be a place for alumni meetings, Annenberg was soon converted to a dining commons. Now it is used for the freshmen students only. And as a grad student, I only got the opportunity to eat there during the days my own dining hall was closed. (Of course, then my dorm mates and I loved it, because we were treated to their desserts, ice-cream and beautiful entrées.)

It is also used for dances, banquets, examinations and more. Also, Annenberg is what inspired the Great Hall in Harry Potter movies. Only Annenberg Hall is more beautiful.

Read more: Annenberg Hall & Harvard Memorial Hall: All You Need to Know

Science Center

Located north of Harvard Yard, Science Center is home to the computer labs, classrooms and science library for undergraduates. The first floor also houses a nice cafe where I frequently lunched.

To someone expecting the classic Harvard style of architecture, Science Center is not much to look at. In fact, not even many Harvard students find it pretty. That’s because it was constructed in the ’70s, amid the modernist movement, when designers sought to do something different than the existing antiquated Georgian architectural style.

The plaza in front of the Science Center is home to the beautiful Tanner fountain, where kids are often found playing and water-splashing! Students often put up Yard sales, College club events and protest rallies there. Oftentimes, you can also find food-trucks, farmers’ markets and even Quidditch practices there.

Harvard Graduate School of Design

Graduate School of Design or GSD is my alma mater, which is mainly located on 48 Quincy Street in a building named Gund Hall. The Gund is also constructed in glass, steel and concrete (just like the Science Center) and is different from the iconic Harvard architectural style.

Gund Hall has a stepped design, where different studios form the levels, called trays. The building has a lot of clear glass, allowing natural lights into the trays, where students have their drawing boards or desks.

GSD also has a yard where student works are often exhibited, including those using 3D printing, robotic machines, CNC machines, etc.

The area near the entrance at the first floor of GSD is used to exhibit student work throughout the year. These exhibitions are specifically designed to give a new “interior look” to the space with each exhibit, often theme-based or interactive. This space also houses temporary events, student performances and the spillage from the events happening in cafeteria called Chauhaus and the Piper Auditorium.

Harvard Law School & HLS Library

Harvard Law School (HLS) is located near the northwest of the Harvard Yard. The HLS library is a beautiful old building with a big yard in front of it. Named Langdell Hall, it is immediately recognizable with its large windows, columns and Harvardian architecture style.

HLS library has a large, high-ceilinged chandelier-lit reading space with countless stacks filled with law-books. But they serve free hot-chocolate at night, so it’s a good place for non-law-students to study, too. You can get in with a Harvard ID, and discover their chessboard coffee tables, too! HLS library is my second favorite library after Widener, and was also my first workplace after my Harvard graduation, where I worked for a whole year to create digital learning spaces.

Wassterstein Hall Harvard Law School

Take a secret underground passage from the HLS library and it takes you to the newly built Wasserstein Hall. (You can also get to it from above the ground, tho, but where’s the fun in that?) It is one of the newest and most beautiful buildings in all of Harvard University, and was opened when I was a student.

The Wassterstein houses a large fireplace-lit study space with the coziest high-backed chairs, two cafeterias and a bar, pool table and the most gorgeous toilets you can find on-campus. Even balconies and a grand semi-circular staircase. What more reason could there be to include it in your Harvard campus tour? I used to lunch here everyday when I was an employee at the HLS library, and the first-floor cafe is great for an evening snack (they have great fries).

Natural History Museum

Located north of the Science Center and near the graduate dorms, the Natural History Museum is a great place where many students don’t even go throughout their time at Harvard! Although admission is open only to Harvard community.

It is such a hidden gem within the university, especially to go if you’re visiting harvard with kids. In fact, the only time I went here was when I was showing my parents around the campus the day before my graduation ceremony (they loved it!).

The museum is home to many permanent and temporary exhibits that any student will love. These include a paleontology exhibit, which has the fossils of Kronosaurus, a 42-foot-long prehistoric marine reptile. Also, there’s exhibits of birds, wildlife microbes and a famous glass-flower exhibition.

Radcliffe Quad

Located north of the Harvard campus, the Radcliffe Quad, or just “Quad”, is not much of a touristy spot, but is a great place to visit if you’re a Harvard graduate student and looking to explore the campus. The Radcliffe Quadrangle houses the Quad green and undergraduate dormitories, including the oft-photographed Cabot house and Pforzheimer house.

The walk from Cambridge Commons to Radcliffe Quadrangle is a beautiful one, and depending on the season, you’ll see brilliant tulips or fall colors.

Malkin Athletic Center & Harvard Stadium

Harvard stadium.

The Malkin Athletic Center (MAC) and the Harvard Stadium are located at completely different parts of the campus, but I have to include them together here.

The Harvard Stadium is south of the campus, across from HBS. The world-renowned stadium was built in 1903, and is a National Historic Landmark. It’s an essential part of any Harvard campus tour.

The Stadium is primarily a College football stadium, but they also use it for music festivals and other sports. It’s next to the humongous Blodgett Pool (one one that you see Robert Langdon swimming in in the Da Vinci Code movie).

Malkin Athletic Center (MAC)

The MAC is my favorite gymnasium at Harvard and is the perf spot for all Harvard students to work out. The gym is located south of the Harvard square, and is a large five story facility.

In the center is a large pool, and the upper floors have the cardio rooms with a view of the pool. Actually, I find the group exercise mezannine space overlooking the pool even prettier! This is where I discovered my passion for Zumba (miss it!). The building also houses many weight rooms, strength training equipment, basketball court and what not.

Charles River

The Charles river is an iconic body that divides the main Harvard campus. The north part of the campus on the north of Charles is the Cambridge campus, that borders at Memorial Drive. And the southern one is Allston campus, that starts at Soldiers Field Road. These two are connected by the Anderson Memorial Bridge, which is the perfect spot to take pictures and view both sides. It’s a must-see spot when visiting Harvard and MIT.

The space next to Memorial Drive is where you’ll see the bike path, students lounging around after classes, and skateboarders. The John F. Kennedy Memorial Park is right next to it, featuring a fountain. And while you’re here, also walk around to discover tiny lanes, tree-lined avenues. If you’re on a self-guided harvard tour, walk west, and enjoy a quiet cappuccino at Darwin’s, or go up north to have a cup of tea at Pete’s Cafe.

Harvard Business School

Harvard Business School is the top-pick for MBA tourists or student-visitors who like business management. Located in Allston, the HBS campus is a bit separated from the main campus by the Charles River. However, it’s a beautiful campus that all students and visitors should check out on their Harvard campus tour.

Right from across the river, you’ll see the iconic Baker Library, a world-famous building. It has the best place to take a picture at Harvard – in the HBS yard, with Baker Library forming the backdrop. And if you want one with the Harvard sign, check out the HBS sign at the back entrance.

The next spot to check out is Spangler Center, which is the student center. A relatively new building, Spangler has the same Georgian architecture style that the old Harvard buildings have. Inside is a massive student lounge that’s actually the last place I can concentrate in, because it seems a bit daunting.

The HBS cafeteria is inside too, which is rather nice and serves different cuisines everyday. The dining hall is gorgeous with large tables and chandeliers (although nobody joins you if you’re eating alone). Step underground to their bar and also check out their underground passages while you’re at it. (It leads to the library).

– Experience the Harvard Student Life with Me: How is Life at Harvard – Is Harvard Worth It? Analyzing Costs to Benefits for a Degree – What Kinds of Students Get into Harvard?

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Harvard’s Tour App Highlights Overlooked History

Veritas , the Latin word for “truth” and Harvard’s motto, is visible all around the University’s campus—indoors and out and in myriad forms. Look above the door of Widener Library and it appears sculpted in stone. It is etched in stained glass in Memorial Hall’s transept and worked in metal on a Harvard Yard fence and a gateway to Harvard’s Soldiers Field in Allston, to name just a few places and forms.

Nearly four centuries after it was first adopted as Harvard’s official motto , Veritas will take on even greater weight and meaning when the Presidential Initiative on Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery (H&LS) report and recommendations are released.

To help make the report’s findings more tangible, Alexandria Russell, the HL&S research fellow focused on digital humanities, worked with colleagues at Harvard Radcliffe Institute to create a tour that participants can explore virtually or in real life. The tour connects historical sites on and off campus to the University’s involvement with enslavement, and it also honors Black excellence and achievement.

“The H&LS initiative’s goal was to convey major themes of the report while also allowing visitors to reconceptualize spaces and historical narratives that they likely have already encountered,” said Russell, who chose an impressive and diverse group of undergraduate and graduate students to serve as virtual tour guides. “The students walk past these tour stops daily and certainly have opinions about many of them. These students are exploring the University’s past, and changing and growing in each phase of their educational journey here.”

Keep reading to get a sneak peak of some of the featured sites and to hear the students’ illuminating perspectives about Harvard and Veritas .

Discovering a Hero

Each day on his way to class during the 2019–2020 academic year, Noah Gold ’22 would dash across Cambridge Common solely focused on getting to class on time. Before submitting an application to be a voice actor for the Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery initiative tour app, he never realized the park is a “veritable outdoor museum.”

Gold, who hails from Potomac, Maryland, was also surprised to learn Harvard University had anything to do with slavery. “I feel like it’s an important enough topic that everybody should have heard of it,” he explained. “It made me think more in-depth about how Harvard and slavery coexisted and how the University clearly benefited from slavery.”

Once Gold received his assignment for the tour, he conducted research on Prince Hall, a Black Bostonian who the City of Cambridge commemorated in 2010 with a memorial in Cambridge Common for his efforts to abolish slavery and support enslaved and freed Blacks.

“He hosted all these events and raised funds to make sure that even the people who were still enslaved had a better quality of life,” Gold said. “He brought the fight to the political realm, to the judicial realm. Unfortunately, slavery in the United States didn’t end until about 100 years later, but he still made a lasting impression.”

Newly armed with this knowledge, Gold discovered that his friends were just as uninformed about Harvard’s role in slavery and the slave trade as he was. He also has discussed the tour with his entire family, and he is committed to walking the tour with them when they attend his graduation.

Gold would like to see Harvard make its historical entanglement with slavery and its legacies part of its future core curriculum. He expressed shame about passing the Prince Hall Monument daily without a thought, without knowing who Hall was, because he feels it reflects a powerful bias in American history classes and textbooks.

“I think people really need to know that Cambridge—and, I mean, the colonies in general—were not just a place where revolution happened, where the freedom of America was born, but where even in the midst of their fight for the nation’s freedom, there were people who were actively enslaved by those same people who were arguing for life, liberty, and justice for everybody,” Gold said.

Noah Gold '22, who voices the Cambridge Common stop on the Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery tour, was surprised to learn the history of slavery in Boston. Photo by Kris Snibbe

Reconciling the Memory of an Enslaved Past

Memorial Hall is a striking Victorian structure completed in 1878 to commemorate Harvard students, alumni, and faculty who died serving in the Union Army during the Civil War. In addition to the transept, a breathtakingly beautiful inner space with stained glass windows and a marble floor, Memorial Hall is home to Harvard’s first-year dining room, Annenberg Hall. Also a memorial, Annenberg honors Harvard’s renowned graduates and administrators in portraiture and sculpture—all white men until 1993, when a marble bust of W. E. B. Du Bois, the first African American to earn a PhD from Harvard, was added to the collection.

“Memorial Hall was Harvard’s attempt to support abolition in the abstract without doing the work that it needed to do to actually advance racial equality in this country,” said first-year Harvard Law School (HLS) student Robert Clinton, who narrates the site in the tour. “It’s a memorial to the people who fought in the Civil War, but not a memorial to the people who were impacted by what the Civil War was about, which is slavery.”

The Richmond, California, native chose Harvard Law School (HLS) in part because, well, “Harvard is Harvard,” and a degree from HLS will help position him to influence public policy and make an impact as a criminal defense attorney. “But I also did some research on the ways that Harvard was reacting to racial inequality in the aftermath of the 2020 killing of George Floyd,” he explained. “I wanted to know that I was going to a university that was thinking critically about its relationship with racial inequality.”

That’s when Clinton dug up information about the law school’s former shield, which incorporated the family crest of Isaac Royall Jr., whose family wealth came from slavery and helped establish the law school. This sparked a desire in him to help build awareness about Harvard and slavery for himself and his peers.

“The fact that this institution is here because of exploitation and slavery is something that people are often surprised by. People who were enslaved were on this campus that we go to, so I wanted to help out however I could,” he said. “There are lots of [different kinds of] memorials to lots of different people here already, so clearly there’s a willingness to engage with the institution’s history—but not with the entirety of the history, so I’m glad it’s finally happened.”

The University should be mindful of that history when reviewing Black students’ applications for admission and financial aid, said Clinton. “I’m not exactly sure what that looks like, but I do think that it’s worth acknowledging that there were years and years when the University didn’t admit Black people and years and years when the University was able to grow and sustain itself on the backs of Black labor. We need to help right that by making sure that this place right now is not only welcoming for the Black people who are here but also encourages Black people to apply while thinking specifically about that exclusion and exploitation from the past when evaluating [future] Black candidates.”

Kyra March '22 found an intellectual community when she worked as a research assistant at the Hutchins Center, and she was excited to narrate that stop on the tour. Photo by Kris Snibbe

A Space to Intellectually Engage Black History

Under the leadership of Henry Louis Gates Jr., the Hutchins Center draws scholars from all over the world to celebrate Black history, culture, and artistry. Originally established in 1975 as the W. E. B. Du Bois Institute for Afro-American Research, the Hutchins Center was established in 2013 to house not only the Du Bois Institute, but also the Image of the Black Archive & Library, the Celia and Henry W. McGee III Black Film Poster Collection, and innovative learning resources like the Hiphop Archive & Research Institute.

The center boasts a wide range of programs and some of the nation’s most renowned scholars of Black studies but also is a space that provides both refuge and joy to students like Kyra March ’22, who is concentrating in African and African American studies and studies of women, gender, and sexuality, with a citation in Gullah, the creole language of African Americans living in the Lowcountry from North Carolina to Florida.

In Summer 2021, March received a grant from the Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery initiative to work on her thesis about the Cambridge home of Harriet Jacobs , a formerly enslaved woman who famously published an autobiography documenting her experiences, and the absence of memorials to Black women. This semester, with support from a second H&LS grant, she’s working on digitizing her project.

March, who aims to become a museum curator, leapt at the opportunity to voice a stop for the tour and was thrilled to learn she would introduce the Hutchins Center, where she had previously worked as a research assistant.

“It is a place where you can engage with Black people and Black history on an intellectual level, and [which you can] also use as a safe space for Black people on this campus,” she said. Deeply grateful to both the Hutchins scholars and staffers she has gotten to know and work with these past four years, she said the center “is a really good community space where I felt like I had people around me who cared and that I could talk to.”

March, a South Carolina native, has been researching her family’s connection to slavery with her grandmother. So far, they’ve uncovered a great-grandfather and a great-great-grandfather who were born on plantations, presumably into enslavement. Coming from the South, she was not surprised to learn of Harvard’s ties to enslavement, although she was disappointed. March hopes the University will use the forthcoming report as well as physical memorials that still honor enslavers to educate the Harvard community and the public about University benefactors whose great wealth was built from slavery. While there are plaques and monuments acknowledging enslaved people at Harvard Law School and at Wadsworth House, she also hopes the University will add more memorials to honor the lives of other enslaved people to provide a fuller picture of the University’s history.

“I think that when the H&LS report comes out, people will want to engage more with the subject and do a lot more research to figure out how to honor them,” said March. She believes it will be a reality check for people who tend to put Harvard on a pedestal and “will force people to think about how there are so many important aspects of history that have been hidden that we should be seeking.”

The Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery Initiative will also celebrate African American excellence and the achievements of the University’s Black alums, including Alberta V. Scott, Radcliffe’s first Black graduate. March says that “seeing people like them and their lives and accomplishments just encourages me and reminds me that we have a place here and we deserve to be here.”

Mini Saxena LLM ’22, who introduces Widener Library on the tour, hopes the Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery report will spark more substantive changes. Photo by Evgenia Eliseeva

Widener Library’s Foundation in Black and White

Widener Memorial Library is the centerpiece of Harvard’s library system and one of the nation’s largest libraries—but how many people know that it sits on land donated by a slaveholder? Or, on the other hand, that Julian Francis Abele, the first African American graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s architecture program, was one of the chief architects of this iconic Harvard building?

As Mini Saxena LLM ’22 walked through Harvard Yard toward Widener to prep for her tour assignment, she was immediately struck by how imposing the limestone and red brick structure is. Peering through the pillars that envelop it, she gazed up and saw Harvard’s motto, Veritas , etched in stone above the building’s heavy doors. 

“It made me feel that this building houses not just the truth but all the truth that there is in the world,” Saxena recalled. “At the same time, I also was struck by this question of access. Who feels at home here, and who has access to this slightly intimidating structure?”

As she explored the building’s different levels, she pondered that some of the knowledge found in Widener’s more than three million books is available to just a certain group of people. More importantly, she thought, what would or could people who do not have this access do with that knowledge? She thought of the caste system in her native India, which historically denied members of lower classes access to knowledge or books not meant for them.

Throughout her self-guided tour, Saxena felt a strange kinship with Abele and wondered whether the lack of credit for his work grated on him or was taken in stride. It also made her wonder whether she is giving enough credit to scholars of color who are cited in her own work. Once people learn that Widener was designed by a Black architect whose work was co-opted, they may process the building differently.

“I think it’s important to reconstruct that memory and keep it alive,” said Saxena. “[Abele] is an example of someone who overcame challenges to get a good education and contribute to a really significant architectural piece of his time, but he also is an example of how those contributions get overshadowed.”

Saxena hopes that Harvard will make changes, both big and small, after the release of its H&LS report.

Harvard Law School students would like the student lounge in the Caspersen Student Center to be named after Belinda Sutton, whom HLS benefactor Isaac Royall had enslaved. In fact, as a form of protest, students have been referring to it as Belinda Hall for years.

“It’s a really small measure, and the fact that it hasn’t been accepted is indicative of the battle we have ahead of us,” she said. “I would like to see much more substantive changes,” including syllabus overhauls and a more diverse faculty.

“Once the report comes out, I want people to read it and realize that this institution not just has a legacy of slavery but has been complicit in slavery—and to some extent is still complicit, not so much in slavery but certainly in oppression of other kinds,” Saxena said. If she is ever in a position of pedagogical power, the future scholar added, she will work to ensure that everyone in her classroom feels like they belong and hopes that, moving forward, Harvard will support students who, for whatever reason, may feel they don't belong and consider what the University can do to change that.

Learn more about and download the tour.

News & Ideas

Episode 207: Let’s Talk about Climate Resilience

Episode 206: Tackling Environmental Inequality across Academic Disciplines

Student Spotlight: Chassidy Winestock PhD ’24

The Sounds of Change

Episode 205: A Conversation with Ruth J. Simmons

Episode 204: Math—It’s Not Just Numbers

Episode 203: Is Losing an Hour of Sleep Really That Big a Deal?

Episode 202: A Conversation with Sherrilyn Ifill

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9 Things to See On Your Campus Visit to Harvard

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When you’re making your college list, it’s always a good idea to visit colleges in person if you’re able to do so. You can learn a lot about a college online and by speaking with students or alumni, but actually visiting campus can give you a much better idea of what it’s actually like to live, learn, and work there for four years of your life.

If you’re thinking about visiting Harvard University and possibly applying to the school, you’re not alone; the college is not only an educational powerhouse, but also a popular destination for visitors from around the world. Attending an information session and taking a guided tour through Harvard’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions is a good idea, but those activities may not tell you everything you want to know.

In this post, we’ll go over some options you may want to add to your agenda for your Harvard visit, both on campus and off. These sights and activities can give you a uniquely valuable perspective on whether Harvard is truly a good fit for your college plans.

Want to learn what Harvard University will actually cost you based on your income? And how long your application to the school should take?  Here’s what every student considering Harvard University needs to know.

A Brief Introduction to Harvard

As we describe in greater detail in our Ultimate Guide to Applying to Harvard , Harvard University is possibly the most recognizable institution of higher learning in this country, and is widely know as an exceptionally prestigious and accomplished school. It also holds the title of the oldest university in the United States, so it’s been a fixture of the American educational scene for a very long time.

Harvard’s main campus is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, just across the river from the city of Boston. Most of its undergraduate facilities and resources are nestled into this campus, which is both a historically significant site and a center of cutting-edge resources. Its ornate architecture is reminiscent of the venerable colleges of England, or, as some recent students have noticed, of J. K. Rowling’s Hogwarts.

As you would imagine, such a well-known and well-regarded school receives a huge number of applicants — nearly 40,000 per year in recent years. Consequently, its admissions rate is very low, and currently hovers around 5%. Still, many students dream of heading to Harvard after high school, and some number of them eventually will become students there.

Since Harvard is such a popular choice among college applicants, we’ve covered issues specific to the Harvard application process several times before on the CollegeVine blog .

In addition to our Ultimate Guide to Applying to Harvard , you may be interested in the following posts:

• What Does It Take to Get Into Harvard?
• How to Write the Harvard University Application Essays 2016-17
• Harvard College Sample Essay 2016-2017
• The Harvard Interview: What It’s Like From a Harvard Student
• Should You Submit the Harvard Optional Supplement Essay?

Things to See on Campus

Before we begin our list of things to see on Harvard’s campus, it’s necessary to mention a few items about how Harvard responds to and accommodates visitors, including prospective applicants touring the school. While, as we’ve said, Harvard is itself a tourist destination, it’s also a functioning university and community that has a lot going on besides entertaining guests.

One factor to keep in mind when visiting Harvard is that many campus buildings aren’t open to the public. For example, Annenberg Hall, the ornate first-year dining hall, is among these private facilities. Harvard’s libraries, while fascinating, are also very strict in their admission policies, with even some visiting scholars having to jump through hoops to get access. For some facilities, if you’re visiting with a current student, you can be admitted as a guest, but that isn’t true everywhere.

Another important reminder is that Harvard’s campus is a place where people live and work year-round, so as a visitor, you’ll need to be respectful of those who call the school home. In the past, students have complained of visitors blocking important pathways — a real hassle when you’re rushing to class — or even taking pictures through dorm windows. New policies posted on campus make the rules clear , but it’s mostly a matter of common sense.

Now that we’ve dispensed with the practical advice, here are a few things you may like to add to your agenda while you’re on Harvard’s campus.

Harvard Yard

It may seem like a bit of a cliché to start with Harvard Yard, as it’s arguably the most recognizable part of the Harvard campus. However, this area is genuinely important for you to see as a prospective applicant, not least because it’s the area in which all first-year students live. If you attend Harvard, you’ll spend a lot of time in Harvard Yard that year — there’s no way around it.

After the first year, Harvard’s students enter residential colleges that are scattered across the campus, but they still have plenty of reasons to go back to the Yard. Not only do student events take place there, but it’s a great place to kick back and read a book. It’s also centrally located, so walking through the Yard is often the most convenient way to get somewhere you need to be.

Allston Campus

Right across the Charles River from Harvard Square, you’ll find Allston, a neighborhood that’s technically part of Boston. This area has long had a Harvard presence — it’s the location of the Harvard Business School campus, as well as Harvard’s stadium and other athletic facilities.

More recently, the Allston campus has become the site of a great deal of expansion and development on Harvard’s part. Ongoing projects and those in the planning stages will move many of the university’s engineering and computer science resources to Allston under the auspices of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. These are popular and expanding fields, so you may well spend time on that side of the river as a student.

The Allston campus is still a work in progress, but if you’d like to explore it, it’s easy to get to from Harvard Square. Multiple bridges make the area accessible on foot, by bus, or by car. Students, faculty, and staff also enjoy the use of a free shuttle that runs at regular intervals throughout the day.

Graduate School Campuses

As you may know, Harvard University is made up of twelve distinct degree-granting schools , most of which are graduate or professional programs. Each of these schools, from the Law School to the Divinity School to the School of Public Health, has spaces of its own on campus, whether large or small. Some are restricted to students from those programs, but some are open to the entire Harvard community.

You most likely won’t take courses at the graduate or professional schools while you’re an undergraduate at Harvard, but you may find yourself heading there for an event or navigating that section of campus on the way to somewhere else. These less central areas of campus can also be great places to find new study spots, explore different dining options, or see some impressive architecture and landscaping.

Harvard Museum of Natural History

Tucked away on the third floor of one of Harvard’s academic buildings, this small museum is nonetheless a gem — and not just because it’s home to a wide variety of mineral samples. You’ll also find treasures like massive whale skeletons, meteorites you can touch, an interactive simulation of the process of natural selection, and a world-renown collection of incredibly delicate glass models of plant specimens.

The Harvard Museum of Natural History is open to the public, and students and other Harvard affiliates enjoy free admission. Your ticket also gives you access to Harvard’s Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology , which houses an exceptional collection of historic artifacts from around the world.

Things to See Off Campus

Though Harvard is primarily located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the city of Boston itself is just across the river, easily accessible by bus or subway. (Driving is also possible, but traffic in the area is often heavy.) Cambridge has many of its own amenities, but the proximity of the larger city opens up additional possibilities, both for you as a student in the future and for you as a visitor right now.

Harvard Square

It would be nearly impossible to visit Harvard without walking through Harvard Square, which refers to the neighborhood around the Harvard Square subway and bus station. Located right in the center of campus, the square is an entertainment hub as well as a place where the Harvard community takes care of everyday errands, so if you end up attending Harvard, you’ll spend a lot of time here.

There’s always something new and exciting going on in Harvard Square, but you’ll also find fixtures like charming cafes, eclectic shops, and restaurants across the spectrum from cheap bites to exceptional cuisine. In the center of everything, don’t miss Out of Town News, an iconic news kiosk carrying a huge variety of periodicals.

Of course, being so close to such an intellectual powerhouse, Harvard Square’s amenities tend toward the intellectual side of life. The Harvard Coop, the official bookstore, is right down the street from The Harvard Book Store, which is not affiliated with Harvard. Both, however, are interesting places to browse, buy souvenirs, and get a better sense of Harvard Square’s atmosphere.

The Charles River

As we’ve mentioned, the Charles River acts as a boundary line between the cities of Cambridge and Boston. Besides being an unavoidable geographical feature of the Boston area, the river and its adjacent green spaces are popular for recreation, with paths for pedestrians and cyclists as well as boating, sightseeing, and picnicking opportunities.

Festivals and other public events also take place along the Charles, the best-known of which may be the annual Head of the Charles Regatta . This major annual rowing competition attracts huge crowds and competitors from around the world each October. Even if you’re not particularly interested in rowing, it’s an exciting and traditional part of life in Cambridge.

The Freedom Trail

One of the Boston area’s greatest claims to fame is its long history, particularly its importance during the American Revolutionary War. Many visitors to the area are eager to see what relics remain in existence from those foundational times. The Freedom Trail , a designated path through the city that passes by 16 important historical sites, is a convenient way to get a cohesive look at Boston’s past.

The Freedom Trail, which is marked along its length with a red-painted line on the ground, is a 2.5-mile-long walking trail that winds from Boston Common on one end to the Bunker Hill Monument and the U.S.S. Constitution on the other end. Y ou can take an official walking tour with a costumed tour guide or explore the trail on your own. Either way, you’ll have a unique opportunity to see the real-life sites of the events you’ve learned about in your American history classes.

Boston Common

This lovely public park in the center of Boston is a popular destination, both for casual relaxation and for large-scale community events like festivals, rallies, parades, and performances. Across the street, there’s even more green space: the Boston Public Gardens, another public park that’s more formally landscaped than the Common. It’s easily accessible by public transit and close to many other attractions in downtown Boston.

On the Common, you’ll find a number of different features, including public art, memorials and monuments, and a playground. In the winter, it’s home to an outdoor ice-skating rink and the city’s annual Christmas tree. It’s also a great place to view the Massachusetts State House, a beautiful historical building topped with an impressive golden dome.

Newbury Street

If you’re in the mood for some retail therapy in a classically Bostonian setting, Newbury Street is the place to be. This street in the Back Bay area of downtown Boston is packed with shops, cafes, restaurants, and other destinations, many of them in charming brick-and-stone row houses built in the late 1800s and later converted into retail space. 

Newbury Street is well known as home to some of Boston’s chicest — and most expensive — shopping destinations, but there are options along this block of shops for every budget. Even if you’re just window-shopping, it’s an enjoyable place to spend an afternoon enjoying the sights and sounds of Boston.

While we can’t possibly list everything there is to see when you visit Harvard, we hope this post can get you started on planning a trip that really helps you get to know the college and the surrounding community. We encourage you to do your research, seek out more destinations that reflect your interests, and have a great time!

If you’re currently embroiled in the process of preparing for and applying to college, you know full well that it can be complex and stressful — especially if you’re applying to prestigious, highly competitive schools with low acceptance rates and high standards.

Want access to expert college guidance — for free? When you create your free CollegeVine account, you will find out your real admissions chances, build a best-fit school list, learn how to improve your profile, and get your questions answered by experts and peers—all for free. Sign up for your CollegeVine account today to get a boost on your college journey.

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On Campus Information Sessions & Tours

Registration instructions.

• Registration for a campus visit is required .
• To sign up, please select an available date from the calendar below. Multiple events may pop up when you select an available date. Click on the event labeled "On-Campus Visit" at the time that works for you, and then complete the registration form on a new page.
• Once your registration is complete, we will be in touch via email with helpful information to plan your visit and visit reminders.
• If you arrive on campus without registering, a member of our visitor team will help you to determine your best options including providing information about a self-guided tour and helping you to register for an open tour date and time.
• Sign up for an online session here  - this is a 1 hour live session with an admissions officer. 
• Click here to do a self-paced virtual tour  of Harvard's campus. 
• If you are in the area, you may stop by our office at 5 James Street from 9am-5pm Monday to Friday (11am-5pm on Wednesdays) and pick up a self-guided tour map and ask questions of the Visitor Center staff. 

COVID-19 Precautions

Group visits/tours, important information for your visit.

• Special Accommodations - there will be space on the registration form to request special accommodations. Please note that we require 21 days advance notice in order to secure ASL interpreters. We cannot provide interpreters for other languages at this current time. Those requesting the use of a wheelchair must leave a current driver’s license or state ID with our Visitor Center personnel until the chair is returned. 
• Most buildings are closed to the public. Public restrooms will be available in the Elizabeth Cary Agassiz House before/after the information session, and at the end of the tour at Smith Campus Center.
• At this time, it is not possible to store luggage or other personal property during your visit. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, especially for families who have traveled long distances to join us.
• Your registration and attendance have no bearing on the admissions process should you decide to apply.
• Guests are not permitted to record any part of the information session and/or tour. 

On-Campus Visit Calendar & Registration

The Hahvahd Tour

Review Highlights

“ My tour guide Lillie was awesome and gave an amazing overview on the history of Harvard and the school itself! ” in 155 reviews

“ My husband Jay and I took the tour today with Justin Fox and he is the best tour guide. ” in 7 reviews

“ It's a must see when you go to Boston and hopefully you will get Jake F . ” in 4 reviews

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1376 Massachussetts Ave

Cambridge, MA 02138

Harvard Square

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We are to official college-campus tours what the Daily Show is to National News Networks. Our 70 minute tour highlights Harvard hot-spots through a satisfying blend of in-depth knowledge, side-splitting jokes, historical accounts, and exclusive takes on student life at Harvard. It's no wonder that The Hahvahd Tour is known as the Ultimate Harvard Experience. …

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335 reviews

If you want to see and learn about Harvard, this is a must-do in Boston. Our tour guide Cheyenne - a fellow Long Islander and Harvard student - was incredibly knowledgeable, entertaining, and accommodating. Lots of history and factoids about notable Harvardians and a beautiful tour of the campus. Great time!

For our group, this was just an OK tour. It was a paid alternative to the free Harvard tours that were fully booked for the time we were there. There wasn't a lot of information shared, insider or otherwise, and the little information could easily have been read on our own. This tour primarily covers the outdoor Harvard Square area so don't expect anything more comprehensive or insider than that (area was open to public when we toured). Large tour group and the guide didn't wear any of the identifying info shown in the promotional photos. We walked and stopped in a handful of areas where she shared some basic historical information with the group. It was fine but not a trip highlight or anything fantastic - especially considering the cost.

LOVED LOVED LOVED this wonderful tour! The tour guide was super fun and very sweet. We learned so much about the school we never knew of before. Got to visit some historical area on campus and see some movie locations too. This really was one of our favorite experiences during our trip in Boston! Highly highly recommend. The gift shop had the best stuff - we loaded up!

Josh was a fantastic tour guide and handled our big group with skill and humor. Learned a lot, both about the history of Harvard, but also his experience as a student. Highly recommend!

Daniella was awesome! She made the tour fun and entertaining while also really informative. Thanks Daniella! Enjoy your new dorm!

Such a beautiful campus and great tour! So cool to get the back story of the oldest university in the country. My tour guide Lillie was awesome and gave an amazing overview on the history of Harvard and the school itself! She even taught us the Harvard leg sweep J/K, it doesn't exist but if it did, I'm sure she'd teach it to us. Definitely worth checking out!

We had a really good time, our guide Alexandro, was very enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and able to answer all questions. He did a great job!

Save you money unless you want to hear weird stories and some questionable history about Harvard. The tour only goes around the outside of campus and you can only go in on your own, after the tour and without your guide. Our guide had a lot of energy, not a student or alumnus and that's about the only positive thing I can say.

This tour was great! Our tour guide was John and he did an amazing job informing us about Harvard. He was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. He also answered all of our questions, would definitely recommend.

It was nice to walk around campus with an actual student as a guide. Tova did a geat Job, she's very friendly and gave us such a good time.

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The Johnston Gate, located in Cambridge, MA, is a historical landmark designed by architect Charles McKim of McKim, Mead, and White in 1889-1890. It is the first of several entrances that allow entrance into Harvard Yard. Each year, the sheriffs of Middlesex and Suffolk Counties enter through Johnston Gate as they arrive at Harvard Yard on horseback during Commencement Day for the Middlesex Sheriff's ritual calling of the celebrants to order. The ornate ironwork gate features symbolism signifying Harvard's religious roots and two stone inscriptions on either side of the gateway.

According to the Cambridge Historical Society, the founders of First Parish Cambridge were highly trained, many of them Englishmen educated at Cambridge and Oxford University. The Parish’s religious teachings evolved based on the minister in charge: although founded by English Puritans, the First Christ Church in Cambridge witnessed an unspoken transition to Calvinism under the guise of unitarianism throughout the early decades of its operations. Despite a history of flirting with branches of Christianity, the Cambridge First Church is presently encompassed under the Unitarian Universalist Association, a national religious organization comprised of Unitarian congregations and Universalist faith communities. For centuries, its functions have extended beyond the scope of community church, acting as a civic meetinghouse, repository for family history and center for social activism.

Massachusetts Hall, a four-story brick building with gambrel roof, stands just off Massachusetts Avenue, on the western side of the Old Yard of Harvard College. Erected in 1718-1720, it is the oldest surviving building on the third Colonial institution for higher learning. As such, it possesses great significance, not only in the history of the American education but in the story of the development of England’s North American colonies during the 18th century. Massachusetts Hall today houses administrative offices of Harvard University and, above the second floor, also serves as a freshman dormitory. The restored building, maintained in excellent condition, is not open to the general public.

Matthews Hall is a freshman dormitory for Harvard University, constructed in Harvard Yard in 1872. Named after Nathan Matthews of Boston, the hall is built on the site of the Indian College, Harvard's first brick building, which housed a printing press, classrooms, and living quarters for English and American Indian students from 1655 to 1698. The first Bible in North America was printed at the Indian College from 1659-1663, translated into Algonquian by John Eliot. Caleb Cheeshahteaumuck of the Wampanoag tribe was the first American Indian to graduate in 1665.

Dedicated in 1884, the John Harvard statue in Harvard Yard, Cambridge, is the focal point of many false rumors, inaccuracies, and even pranks. The statue reads "John Harvard, Founder, 1638," yet all of these are inaccuracies, which led to the statue being nicknamed "the statue of three lies." The man depicted by the statue is not John Harvard, but instead a student at the school. In addition, Harvard was not the founder of Harvard College, but rather a financial investor. Finally, the school was actually built in 1636, not 1638. Regardless of the inaccuracies revolving around this statue, this work of Daniel French is an important part of the Harvard Yard.

Harvard Yard is a 22.4-acre enclosed grassy area and the oldest part of the Harvard University campus. The Yard, originally a cow pasture, serves as the symbolic heart of the university. It is principally bounded by Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge Street, Broadway, and Quincy Street. On this plot of land are situated most of the freshman dormitories, Harvard's most significant libraries, Memorial Church, classroom and departmental buildings, and the offices for high-ranking university administrators. Three of these structures are designated National Historic Landmarks, and Harvard Yard itself was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.

Widener Library is Harvard University’s central academic library. Deemed Harvard’s “flagship” library by the University, it is located at the top of Harvard Yard. The library is named for Harry Elkins Widener, descendant of two of America’s most wealthy nineteenth-century families and graduate of Harvard College’s class of 1907 [1]. After Widener perished in the sinking of the Titanic in 1912, his mother, who survived the tragedy, donated a bequest to Harvard University to build a library in her son’s name. Meant as a tribute to Harry Elkins Widener’s passion for book collecting, the library was completed in 1915 [2]. Today, it houses some of Harry Elkins Widener’s personal reading collection of rare books as part of this tribute, including a Gutenberg Bible. Now home to more than 3.5 million books, Widener Library is accessible to all Harvard affiliates and to members of the public who purchase a Harvard Special Borrower Card at a cost of USD $750 per year [3].

The Barker Center for the Humanities at Harvard University was established in 1996 within a newly-renovated building that was constructed in 1900 and previously housed the Harvard Union. The Harvard Union was built as an alternative to the restrictive social clubs that dominated campus life at that time and had created a sharp division between “society” and “non-society” men.

The Harvard Art Museums are comprised of the Fogg Museum, the Busch-Reisinger Museum, and the Arthur M. Sackler Museum. The Fogg Museum opened in 1895 in a Beaux-Arts style building on the north end of Harvard Yard. In 1891, Mrs. Elizabeth Fogg left money to Harvard University to build a Fogg Art Museum in memory of her husband. “Designed by architects Coolidge, Shepley, Bulfinch, and Abbott of Boston, the joint art museum and teaching facility was the first purpose-built structure for the specialized training of art scholars, conservators, and museum professionals in North America. With an early collection that consisted largely of plaster casts and photographs, the Fogg Museum is now renowned for its holdings of Western paintings, sculpture, decorative arts, photographs, prints, and drawings dating from the Middle Ages to the present” (“History”). In 1927, the museum moved to its current location.

Memorial Hall is a building complex at Harvard University, primarily built to honor graduates who died for the Union cause during the Civil War. Completed in 1878, it is composed of three sections: Sanders Theater where students can be found attending lecture and seminars, Annenberg Hall, which is based on Christ Church at Oxford (and used for filming the Great Hall in Harry Potter), and the Memorial Transept, which contains over 100 tablets with the names of the honored students who perished. The Memorial Transept serves the most direct memorial purpose, boasting beautiful stained glass windows that illuminate the names of those who died.

Established in 1931, the Harvard-Yenching Library was formed from the transfer of Harvard University’s East Asian collection to the Harvard-Yenching Institute which had been established in 1928. Since that time, the library has grown to become the largest East Asian university library in the United States with over 1.3 million items in its collections. The Harvard-Yenching Library is a part of the larger Harvard University Library system which dates back to 1638 and is the oldest in the United States. Though primarily open to Harvard ID holders, researchers and the general public are able to access the collections within the Harvard-Yenching Library with special permission.

Originally founded in 1889, the Harvard Semitic Museum is now known at the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East. It is one of the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture. The museum features 40,000 Near Eastern artifacts from Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Syria, and Tunisia that explore the archaeology, history, and culture in those countries. The collection was begun to facilitate study of Semitic languages, but the name was recently changed to better reflect the collections modern-day diversity.

Divinity Hall is the oldest building at the Harvard Divinity School. Constructed in 1825 on land reclaimed from Cambridge marshes, it was the first Harvard structure built outside the Yard. Architectually, Divinity Hall features characteristics of both the Federal and Greek Revival styles and serves as a rare example of a 19th-Century institutional building. It was from this hall that on July 15, 1838, Ralph Waldo Emerson delivered his Divinity School Address, "Acquaint Thyself at First Hand with Deity."

The Harvard University Herbaria include six collections and more than five million specimens of algae, bryophytes, fungi, and vascular plants. Together they form one of the largest university herbarium collections in the world, and the third largest herbarium in the United States. With their state-of-the art research laboratories and world class libraries, the HUH have been a centerpiece of biodiversity science since the early 1800s.

Founded in 1866 by Massachusetts-born George Peabody, Harvard University's Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology is one of the world's first anthropology museums. Its collections include archaeological and ethnological material from North, Central, and South America; Europe; Africa; Asia; and Oceania. Its materials include artifacts; photographic archives; paintings, drawings, and textiles; osteological, paleoanthropological, and zooarchaeological collections; and manuscripts, correspondence, and other historical documents.

The Harvard Museum of Natural History (HMNH) was established in 1998 as the public face of three research museums: the Museum of Comparative Zoology, the Harvard University Herbaria, and the Mineralogical & Geological Museum. Presenting these incomparable collections and the research of scientists across the University, the Harvard Museum of Natural History’s mission is to enhance public understanding and appreciation of the natural world and the human place in it, sparking curiosity and a spirit of discovery in people of all ages.

This Tour is a Walking Tour .

Highlights of Harvard Walking Tour

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Description

This short walk through the main campus of Harvard University includes stops at over a dozen campus buildings and several statues and other historical and cultural landmarks.

Harvard University Campus Guided Walking Tour

• Harvard Square
• Harvard University
• John Harvard Statue
• Harvard Art Museums
• The Harvard Shop
• Memorial Hall

Getting there

Harvard University Campus

1376 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, 02138

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• Harvard Public Art & Culture Tour: Allston

Named after Washington Allston—a visionary painter and 1800 Harvard graduate—the neighborhood of Allston features vibrant, eclectic art that reflects its creativity and diversity. On this self-guided tour, you'll discover "can't-miss" public art installations along Western Avenue (and beyond!) and learn the stories behind them and their artists. Follow along to explore hand-painted murals, sky-high sculptures, 25-cent art prints, and more!

• What You'll See & Learn
• Recommended Routes

Frequently Asked Questions

Discover public art.

Take this free, self-guided tour by downloading the Visit Harvard mobile app, available on iOS and Android devices.

Download on the Apple App Store     Download on Google Play

What you'll see:.

Pictured: Hand-painted murals featured on the Walls on Western garage at Zone 3.

10 Sculptures

Pictured: the bronze sculpture, 'quest eternal' as seen near the entrance of smithfield playground in allston..

Pictured: Mural 'Interconnected' by Sophy Tuttle reflected in the windows of the Harvard Science and Engineering Complex.

What you'll learn:.

Stories behind the art

Pictured: presence by mary frank, 1985–86, bronze. hbs art and artifacts collection.

Artist inspirations

Pictured: the artist, imagine (aka sneha shrestha), posing in front of the mural 'saya patri (one with a hundred petals)'.

Local history

Pictured: 'interconnected' by sophy tuttle, painted on the facade of the old new england deposit library, choose your own path:.

Whether you only have 30 minutes or you're on your way to/from Cambridge, we've compiled a list of recommended routes for you to take in order to get the best tour experience! Find previews below and learn more by downloading the Visit Harvard app!

Playground Path

Going to the Smith Field Playground? This route features stops between Zone 3 and Trader Joe's—with plenty of time to take a ride down a slide!

Short On Time

Are you strapped for time? Need a new dog walking route? Take a quick and easy stroll along Western Avenue for beautiful murals by local artists. Route highlight: Get your quarter out for your own copy of Art in Print!

Coffee & Greenspace

Stop in one of several bakeries or cafes for a coffee (and a sweet treat!) before making your way towards the Harvard Business School campus, featuring sky-high sculptures and innovative art installations.

Crossing the Bridge

Are you coming from or heading to Cambridge? Check out the art installations closest to this commute and learn about Harvard's cultural initiatives along the way. Route Highlight: Take a peek into Harvard's 15,856 sq ft ceramics studio!

Campus Loop

Hit all the tour stops located around Harvard's Allston campus, including the ArtLab, Harvard Business School, Harvard's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Complex, and the Harvard Ed Portal.

What is the Visit Harvard mobile app?

Visit Harvard is a free mobile app by the Harvard Visitor Center that features a collection of self-guided tours centered around the Harvard University experience. The Visit Harvard mobile app can be downloaded by anyone with a smartphone, tablet, or desktop, to be enjoyed from wherever you might be visiting, whether it’s in-person or from the comfort of your own home.

What is the Harvard Public Art & Culture Tour?

The Harvard Public Art & Culture Tour is a self-guided tour collection that highlights the local art that surrounds—and beautifies— the Harvard community, from hand-painted murals to sky-high sculptures. The first released tour in the collection focuses on the Allston neighborhood, specifically along the Western Avenue corridor and into the Harvard Business School campus. Not only will you be guided to view these artworks in-person, you'll also learn the history behind each piece as well as the artist who created them. The tour features guided mapping, photos, and audio tracks for convenience and accessibility.

In the near future, we will release the next tour in the collection which focuses on the public art throughout Harvard's Cambridge campus.

How long is the mobile tour?

This self-guided tour takes place across 27 mapped stops along Western Avenue, including several stops on Harvard Business School's campus. At a standard walking pace, it will take up to 1 hour to complete the 2 mile long tour.

Note that we have also included information about several shorter tour routes in the app. Some of these routes include options that will only take 30 minutes to complete. You can view this information by downloading the Visit Harvard app, navigating to "Harvard Public Art & Culture Tour," and selecting "Allston."

Where does the mobile tour begin?

The official tour route begins at the tour stop Evo, located at 395 Western Avenue, Allston, MA 02134. In the app, we've suggested several other routes that begin at other locations, including the Harvard Business School or Barry's Corner.

What is the terrain like for people who use mobility aids, like wheelchairs or canes?

This self-guided tour takes place on flat terrain (easy grade urban sidewalks) and is mobility-friendly, wheelchair accessible, and stroller-friendly. The self-guided tour also has additional in-app accessibility options for visitors who are visually or hearing impaired, including voiceover and image descriptions.

Can I take the mobile tour in-person or virtually?

This mobile tour is designed to be accessed in-person throughout the Western Avenue corridor in Allston. It can also be viewed from the comfort of your own home. Simply download Visit Harvard in the app store, navigate to "Harvard Public Art & Culture Tour," select "Allston," and begin your journey!

Where can I download the Visit Harvard mobile app?

You can download the Visit Harvard mobile app on the Apple App Store and Google Play .

Who should I contact if I have further questions?

For any questions about the Visit Harvard mobile app, you can contact the Harvard Visitor Center .

Continue your art adventure in Cambridge! Take a customizable self-guided tour of public art in & around Harvard and discover a new side to the University's iconic campus

The Harvard Public Art & Culture Tour is part of a collection of self-guided tours featured on the Visit Harvard app by the Harvard Visitor Center. For more information about Visit Harvard or other tour offerings (including in person student-guided tours), please visit the Harvard Visitor Center's official website .

• Inventing Spaces
• Artist Pipeline Program
• Digital Learning & HarvardX for Allston
• Economic Development
• Faculty Speaker Series
• Health & Wellness
• Public School Partnerships
• Workforce Development
• Youth Programming
• Harvard Students: Learn to Teach & Mentor

• Presidential Search
• Editor's Pick

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Harvard Student Government Approves PSC Petition for Referendum on Israel Divestment

Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang ’05 Elected Co-Chair of Metropolitan Mayors Coalition

Cambridge Residents Slam Council Proposal to Delay Bike Lane Construction

In ‘Company’ for the Digital Age, Life is Frenetic, Overwhelming, and Surreal

“Company” begins with a room. It is sparsely furnished and remarkable in its mundanity: a folding chair, a table, and a few coat hangers tacked to a gray wall. When birthday girl Bobbie (Britney Coleman) — holding helium-filled number balloons that scream “35” — bursts through the door, only to collapse into the chair and pour herself a glass of wine as she listens to her voicemails, the audience viscerally feels her exhaustion.

“Company” arrives at Boston’s Citizens Bank Opera House as part of its second North American tour. This particular iteration of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s 1970 production comes to Boston from Broadway, though it was first staged in London’s West End — in other words, “Company” is a show that has been repeated, altered, and reproduced, time and time again. In her revival, director Marianne Elliott has changed the perennial bachelor Bobby to perennial bachelorette Bobbie; the setting, though still New York City, has been moved from Sondheim’s era to modern times.

With its numerous reproductions and historical baggage, perhaps “Company” never had any choice but to confront the monotony of daily life, even as time relentlessly marches forward; It does so exceedingly well, grappling with modern day problems with humor and ingenuity. The musical explores every inch of what it means to exist in the digital age, along with the endless obligations that one has to friends and acquaintances. The musical makes abundantly clear how one can be surrounded by loved ones and still feel incredibly lonely.

“Phone rings, door chimes, in comes company,” goes the famous line from the show, and indeed it’s true: Elliott fantastically stresses how privacy is anachronistic to modern life. Set designer Bunny Christie divides the stage via small moving cubicles that function as rooms, and choreographer Liam Steel uses the cramped space wonderfully to emphasize how suffocated Bobbie feels. As the ensemble of Bobbie’s friends surprise her with a birthday party in the song “Company,” they squeeze into Bobbie’s room, pressing up and jostling against each other as they pose in multiple positions. Personal space is non-existent, and as Bobbie’s well-meaning friends — who are all coupled up — smother her with love and affection, a sense of claustrophobia engulfs the scene.

“Company” implicates its audience as it examines the digital age — and in this sense, perhaps the performance begins before the lights dim, with the disembodied voice that invites theater-goers to put their phones away before the musical starts. Though a ubiquitous theater announcement, it’s an ironic reminder in this context: The audience remains plugged in for the next two hours as the cast of “Company” fully incorporates social media into its performance. The characters take selfies, accompanied by the blinding flash of lights; the rooms, too, are outlined with LED lights reminiscent of Instagram’s square posts, as if the vignettes unfolding within were contained to a screen. The show interrogates how the digital age has eroded any semblance of peace that an individual can achieve, adding another dimension to the musical’s theme of appearance versus reality. As actors hold out their phones to take photos at seemingly random junctures, the audience understands their desperation to pause time, or to grasp at some ephemeral moment.

Elliott, in an interview with The New York Times , explains how theater “should have something to say to the now” — and though never truly explicit, this adaptation of “Company” has wholly embraced its zeitgeist. As Jamie (Matt Rodin) stresses about getting married to his boyfriend, one cannot help but think of how queer couples rush towards marriage for fear of changing laws ; and as Bobbie frets about how single she is, the ticking clock that accompanies each stage transition reminds the audience of female biological clock and pressures on women to get married early .

The characters of “Company” are running out of time in a world that moves at a rapid clip, a theme that is strongest when the show fully embraces the absurdities of the contemporary. Sondheim and Furth’s original production saw “Company” as a concept musical, in which time is malleable and played with through a series of vignettes that could, ostensibly, be occurring simultaneously. Elliott takes this impulse and runs with it, and as a result the show displays a temporal surreality that manifests as physical absurdity. At one point in the second act, the “35” number balloons which Bobbie holds in the opening scene reappear, but as human-sized inflatables which drift around the stage — such interventions prove mischievous and quirky, and work to a wonderful effect.

Given all this, it is no surprise that the technical team of “Company” has an illusionist, Chris Fisher, whose work shines particularly in the physical comedy of “Getting Married Today.” As Jamie gets cold feet before his wedding, the scene is enhanced as the vicar pops up like a poltergeist throughout his industrial kitchen — disappearing behind a door, springing up from a cake, emerging from a fridge. Jamie’s over-the-top reactions to the shock of seeing the vicar adds to his incredibly hilarious rendition.

But the digital age isn’t just overwhelming: It’s isolating, too. Christie’s set allows for the rooms to feel cramped and claustrophobic, but also underscores the paradox of being connected and, somehow, alone. At times, the set’s various sized rooms fit together snugly even as characters remain alone in rooms, reinforcing Bobbie’s loneliness despite being surrounded by friends. As Coleman cries, “I’m ready now! Someone, I’m ready!” in “Marry Me a Little,” the desperation of Bobbie is heartbreakingly palpable.

The tension between being constantly tuned in and isolated is abandoned at certain junctures of the show, and it is these scenes that make the show feel somewhat stagnant. Bobbie finds herself alone within the second act as she begins to wrestle more and more with the prospect of settling down, but these moments sometimes feel contrived in their simplicity, given the overall frenetic energy of the show. In a scene where Joanne (Judy McLane) and Bobbie watch Joanne’s partner Larry (Derrick Davis) dance in a nightclub, the staging feels stale: Joanne and Bobbie remain seated in high-top chairs throughout the lengthy conversation, making the scene feel inert. And as Coleman takes center stage in “Being Alive,” with little action happening around her, one cannot help but wish that more was done with the staging. Despite this, “Company” remains magnificent as it balances between the individual and the collective, and the perennial question — how does one know when it’s time to settle down? — is consistently interwoven throughout the show.

The original “Company” first premiered in Boston’s Shubert Theatre on March 24, 1970, with Bobby blowing out his candles, alone, at the end of the show. Less than ten minutes away from its original premiere location, Bobbie steps back into the room where she first began the show and sits down alone at her table, facing a cake too big for her to finish on her own, and dotted with 35 birthday candles. As she blows out the candles in the show’s finale, just as Bobby did 54 years before her, one thing is clear. “Company” has reproduced, yet again, another fantastic musical — one that honors the original while being a sublime adaptation of our contemporary times.

“Company” runs at the Citizens Bank Opera House through April 14.

—Staff writer Angelina X. Ng can be reached at [email protected] .

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Cruising The Mediterranean: Athens to Naples

April 28 - May 7, 2025

Group Size: Hebridean Sky can accommodate up to 96 passengers for this voyage Price: Starting from $6,990 per person double occupancy, $10,990 single occupancy Co-sponsored with: Archaeological Institute of America, Cornell's Adult University, Williams Alumni Travel Study, Yale Alumni Academy

Trip Overview

Join us aboard the elegant 59-cabin, Hebridean Sky, for a seven-night Mediterranean cruise. This program highlights archaeological sites that are remnants of the grand civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome. Begin in Athens, with either an in-depth exploration of the Acropolis and its incomparable Parthenon, including a visit to the Acropolis Museum, or with a special tour of the private Goulandris Museum. Cruise through the Corinth Canal to see where the Oracle spoke to Greek citizens at Delphi. If you wish, go for a run on the original track at Olympia. Marvel at the 3rd c. BC Greco-Roman amphitheater at Taormina and the stunning Greek Temple of Neptune at Paestum before visiting fascinating Pompeii for a look at what the Roman life was like before Mt. Vesuvius erupted. There will also be opportunities to participate in optional pre-and post-trip extensions in Athens and Rome.

You will be joined by expert study leaders throughout this program, offering a series of illustrated lectures and informal discussions along the way. With only 59 cabins available, we encourage you to reserve your space today!

Schedule by Day

Depart the U.S. on an overnight flight to Athens, Greece.

Arrive Tuesday, April 28, and transfer to the centrally located Athens Capital Hotel—MGallery Collection adjacent to the Plaka for an orientation, welcome reception, and dinner

Overnight:  Capital Center Hotel – MGallery Collection

This morning visit the private Goulandris Museum of Cycladic Art in Athens, a collection specializing in prehistoric art from the Cyclades islands, or, venture above the city to the magnificent Acropolis, home to the incredible Parthenon, and visit the Acropolis Museum. Drive to the Port of Piraeus, the largest port in Greece, and board the Hebridean Sky. This evening attend the Captain’s welcome reception and dine aboard the ship.

Overnight: Hebridean Sky

Meals: B, L, D

Cruise through the Corinth Canal, whose steep limestone walls soar nearly 300 feet overhead, before docking at Itea to climb the spectacular ruins of Delphi. Located on the slopes of Mt. Parnassus, Delphi was the influential oracular sanctuary to Apollo, considered by the ancient Greeks to be the center of the world and where the Oracle’s pronouncements were sought for centuries. Its remarkable setting and architecture evoke the same reverence today as they did thousands of years ago.

Today visit Olympia, the iconic site of the ancient Olympic Games. During the Games, the Greek citystates were bound by a truce that forbade hostilities and focused attention strictly on athletic competition. Here visit the temples, stadium, sanctuary, and stoa and view the museum’s impressive statues and artifacts. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to race on the original Olympic track.

Founded around 734 B.C. by Greek Corinthians, Siracusa was conquered and ruled by Romans, Saracens, Byzantines, Normans, and Ottomans, who each left a legacy of archaeological treasures that have earned the city UNESCO World Heritage status. Continue to the adjacent fortified island of Ortygia with highlights including Cathedral Square and a Jewish mikveh (bath). Later, in a nearby private palazzo dating back to the Middle Ages, enjoy a wine tasting hosted by a nobleman and admire a collection of etchings of ancient Siracusa and Sicily. This evening either join an after-dark architectural walk or explore independently before returning to the ship.

Today choose between three excursion options: 1) An early departure for the slopes of Mt. Etna to see the Silvestri Crater with an opportunity to ride the cable car to the summit; 2) A visit to the 3rd century B.C. Greco-Roman theater at Taormina followed by free time in town; 3) A journey through the Sicilian countryside for a hike in Alcantara Gorge, an impressive canyon formed by the Alcantara River and lava flows from Mt. Etna.

Dock this morning in Salerno for a short drive to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Paestum, an ancient Greek city famous for its three excellently preserved Doric Greek temples, dating from 550 to 450 BC. Marvel at the magnificent Temple of Neptune—the most complete of the three temples—which is said to be modeled after the Temple of Zeus in Olympia. This afternoon cruise along the picturesque Amalfi Coast to Sorrento, a small coastal city famous for its sea cliffs.

Sorrento, with its spectacular views over the Bay of Naples, is the base for today’s excursion to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Roman Pompeii. This ancient city was buried by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in AD 79 and its well-preserved ruins continue to provide a unique glimpse into ancient Roman daily life. View the fascinating ruins of Pompeii and uncover an ancient city frozen in time.

Disembark in Naples this morning and transfer to Naples-Capodichino International Airport for flights home or begin the optional post-tour extension in Rome.

Per Person, Double Occupancy

• Category A, Standard Cabin: $6,990 per person
• Category B, Standard Cabin: $7,990 per person
• Category C, Superior Cabin: $9,490 per person
• Category D, Premium Cabin: $10,990 per person
• Category E, Corner Suite: $11,990 per person
• Category F, Deluxe Balcony Suite: $13,490 per person
• Category G, Owner's Corner Balcony Suite: $14,490
• Category H, Hebridean Suite: $16,490 per person

Single Occupancy

• Category A, Standard Cabin: $10,990
• Category B, Standard Cabin: $12,790
• Category C, Superior Cabin: $15,190

Accommodations

• 1 night Athens Capital Center Hotel - MGallery Collection
• 7 nights aboard the Hebridean Sky
• Optional Pre-tour Extension in Athens; Post-Tour Extension in Rome: Information forthcoming

What to Expect

This is a moderately active program with considerable walking most days, often on cobblestoned and uneven terrain, and extended periods of standing. Participants must be in good health and able to keep up with the group with limited assistance from tour staff. Many historic buildings and archaeological sites do not have elevators, and you’ll occasionally encounter steps without handrails. These adventure-filled days are offset by relaxing time spent cruising at sea, with the opportunity to enjoy the ship’s amenities and the full lecture program.

Anyone with a serious medical problem, whose medical situation might be adversely affected by active travel, or who might have difficulty walking, should not consider this program.

This promises to be a memorable journey, but as with all travel, a flexible attitude, a spirit of adventure, and a willingness to explore new areas will enhance your enjoyment of this program. You do not have to participate in all of the scheduled activities, except when traveling to the next destination. We are sure you will be pleased with the exciting educational program provided, but we want you to be aware of the pace and activity level.

Study Leader(s)

Mode of travel.

Related Trips

For More Information

Please email [email protected] or call our office at 800-422-1636 or 617-496-0806.

Masters 2024 highlights: Round 2 leaderboard, how Tiger Woods did and more

The  2024 Masters  continued Friday with the completion of Round 1 followed by Round 2.

What did we learn after all that golf? The weekend should be pretty exciting.

There's a three-way tie for first, with Max Homa, Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau all sitting at 6 under.

If that weren't enough, we get to watch Tiger Woods play the weekend at Augusta National once again. The five-time Masters champ has now made the cut at his 24th consecutive Masters Tournament .

Check out USA TODAY Sports ' updates on all the action from Friday, including Tiger Woods’ status, the leaderboard, highlights and more:

Who is leading the Masters 2024?

It's a three-way tie atop the Masters leaderboard. Bryson DeChambeau, Scottie Scheffler and Max Homa are all tied at 6 under. Homa had the best outing of the trio Friday, shooting a 1-under 71. Scheffler, the 2022 Masters champ, shot an even par 72 and DeChambeau, the leader after Thursday's first round, shot a 1-over 73.

Check out the full Masters leaderboard here .

Masters tee times for Saturday's third round

Tee times for Saturday's third round can be found here .

What did Tiger Woods shoot Friday?

Tiger Woods shot an even par 72 Friday after recording four birdies and four bogeys.

Did Tiger Woods make the cut?

Yep, Tiger is playing into the weekend once again, setting a record with 24 consecutive made cuts at the Masters.

Woods shot a 1-over 73 Thursday and even par 72 Friday to make the cut.

Tiger Woods grinds through 23 holes at Masters and somehow gets better. How?

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Tiger Woods is 48 going on 68 on good days, probably more like 78 on the others. His body is a mess, especially his right leg that was crushed and rebuilt after his 2021 car crash. The only way he can compete on tour these days is to give himself plenty of time between rounds to recover, ice up, get some rest and try again the next day. To circumvent any part of that process is to tempt fate, likely leading to a poor round, a missed cut and one fewer tournament left to be played in Tiger’s storied career.

So how do we explain  what happened Friday at the Masters,  when Tiger had to play 23 holes in a gusting wind with only a 52-minute break between the first five and the last 18, and actually got better as the day wore on?

Read the rest of Christine Brennan's column from Augusta here .

Masters cut line 2024

The cut line for the 2024 Masters came in at 6 over. Any golfer who shot 7 over or worse is going home.

Who missed cut at Masters?

See who missed the and who will be playing into the weekend here .

Did any LIV Golf players make Masters cut?

Yep. In fact, one of them is in the lead .

Scottie Scheffler tied atop leaderboard after second round

The top of the 2024 Masters leaderboard is crowded with Americans. Scottie Scheffler, Max Homa and Bryson DeChambeau are all tied at 6-under through two rounds at Augusta National. Both Scheffler and DeChambeau held the solo lead at various times before ending the day in a three-way tie. 

Scheffler shot an even par 72 in the second round with three bogeys and three birdies. He had the opportunity to take the sole lead on the 17th but he narrowly missed an uphill putt for birdie to the left.

Scheffler is in great position to win his second Masters Tournament in three years. He took home the green jacket in 2022.  

Scottie Scheffler bogeys 13th hole after ball lands in water

Scottie Scheffler almost escaped Amen Corner without incident until he got to the Par-5, 13th hole. The World No. 1 found the water on his second stroke. “No,” Scheffler yelled after the errant shot. He dropped in on the edge of the creek and used a club to chip the ball onto the green. He narrowly missed a par putt and finished with a bogey, his third of the second round. Scheffler drops to 6-under on the tournament and is now tied for first place alongside fellow American Bryson DeChambeau.

Bryson DeChambeau drops out of lead after bogey on 18, Scottie Scheffler in front 

American Bryson DeChambeau was even through the second round, all the way until the 18th hole (Par-4, 465 yards). DeChambeau bogeyed on his final hole of the day, marking his fourth bogey, along with three birdies in the second round. He finished 1-over 72 on the day and 6-under on the tournament. 

With the bogey, DeChambeau fell from the top of the leaderboard to second place alongside Max Homa. Now, fellow American Scottie Scheffler is in sole possession of first place at 7-under through 12 holes. 

Bryson DeChambeau hits bomb tee shot on No. 17

American Bryson DeChambeau made history at the 17th hole (Par-4, 440 yards) at Augusta National. The American co-leader teed off a 372-yard drive down the fairway. He found the green his next stroke on a wedge shot, setting up a birdie putt, which he couldn’t convert. DeChambeau has had several opportunities to birdie that he’s narrowly missed. He remains even on the day and 7-under on the tournament. 

Americans Bryson DeChambeau, Scottie Scheffler share Masters lead 

Fore! American Bryson DeChambeau didn’t get off to the best start on the 16th hole (Par-3, 180yards) and launched the ball into a group of bystanders to the left of the green. But he rebounded nicely with a chip shot onto the green and knocked down a putt to save par.

DeChambeau remains even on the day and is 7-under overall, but now he has company. Fellow American Scottie Scheffler picked up a birdie on the 10th hole to take the co-lead with DeChambeau at 7-under. 

Masters leaderboard: Bryson DeChambeau on top through 15

American Bryson DeChambeau is at the top of the leaderboard, but he had an opportunity to add to it on the Par-5, 15th hole. His birdie putt looked inline with the hole, until the ball caught the lip and spun out. DeChambeau remains even in the second round with three birdies and three bogeys and is 7-under on the tournament. DeChambeau has company — one stroke above fellow Americans Max Homa and Scottie Scheffler, who are currently tied for second place. 

Tiger Woods sets record by making 24th straight Masters cut

On Friday the 15-time major champion  shot an even-par 72 in the second round  of the  2024 Masters  to walk off the golf course at 1 over for the tournament and solidify his weekend tee time.

Woods has now made 24 consecutive cuts at the Masters, the most all-time in the tournament’s illustrious history. The five-time Masters champion, in  his 26th Masters appearance , was previously tied with Fred Couples (1983-2007) and Gary Player (1959-1982).

“I was forced to get up-and-down a few times today, and I was able to do that. A lot of those chip shots I was able to get up and down because I left it in the perfect spot, and that’s understanding how to play this golf course,” Woods explained. “Probably the only exception was the spot I put myself in on 14. Most of the up-and-downs I was in a perfect spot.”

– Adam Woodard, Golfweek

Max Homa finishes second round tied for second

American Max Homa is one stroke away from the lead through two rounds at August National. He’s currently tied for second place at 6-under with Scottie Scheffler, who both trail American Bryson DeChambeau.

Homa made it through 13 holes at 4-under on Thursday, before play was suspended due to darkness. He resumed his first round on Friday and finished at five-under, with seven birdies and two bogeys in the round. 

He continued his steady pace during the second round, where he shot two birdies and one bogey to bring him to 6-under for the tournament. 

It was a great showing for Homa, who is in pursuit of his first major title. His best major result was 10th place at the 2023 Open Championship, but his highest finish at the Masters was 43rd place last year. 

Homa had a chance become a co-leader on the 18th hole with a birdie putt, but the strong wind at Augusta National on Friday afternoon kept the ball from breaking into the hole.  – Cydney Henderson

Bryson DeChambeau birdies No. 12 to retake Masters lead

DeChambeau birdied on No. 12 to move back atop the leaderboard, with Max Homa and Scottie Scheffler tied for second at 6-under as of 4 p.m. ET.

Tiger Woods birdies No. 15 to get back to 1-over

After a bogey on the 14th hole, Woods bounced back with a birdie on No. 15 to get back to 1-over-par for the tournament. Woods nearly eagled the par-5 five hole, but left his putt a little short for a tap-in bogey.

Scottie Scheffler birdies No. 2 to tie atop leaderboard

Scottie Sheffler birdied No. 2 to tie Bryson DeChambeau atop the leaderboard at 7-under, with Dechambeau through eight holes in the second round on Friday. Max Homa is in third at 6-under-par as of 2:45 p.m. ET.

Masters second round: Tiger Woods survives No. 13

The 13th hole is known for its challenge, but Woods made a par look effortless. Woods currently stands at 1 over, and making the cut looks more promising.

Woods keeps it rolling on No. 12 in Masters second round

Tiger Woods' putting game is looking good as he produced another par on the twelfth, keeping the momentum heading into the final six holes of the second round.

Masters 2024: Tiger Woods makes par on No. 11

Tiger Woods chipped brilliantly to set up an easy putt for par on the 11th hole. Woods is still at 1-over heading to the twelfth hole.

Tiger Woods par on No. 10, in position to make Masters cut

Tiger Woods makes a par at the 10th hole, keeping him on track to make the cut. This would be Woods' 24th consecutive cut, the most in Masters history.

Tiger Woods keeps momentum on No. 9

After a shaky start with the first two shots on the ninth hole, the first one landing in the trees and the second in the crowd, Tiger Woods displayed his skills and recorded a par, maintaining his score at 1 over.

Tiger Woods birdies No. 8 in Round 2

Woods effortlessly taps in a birdie to get back to 1 over after a shot that stopped perfectly on the green at the eighth hole

Tiger Woods bogeys for third time

Tiger Woods's chipping game has been on fire which put him in a good position on seven. Unfortunately, Woods overhit a seven-foot putt on and ended up with a bogey, bringing his score to 2-over.

Tiger Woods with the birdie chip

Tiger Woods is doing Tiger Woods things. After back-to-back bogeys, Woods chipped in from nine yards for his second birdie of the second round on No. 6, giving the five-time Masters champion a reason to smile.

Tiger Woods hits back-to-back bogeys 

Tiger Woods struggled on his second consecutive hole at No. 5. His attempt to make a 28-foot putt wasn't enough, resulting in another bogey, leaving him at 2 over. On the par-3 No. 4, he bogeyed while playing into the wind.

Gusty at Augusta National 

The weather for the Masters tournament may be sunny with blue skies, but the wind could pose a problem. According to the National Weather Service in Columbia, winds are expected to reach up to 20 mph on Friday, with gusts reaching speeds of 36 mph by 3 p.m. ET

Max Homa tied for the lead

Max Homa talked about his previous struggles at the Masters, but this time around, he is on top of his game. Homa made a birdie on No. 4 to tie Bryson DeChambeau for the lead.

What is the Masters cut line?

The  cut line  is approaching at the  Masters .

By the end of Friday, the field of 89 golfers will be trimmed by nearly half. 

To  make the cut after the first 36 holes , a player must be in the top 50 places on the leaderboard, including ties. After the first day of play, the  cut was projected at 1 over , according to Golfweek, a number that could be on the move throughout Friday's action.

Tiger Woods back to even par

After his second par of the round on No. 2, Tiger Woods sank a 10-foot putt for a birdie on No. 3 in the second round, bringing him to even par. He sits seven strokes off the lead and is projected to make the cut.

Max Homa dialed in to start Round 2

Max Homa carded the lowest round of his Masters career with a 67 (-5) − tying him for third place after the first round. He moved into a second place tie with Scottie Scheffler with a birdie on hole No. 2. Bryson DeChambeau, who doesn't tee off until 11:54 am ET, leads the Masters at -7.

Tiger starts second round, pars first hole

Tiger Woods started his second round on the par 4, 445 yard No. 1. He is attempted to set the all-time record for most consecutive cuts made (24) at the Masters. His first shot again made the fairway, setting him up for a birdie opportunity. But he settles for par with multiple chances to make up the score with par 5’s coming up 

Jordan Spieth cards a quadruple bogey

Jordan Spieth, the 2015 Masters winner, was in contention until he resumed the completion of his first round. Spieth was sitting at 2 over through 11 holes when play was suspended due to darkness Thursday. When he returned Friday, his game fell apart on hole No. 15. The three-time major winner carded a quadruple bogey with nine shots on the 15th hole.

He finished the first round +7 (79) tied for 81st.

Tiger completes first round at 1-over, 8 shots behind DeChambeau

Tiger’s first shot on 16 hit the left of the bunker, leaving him a 20-ft chance for a birdie, but he left it 3-ft back of the pin and had to settle for another par. 

On 17, Woods hit his driver straight down the middle of the fairway nearly 300 yards, leaving him 160 yards from the hole. His second shot split the bunker and landed 20 yards from the pin, but again left his birdie putt three feet short and carded another par. 

Tiger’s last hole of the first round started with another drive down the fairway. Woods has hit 77 percent of the fairway so far, and this one leaves him 171 yards from paydirt. Yet, another excellent birdie went awry as his second shot landed in the bunker. His par putt missed and he settled for bogey.

Woods' second round begins at 10:18 a.m. ET.

Bryson DeChambeau is still the leader at 7-under, with Scottie Scheffler one shot back. Nicolai Højgaard and Max Homa are at 5-under. Højgaard's 67 is tied for the lowest debut score by a European player at the Masters. Neal Shipley, who was 1-under after his first 18 holes, is the top amateur score through Round One. 

Tiger bogeys first hole after resuming first round

Tiger Woods got off to a rough start as he completes his first round, which was delayed by weather on Thursday. Woods dropped to even par after a bogey on 14 and after a great start on the 550 yards par 5 15th, managed to save par, leaving him seven shots behind the leaderboard, tied for 29th place

Masters Round 2 start time 

The second round of the Masters starts at 8 a.m. ET on Friday when Lee Hodges, Adrian Meronk and Grayson Murray tee off. 

What time does Tiger Woods tee off at the Masters? 

Tiger Woods is set to tee off at 7:50 a.m. ET to finish Round 1, which was suspended due to darkness at Augusta National. Woods’ Round 2 is slated to start at 10:18 a.m. ET. 

Masters tee times for Round 2 

Here is every tee time and pairing for Round 2 of the Masters .  

Masters live TV coverage 

• TV channels: ESPN, CBS, CBS Sports Network 
• Live stream: Paramount+,   Fubo , ESPN+ 

For those with a cable subscription, daily TV coverage of the 2024 Masters tournament will be available on ESPN, CBS and CBS Sports. CBS Sports Network will carry "On the Range" to set the table for the day. 

The Masters live stream 

For cord-cutters, select focuses of the Masters will be available on Paramount+ and ESPN+ over the four-day event. Cord-cutters can also turn to Fubo , which carries CBS and ESPN. 

Masters 2024 TV schedule 

You can check out the complete Masters over-the-air television schedule for all four rounds here . 

Masters odds

World No. 1  Scottie Scheffler  is the favorite to win the title at Augusta National, potentially adding a second green jacket to his collection, according to BetMGM . 

• Scottie Scheffler: +150 
• Bryson DeChambeau: +600 
• Max Homa: +1600 
• Rory McIlroy: +1600 
• Ludvig Aberg: +2200 
• Brooks Koepka: +2500 
• Joaquin Niemann: +2800 
• Tyrrell Hatton: +2800 
• Tommy Fleetwood: +3000 

Tigers Woods’ odds to win Masters 202 4 

Tiger Woods is tied for the 40th-best odds to win his sixth green jacket at the Masters, holding +15000 odds, according to  BetMGM . 

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2024 Masters Tiger updates: Recap Thursday, Woods through No. 13 when Round 1 suspended

14 Min Read

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 11: Tiger Woods of the United States follows his shot from the fifth tee during the first round of the 2024 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 11, 2024 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Woods stood 1-under through 13 holes, two inside projected cut line

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You can't win the Masters on Thursday, but you can lose it, as the adage goes. Tiger Woods didn't lose it.

After heavy storms overnight delayed the Masters' start by two-and-a-half hours Thursday morning, Woods teed off at 3:54 p.m. ET and stood 1 under through 13 holes as play was suspended due to darkness, an encouraging start as he seeks his sixth green jacket – and a record 24th consecutive Masters made cut.

But Friday will be a different animal for Woods. The first round resumed at 7:50 a.m. ET, just over 12 hours from when play was suspended Thursday night. Woods will finish the final five holes of his first round, take a short break and then head out for his second round tee time at 10:18 ET. How will his body hold up with the short recovery time and 23 holes on Friday? That's the central question.

"The body is okay," Woods said Thursday night. "We've got some work to do yet tonight."

After undergoing ankle surgery following a WD during the third round of last year’s Masters, Woods returned to PGA TOUR competition at The Genesis Invitational in February, where he opened in 1-over 72 but withdrew during the second round due to flu-like symptoms. The Masters is Woods’ first start since withdrawing at The Genesis, and he said Tuesday that he still believes he can contend and win. That’s why he’s here, after all.

“If everything comes together, I think I can get one more,” said the five-time Masters winner on Tuesday.

His play so far validates that belief.

Woods started fast on Thursday with a birdie at the par-4 opening hole, his first Masters-opening birdie since 1999, and he remained steady as the conditions dried out in the afternoon. Woods, 48, made bogey at the par-3 fourth but responded with a two-putt birdie at the par-5 eighth, turning in 1-under 35. He made three straight crafty up-and-down pars on Nos. 10-12, then escaped the trees en route to par at the par-5 13th, his final hole of the day.

"The wind was all over the place," Woods said Thursday evening. "It was one of the most tricky days that I've ever been a part of. It was hard to get a beat not only on what direction it was going, but the intensity, and it kept switching all over the place, and then you had to – the timing was affecting putts on the greens. It was a very difficult day."

Woods entered the week on a streak of 23 consecutive made cuts at the Masters, sharing the all-time record with Fred Couples and Gary Player. He'll have a chance Friday to hold that record alone, but expected windy conditions (up to 34 mph) should offer a challenge for Woods and the field at large. Woods was tied for 17th, six back of leader Bryson DeChambeau, as play was halted for the evening. DeChambeau posted 7-under 65 earlier in the day, one clear of world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler's 6-under 66.

Read below for a hole-by-hole look at Woods' opening round at Augusta National.

Hole 18 (par 4, 465 yards): Tiger has great rhythm with the driver, with another perfectly placed tee shot in the 18th fairway. It's a mighty encouraging sign as the first round finishes up and Woods readies for 18 more holes. It's a 287-yard drive. He has 171 yards into the closing par 4.

After Max Homa's approach got swallowed up by the wind and found the right greenside bunker, Woods plays a nearly identical shot. The wind impacted those shots much more than either player anticipated. Woods will need an up-and-down to finish even-par for the first round.

Nearly more short game magic for Woods! His bunker shot comes just inches from hitting the flagstick. Instead, it races by and Woods has more than he bargained for -- 16 feet for par. He gets the putt to the hole but doesn't play enough break. He closes with a bogey.

Woods finishes with an opening-round 73. That's a solid result given his lack of competitive reps, though Woods is surely disappointed after he was 1 under through 13 holes when play suspended Thursday night. He won't have much time to dwell on the finish. His second round tee time is scheduled for 10:18 a.m. ET. He has around 45 minutes to grab some food, keep the body loose and get ready for 18 more holes.

Woods shoots 1-over 73

Hole 17 (par 4, 440 yards): It's another low, fading bullet with the driver that finds the fairway. Woods is 3-for-3 in fairways hit this morning. That's a great sign. He's hit 77% of the fairways in this first round, slightly better than the field average.

With 158 yards into the green, Woods pulls 9-iron and plays the smart shot, leaving himself below the hole. He will have 23 feet for birdie. After a few shaky iron swings to start the morning, Woods has hit two solid ones with his tee shot on 16 and now this approach.

Woods leaves his birdie putt short. That's three putts left short in his opening four holes of the day. But it is another stress-free par. Those are always welcome at Augusta National, particularly on the 17th.

Woods even-par thru 17

Hole 16 (par 3, 170 yards): Woods pulls 7-iron after watching Jason Day put one in the water with the same club. The 82-time PGA TOUR winner doesn't make the same mistake. Woods safely lands it 20 feet past the pin and uses the slope to get it on the same plateau as the hole. He will have 20 feet for birdie.

It's a quick putt, meandering slightly left to right. Woods handles it with care but doesn't give it quite enough pace. That will be another par for Woods. He's 1-over since play resumed today but has made two relatively easy pars after that opening bogey.

Woods even-par thru 16

Hole 15 (par 5, 550 yards): Woods’ drive finds the fairway but it will be a lay-up with 273 yards remaining into the green. He does just that, leaving himself 70 yards. It's a tricky wedge shot on a severe downslope and Woods can't control the spin as the ball rolls off the back of the green. Woods' ball-striking has been iffy to start, but his touch is fully activated as he nearly holes the chip for birdie. He makes the comebacker for par.

It's a hole you'd like to make birdie, but Woods will take the par. He is clearly laboring this morning; the short turnaround time was likely going to be problematic. As the weather warms and Woods gets a few more swings, let's see how his body progresses.

Woods even-par thru 15

Hole 14 (par 4, 440 yards): Play resumed as scheduled at 7:50 a.m. ET. Woods plays his patented cut off the tee and finds the fairway. The 315-yard drive leaves him just 119 yards into the green, but Woods lays the sod over a wedge and comes up short of the green. That leaves Woods with a delicate chip, with the pin sitting on the top of a slope on the back of the green. Woods opts to hit a low spinner, but the ball releases out and Woods has 22 feet for par. The curling right-to-left putt come up just short. Woods makes bogey and drops a shot.

Woods even-par thru 14

Hole 13 (par 5, 545 yards): Woods plays a fade off the tee but overcooks it, as the ball sails into the collection of pine straw amidst a dense tree line right of the fairway. It means he can't go for the green, and he escapes the trees with a low punch shot that reaches the first cut just short of the fairway, leaving a 191-yard approach for his third shot.

Faced with a hanging lie and Rae's Creek closely guarding the green, Woods strikes a crisp iron shot that lands hole-high and stops on a dime, leaving a reasonable look from roughly 20 feet. The horn blows for darkness, allowing players to finish their current hole if they choose, as Woods walks to the green.

Woods opts to complete the hole; his right-to-left breaking birdie try pulls up a couple feet short. He makes his par to remain in red figures overnight. All in all, a promising start for the five-time Masters winner. It will be a marathon Friday as he eyes a record 24th consecutive made cut at Augusta National.

Woods 1-under thru 13

Hole 12 (par 3, 150 yards): As the twilight begins and the wind continues to gust, Woods pulls 7-iron and flies it over the green, a trend that has emerged with his mid-irons on this Thursday. The ball settles in the pine straw roughly 30 feet past the hole, but once again he displays a sublime short game with a softly played bump-and-run that trundles to 6 feet.

Woods drains the par putt, his third straight crafty par save as darkness approaches at Augusta National. He'll head to the par-5 13th tee.

Woods 1-under thru 12

Hole 11 (par 4, 520 yards): Woods has played this hole a cumulative 17 over across his career, but he has no such trouble on the tee shot Thursday, striping it down the fairway's left side as he begins Augusta National's famed Amen Corner. Faced with a lengthy second shot from 209 yards, he strikes it well with a long iron but the ball perhaps catches a gust of wind; it lands in the front fairway and settles some 80 feet short of the hole.

Woods' magnificent short game is on display once again, as he executes a high flop shot that lands softly and releases to tap-in range. He saves par, his second straight impressive up-and-down to begin the back nine. Darkness will approach soon; it appears he might only complete one more hole Thursday. Onward to the famed par-3 12th across Rae's Creek.

Woods 1-under thru 11

Hole 10 (par 4, 495 yards): Woods positions a fairway metal safely in the fairway's right side on the majestic downhill par 4, but he misses the green right with his second shot from 216 yards, leaving a slippery greenside bunker shot.

Ever a short-game magician, Woods has no troubles with his third shot from the bunker, playing a nifty splash shot that lands in the fairway cut and releases to leave a 4-foot uphill par putt. The patrons roar with deserving approval. He drains the par putt, dead center, to stay in red figures.

Woods 1-under thru 10

Hole 9 (par 4, 460 yards): Woods is finding a comfort zone off the tee, striping this drive 312 yards, perfectly positioned in the fairway's right side, leaving a good angle from 169 yards. He selects an 8-iron that tracks toward the hole, but the ball can't reach the back tier on which the hole is positioned; the ball lands on the ridge beween tiers and rolls back onto the green's middle tier, leaving a 33-foot birdie putt.

Woods' uphill birdie putt has solid pace but grinds to a halt 2 feet short. He cleans up his par to turn in 1-under 35, a promising start to the Masters. He stands T15 at the turn, six back of leader Bryson DeChambeau. He's two inside the current projected cut line of 1 over.

Woods' playing partner Max Homa turns in 3-under 32. Safe to say the group's vibes are high.

Woods 1-under thru 9

Hole 8 (par 5, 570 yards): Woods blisters driver down the right-center of the fairway, utilizing a high cut that puts him in position to reach the green in two. He does just that with a bold strike from 242 yards, the ball landing softly on the green's right collar to leave a 40-foot eagle putt.

Woods leaves his eagle try 5 feet short, but the birdie putt slides into the cup's right side. With his second birdie of the day, he's in red figures once again.

Woods 1-under thru 8

Hole 7 (par 4, 450 yards): Woods tugs a fairway metal just left of the fairway, the ball settling in the first cut but requiring a low punch to elude a dense grove of trees. He plays his 171-yard second shot accordingly, a low bullet that tracks toward the hole but can't clear a front greenside bunker.

Woods' bunker shot is a short-game master class, the ball landing some 10 feet short of the hole and releasing beautifully, leaving a 2-footer to save par. He has no trouble doing so.

Woods even-par thru 7

Hole 6 (par 3, 192 yards): Woods takes an aggressive line with a mid-iron; the ball tracks toward the hole's left side and lands roughly 15 feet short-right of the hole, but it catches the slope and feeds back onto the green's front portion, leaving a cross-country birdie try up a tier from 42 feet.

In what could be either a misread or a mis-hit, Woods' birdie putt misses short and right of the hole, leaving a knee-knocker for par. He has no trouble, though, draining the 5-footer for an adventurous two-putt par.

Woods even-par thru 6

Hole 5 (par 4, 495 yards): Woods pulls driver on the demanding par 4 and plays a feathery cut that splits the fairway's right-center portion. The five-time Masters winner hoists a mid-iron from 200 yards that lands softly on the green's proper level, offering a mid-range birdie try.

Woods' 16-foot birdie try has a good line but isn't struck hard enough, settling a couple feet short. He cleans up his par to remain level on the round.

Woods even-par thru 5

Hole 4 (par 3, 177 yards): Woods flushes an iron on Augusta National's first par 3; similar to his third shot on the par-5 second, the ball flies too far, settling in the second cut just beyond the green. He faces a slippery downhill chip, the green sloping away, and bumps the ball into the fringe on a line some 20 feet left of the hole; the ball releases onto the green and rolls well past, leaving a 25-foot par attempt from the front portion of the green's back section.

Woods' par putt is well judged, but the right-to-left bender just misses on the hole's right edge. He taps in for his first bogey of the week.

Woods even-par thru 4

Hole 3 (par 4, 350 yards): Woods settles in with the driver, playing a tight cut that eludes the short par 4's myriad fairway bunkers, the ball traveling 334 yards down the middle. From roughly 70 feet, he plays a bump-and-run second shot into the hill that releases just past the hole, leaving a 12-foot birdie try.

Woods can't convert the birdie, as he plays too much break on the left-to-right slider; the ball stays out on the left side. He taps in for a comfortable par, remaining in the Thursday red.

Woods 1-under thru 3

Hole 2 (par 5, 585 yards): Woods pulls driver but is unhappy with the swing immediately; he points to the left as the ball misses the fairway on the left side. The ball travels 319 yards, but it settles just inches from a tree's thick base, with 237 yards remaining to the hole. After some analysis and deliberation, he turns an iron upside-down and makes a left-handed swing, advancing the ball roughly 40 yards back into the fairway, enough to offer a clear angle for his third shot to the green.

Woods selects a 6-iron for his third shot from 190 yards; he stripes it but the ball flies too far, settling in the fairway cut beyond the green's back side. He plays a pitch-and-run with a mid-iron for his fourth, the ball not getting more than a few inches above surface level; it releases through the fringe and rolls to 5 feet. "Absolutely brilliant," said analyst Dottie Pepper. The slippery downhiller has some right-to-left movement, but he drips the par putt into the hole's left center with sublime pace. Crisis averted.

Woods 1-under thru 2

Hole 1 (par 4, 445 yards): Sporting a salmon shirt in his new Sun Day Red branding, Woods stripes a fairway metal with plenty of left-to-right movement, the ball starting down the left side but cutting back perfectly to the center of the fairway. He doesn't miss a beat on his second shot from 169 yards, striping a short iron to 8 feet. The patrons roar in approval.

Woods takes advantage of the early opportunity, as the right-to-left breaker curves into the center of the cup with perfect pace. Birdie to start. It's the first time since 1999 that he has carded birdie on his first hole of the Masters.

Woods 1-under thru 1

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Maggie Rogers on ‘Don’t Forget Me,’ the album she wrote for a Sunday drive

Maggie Rogers wrote and recorded her new album, “Don’t Forget Me,” over five days last winter. The songs came quickly and chronologically, as if she was writing “different scenes in a movie.” (April 12)

Maggie Rogers performs on Day 3 of the Lollapalooza Music Festival on Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023, at Grant Park in Chicago. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP)

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NEW YORK (AP) — Maggie Rogers wrote and recorded her new album, “Don’t Forget Me,” over five days last winter. The songs came quickly and chronologically, as if she was writing “different scenes in a movie.”

“I’ve been writing songs now for 15 years, and so I think I’ve just come into this place where I really trust my process and my craft. I think because of that, I was in a place where I was willing to just play,” Rogers said in a Zoom interview ahead of the album’s release.

The result is a record that Rogers calls “relaxed,” one that finds her “unguarded and present.”

The mood is lighter than Rogers’ electric 2022 album “Surrender,” which was in many ways a release of pent-up pandemic energy — a collection of songs that begged to be experienced live and with a crowd. And it leans more heavily on acoustic sounds than 2019’s “Heard it in a Past Life,” the first album Rogers released after a video of Pharrell Williams reacting to her song, “Alaska,” in a New York University class went viral.

As Rogers explains it : If “Heard it in a Past Life” is air and “Surrender” is fire, “Don’t Forget Me” is earth.

Like her past projects — and her studies at Harvard’s Divinity School — community is a through-line of “Don’t Forget Me.” Rogers name-drops friends and tells their stories alongside hers. She has welcomed the way the new songs have united crowds, and looks forward to continuing to foster that joyous, present, environment on tour.

“I’m excited to be able to meet people in it,” she said, referencing the album’s Friday release.

That community-first quality of her music is something that fans, too, embrace: New York’s Gaia Music Collective, for example, organized a “one-day choir” of Rogers’ song “Light On.” Four hundred people gathered to learn and perform an arrangement of the song, a cappella.

“She also is thinking about music as a connective force, as a thing that can bring us and our stories together,” said Matt Goldstein, the group’s founder and co-director. “It’s no accident that her music feels good to sing together.”

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

AP: “Surrender” felt like an album that had to be moved through and experienced with a crowd. How do you see this album being embodied?

Rogers: This record was always made for the car. I really wanted to make a record that felt like a Sunday driving record, because to me, those are some of the most intimate moments that I’ve had with music or with an album — when I’m singing along to a song in the car and it feels like that artist or that song is like a friend in my passenger seat. Those are some of my favorite records, and they’re the records I turn to for comfort over and over again. And you know, in this big, crazy, completely insane, existential, world, if that’s something that I could offer to the world through my music, I think that that is really special.

AP: Could you say more about how you see your three studio albums in relation to each other? I liked how you described each of them as elements — air, fire, earth.

Rogers: I think categorizing them in that way is just a way to help give context to them. To me, they’re all really important reflections on different periods in my life. And my songwriting is pretty consistent at the center of all these things. It’s mostly the way that like my producer brain has chosen to dress up the songs at their core, and that has more to do with creative expression or curiosity more than anything.

In each record, I’m just trying to be as present and authentic as I can. “Don’t Forget Me,” what I love about it, is that it’s this really, like kind of woven tapestry. Like in so many ways I created a character that sort of led me through this album, rather than trying to make a snapshot of my life in the exact moment. But there are real truths woven into that character and into those stories.

And you know, it comes out two weeks before I turn 30 and in a way it feels like this big ode to my 20s and everything I’ve experienced. Even if the narrative plot line isn’t exactly 1:1 with my life, the essence of all of the feelings within all of the songs feels really, really truthful.

AP: Looking ahead, what do you think you learned after putting what you had studied at Harvard into practice while touring last year?

Rogers: It’s funny because I spend all this time thinking about live music and the way people come together around it, and I had this thought that when I got on stage that it would be like, you know, that meme of the woman with the math problem above her head? I was like, that’s going to be me. And then I got on stage. And what I love about being on stage is that I’m not thinking, I’m just moving. I’m just feeling. It’s like deeply instinctual.

When I think about the tour that I’ll be on for the next year, I think I’m mostly just really excited to have fun. Like, I’ve worked for so many years and been in so many bands, whether it was like at some underground club in New York City or being 18 and playing in bars or being on the road in a van at the beginning of my career, that now I feel really comfortable on stage and I love playing live. I’m so happy that live music is back in this way.

AP: You posted a video around the holidays about a journal entry you found from the end of your time at NYU.

Rogers: So trippy.

AP: How does that kind of reflective writing fit into your daily practice and songwriting now?

Rogers: It’s such a massive part of my life. I mean, I write every day. I kind of can’t sleep without it. It’s usually the last thing I do at the end of the day. And it, like, really is a meditation.

I wrote a ton through grad school and have continued working on essays and I’m turning my master’s thesis into a book. My long form writing practice feels as much a part of my life as my short form songwriting practice, and it helps me to stay really present in my life because I’m paying attention to detail all the time.

AP: You said that writing this album felt like writing scenes from a movie. Do you look to films for inspiration when you’re developing a storyline and character like this?

Rogers: No, I mean, the movies that I love often have a strong female lead — like, “10 Things I Hate About You” was a really big, big part of “Surrender.” And “Thelma and Louise” was a big part of this record. I don’t know — maybe it makes me a basic b—, but, like, I’m a lover of a Meg Ryan rom-com, or a Julia Roberts movie. But that’s just what I like. That to me has the same sense of comfort as the album that is the passenger in the passenger seat that you’re singing along to in your car — they hold the same space for me.

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The Masters | Round One highlights

Friday 12 April 2024 12:01, UK

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'That was impossible!' Leeds duo take on The Masters mini golf challenge

The Masters R2 highlights: Tiger's record, Rory's par save, stunning Willett eagle

Steady Scheffler tied for the lead | Story of Scottie's round

'Oh no...he's completely lost it!' | Hovland's howler from inches away

'Toughest test of golf I've had in my life!' | Bryson battles elements at Augusta

Rory finds the water at Amen Corner leading to costly double bogey

Rahm: It's a very difficult set-up | 'I've been fighting my swing'

McIlroy struggles in Augusta wind | Story of Rory's second round

Woods: I'm tired and hungry but I've still got a chance at winning

'It's never dull!' | Bryson makes impressive birdie 'from nowhere!'

'I'm lost for words!' | DeChambeau pulls post out the ground at The Masters

Scheffler: Most challenging conditions I've faced at Augusta

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Harvard Horizons Symposium highlights stunning, impactful research of grad students

The audience at Sanders Theatre whooped and cheered last Tuesday night. “Let the Harvard Horizons 2024 Symposium begin!” boomed Emma Dench, dean of the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Each year, a GSAS committee picks eight Ph.D. students to participate in Harvard Horizons , an initiative to recognize and celebrate the work of promising scholars. The selected grad students get the opportunity to present their work at the symposium and prepare through personalized coaching sessions with faculty mentors and the Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning.

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As Japan was modernizing its education system in the early 20th century, the nation faced a problem: how to distribute resources in a fair and efficient way? The Ministry of Education turned to standardized testing. In her talk, Kang traced the evolution of the practice, showing how officials attempted to measure and categorize intellect and personality traits. While some of these methods delivered chuckles from the audience, Kang emphasized that studying these early tests is helpful in tracing the evolution of the measurement of human intelligence. “All tests are experiments, and even when experiments fail, we learn something for the better,” she said.

Bethany Kotlar

Population health sciences.

Kotlar has already changed the lives of hundreds of incarcerated women and their children through her nonprofit Motherhood Beyond Bars, which provides education and support for that community. Her work began in one of Georgia’s largest prisons, as she sat and listened to women who were imprisoned while pregnant. “Their stories changed my career,” she told the audience. In the U.S., prison is the only institutional structure in which women and their newborns are routinely separated, mere hours after birth. The effects of this and of the incarceration of expectant mothers on in utero development have only just begun to be studied. Her work is uncovering the serious consequences incarceration has on this critical time in early childhood development. “It’s time to stop punishing these babies in utero. These children deserve better,” she said.

Claire Lamman

“In dark skies, you can see an uncountable number of stars. But deep in the darkness behind them lie an even greater number of galaxies,” Lamman began her talk. She is participating in a global project to create a map of galaxies. The way the celestial systems interact with each other in space is like a tangled, complex web. She acknowledges that their work is big, at “scales well beyond our daily experience.” And yet it’s important work that addresses fundamental human questions: What does the universe look like? How does it change? And why?

Mauro Lazarovich

Romance languages & literatures.

Lazarovich began his talk by reciting “La Huella,” a poem by the Chilean poet Gabriela Mistral written in 1939. He used this poem to talk about how poetry and art have been used for decades to address human refugee crises throughout time. Mistral, the pen name of diplomat and educator Lucila Godoy Alcayaga, became the first Latin American author to receive the Nobel Prize in literature. She witnessed the plight of these stateless people in her role as a consul. And while she couldn’t question diplomatic policy in that role, she could do so as a poet, Lazarovich said. He cited her work as an example of how writers and artists grapple with the challenge of using their voices to advocate for the rights of others. “Their works confront us readers with these realities, compelling us to articulate our own ethical responsibilities,” Lazarovich said.

Heidi Pickard

Engineering sciences.

Pickard joked that she is what one might call a “chemical detective,” investigating the presence of PFAS, also known as forever chemicals, in the water we drink and food we consume. PFAS, which have been linked to certain cancers and endocrine problems, are used in a shockingly wide array of consumer products and packaging. Tens of thousands of PFAS now exist, leading to global contamination in our environment — and our bodies. “PFAS is in the blood of every single one of us in this room,” she told the audience. Despite the danger, there is little oversight or regulation. What’s more, only a few well-known PFAS can be detected and measured. She’s trying to close that gap and raise awareness of why this issue is critical. In closing, she said, “Together, we can combat this invisible threat and reduce our exposure to these harmful chemicals.”

Dylan Renaud

Applied physics.

“Data is all around us, and we just can’t seem to get enough of it,” Renaud said. But handling and storing the massive amounts of data produced today requires enormous amounts of energy. And it isn’t slowing down: Up to 24 percent of global energy consumption could be dedicated to storing data by 2030. Renaud has identified one area that could increase efficiency — updating conventional modulators. In his research, he created a technology called thin-film lithium niobate modulators. These devices — which contain features as much as 100 times smaller than the thickness of human hair — resulted in a 20 percent reduction in energy. With further research and development, they could go even further. “While [there are] big challenges, I think these tiny devices are up for the task,” he said.

Noah Toyonaga

“Geometry for me is a way of seeing, is a way of appreciating, understanding, and playing,” Toyonaga said. And in the last few years, he’s been playing around with the geometry of scissors. This shape — created by two straight pieces with a pivot between them — appears in biology, textiles, and architecture. Through a method he calls amigami, he created a lattice of scissors that could be used to solve a host of design problems. Showing the audience the shape, which he referred to as the “big donut,” he explained that it’s just one example of how playing with geometry could result in new discoveries. “There’s nothing magical about scissors,” he said. “[Many shapes] could be similarly unpacked to reveal a host of beautiful, unexpected phenomena.”

Jiemin Tina Wei

History of science.

“To the average American office worker, modern wellness can feel exhausting,” Wei said, showing a variety of recently published self-help and wellness books on screen. Her work focuses on learning how we became a society fixated on addressing work fatigue and burnout. Experts began wrestling with labor shortages during the rapid industrialization of the early 1900s. Researchers pitched solutions ranging from ways to address physical fatigue to improved ergonomics to suggesting the problem was all in the mind. Some of this research has led to what we see in high-stress, 24/7 work environments like those in Silicon Valley, with the blurring of work-life boundaries and the creation of a culture in which workers simply work harder and longer. She said that in some ways, companies learned that if you can harness the minds of workers, you can “make labor work for you.”

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