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I don’t see my role as a parent to push my children down certain paths, like going to Harvard University, or any college for that matter, but when I was given a chance to tour Harvard University on our trip to Boston, it was something I couldn’t pass up.
It’s not so much the Ivy League prestige of it all that interested me, but more the history and legacy of this great University, which once nurtured some of the greatest minds on the planet.
Former U.S. Presidents Barrack Obama, John F. Kennedy and Franklin Delano Roosevelt all went to Harvard, as well as technology geniuses Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg.
As a parent, I feel it is my duty to open up doors of possibility for my kids, and help them uncover for themselves which is the right door for them to eventually walk through.
So, I couldn’t pass up the chance to tour of Harvard University just to show them what paths are ahead of them. In this guide, I’ve shared what I learned, what there is to see when visiting Harvard University, and what to expect from the tour.
Is A Harvard University Tour Worth It?
Harvard University is one of the most prestigious colleges in the world. Of course you have heard of it.
A visit to this university is not just about weighing up the pros and cons of a Harvard college degree and talking with the current students about what you have to do to get in – it’s about learning about its history and legacy.
A chance to learn about the history, famous faces who attended this prestigious institution and to hear about daily life as a student, are all good reasons to visit Harvard University.
Harvard tours can be pre-booked in advance via Get your Guide. They are also on the GO Boston Card, which is worth getting if you intend to visit several attractions in Boston. (Click here to learn more about the Boston City Pass).
You can also book a tour directly from The Harvard University Visitor Center, located within the Smith Campus Center.
If you go on a Boston Duck Tour, which we did and is fantastic, you also get free Harvard walking tours on the weekday and 50% off on weekends.
Our Experience Touring Harvard University
On our trip to Boston, I did not want to leave without seeing Harvard for myself and imagining what life as a student in Harvard would be like.
I also wanted the girls to gain an insight into Harvard University Campus life so they could begin to think about their future.
How can I help them see what is possible through that door and path, without me telling them about it?
It’s amazing how much children will learn and gravitate towards things when they hear it, or experience it, from people other than their parents.
If I want my girls to learn something in particular to help them grow into extraordinary young women, I often give them a book about it, or send them to rock climbing camps, to help them learn it from themselves.
Again, opening the door and letting them walk through it.
Harvard University Guides (Students)
We joined a student led walking historical tour of Harvard in the city of Cambridge MA, just outside of Boston, on the last morning of our Dallas to Boston road trip.
The benefit of the 70 minute Harvard University tours are that they are guided by current Harvard students.
Our guide, Tim, graduated with a history concentration (major) just a few days before taking our tour.
When a young boy asked why it was spelt “Hahvahd” on his shirt he switched to a Bostonian accent to show how Bostonian people don’t pronounce their ‘r’s giving a few examples, which sounded exactly like an Australian accent!
No wonder I kept thinking I was hearing a few Aussies in Boston!
Tim was friendly, informative, and clearly loved learning at Harvard. Tim had a very grounded energy and a confident belief about himself and his future.
I got the impression Harvard was largely responsible for this and it made me happy to see the kind of adults it was helping to bring into the world, who will hopefully use that education to make it a better place for all.
Holding people to a higher standard is essential for creating exceptional humans and societies.
That’s what I wanted my girls to see.
Tim had an opportunity to go to Harvard because of football. He was invited to play on the team and took advantage of that opportunity to get an education at one of the best colleges in the world.
An education that has now helped him to pursue a talent and interest in the music recording world in Los Angeles.
It was something he never even knew he wanted to do until his final year.
I loved how my girls heard this story and I hope were able to discover a few clues about each phase of life. It has many twists and turns and new doors to discover.
You don’t have to know all the answers or even which path you want to walk down, but the key is to show up, take adventure of opportunities (or so called luck), work hard, have fun and be passionate, and be a decent person.
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The world really is your oyster.
Highlights of A Tour Of Harvard Campus
Below are some of the highlights from our Harvard University tour.
Harvard History
We loved learning about the history of Harvard, including the untold stories and lore.
If you’re not familiar with the history of Harvard, allow me to share what I learned. It was founded in 1636, and is the oldest university in the United States.
Its establishment came just 16 years after the arrival of the Pilgrims at Plymouth, signifying its deep roots in American history.
It was originally named Harvard College after its first benefactor, John Harvard, and very quickly solidified itself as THE place of educational advancement and innovative leadership.
Over the centuries, Harvard has expanded from just academic offerings and evolved into a place of research and influence. In 1782, it incorporated medical studies into its programs and is now one of the pioneers in advancements in the field of medicine.
The university’s original, iconic buildings, some of which still stand today, date back to the 18th century, but its impact extends far beyond the confines of its campus.
Harvard has an enduring history of innovation and is a beacon of knowledge, innovation, and prestige. Whether you’re a student or not, it continues to inspire and cultivate the minds of the next generation.
Harvard University Culture
Being lead by a Harvard University student meant we could learn real-life, personal stories and tips about what it’s like to live and study at Harvard.
We learned how difficult it is to be accepted into Harvard and how important it is to show academic commitment and good grades, even if you do have an athletic ability, your grades are equally as important.
While I understand getting accepted into the right university here in the USA creates high pressure and stressful situation for high school students, I do like how it helps young teenagers to think about their future from an early age and make responsible choices to avoid getting into trouble and getting bad grades.
They understand early on there can be a a high price to pay if they goof off and miss out on opportunities as a result and destroy their future.
As college is not such a rite of passage for Australians, I don’t think we have such a consequence connection at such a young age, nor a deep commitment and passion for our future.
More importantly, he shared about the transformative experience of Harvard and how it trains you for life, opens so many future doors of possibilities and helps you walk out as a much better person.
Educated, confident, introspective, and so open to life and opportunities.
I think college life in America would be something the girls would love.
As Tim said, he’s not really doing anything with his degree that concentrated (majored) in history, but, it was an education and training that has helped prepare him for life and whatever career path he will follow.
I can see how valuable it is and just having “Harvard Graduate” attached to your name can bring many opportunities as it’s well recognized as a college that creates exceptional, well rounded, and educated people.
Whether they do or not, they are talking about it and considering it.
Famous Harvardians
Harvardians (a name for anyone who attended Harvard) come from all walks of life.
You don’t have to be super rich or come from a family of alumni to attend. You don’t need to come into good fortune, or have good luck. Any type of learner can study here, as long as you demonstrate the values that Harvard look for.
On our campus tour, we learned all about the most famous people to attend Harvard, from political leaders, innovators, and scientific thinkers, who have all contributed to the ongoing narrative of educational excellence that this school provides.
Notable alumni of Harvard are John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, renowned for his inspirational leadership during a pivotal era in American history, as well as the distinguished Barack Obama, who made history as the first African American President of the United States and continues to be a prominent global figure in politics and advocacy.
In the realm of technology, visionaries such as Mark Zuckerberg, the co-founder of Facebook, whose innovative platform revolutionized social networking, as well as Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft, emerged from Harvard.
The university also counts award-winning actors and actresses among its alumni, including Natalie Portman, Matt Damon, Conan O’Brien, and Rashida Jones.
Stops on the Harvard University Tour
So, what do you actually see on a Harvard University tour? Of course, you cannot enter the entire campus, it’s a real-life, working university and people have classes to attend.
However, you do get to visit some notable places that have shaped the history of the university.
Here’s where the Harvard University tour takes you…
Harvard Square
Harvard Square was the meeting point for the Harvard University tour. It’s the beating heart of the university and is where more than 8 million people visit each year.
The square is surrounded by bookstores, cafes, restuarants and shops, and you often see street performers and musicians busking in the center.
Visiting the square gives you an idea of the vibrancy of the campus and its surroundings, and it doesn’t stop there.
Harvard Yard
Sadly for us, we could not visit Harvard Yard due to Graduation ceremonies, which is the main area of Harvard University campus. It’s where the freshman students live and where they take their classes.
It’s the place where you’ll find the statue of John Harvard, the founder of Harvard College. The statue, designed by Daniel Chester French, is said to bring you good luck if you rub the boot of John Harvard.
It’s also where the infamous Midnight scream takes place.
If you haven’t heard of this tradition, it’s when students naked streak around the Yard on the night before their finals to help them let off steam!!
Tim did an excellent job of helping us overcome this disappointment by painting a great picture of life inside the Yard and taking us to as many places as he could around Harvard.
Inside Harvard Yard, you will find:
- Harvard Hall, a classroom building that was the first hall of Harvard. The original building caught fire in 1764, and more than 4,500 books from the college library were destroyed. It was rebuilt 2 years later and housed a larger library.
- Massachusetts Hall is the oldest surviving building on the campus. It was built in 1718-1720 and was originally a dormitory and to this day still houses Freshman on the fourth floor. During the siege of Boston, one of the most notable historical events in USA history, it was ransacked by soldiers and many of its original fixtures and fittings were removed, but the main architectural structure remains untouched.
- University Hall, which is notable for its white-brick facade, once contained the Cambridge Commons (a dining room), a library, a chapel and classrooms, but today houses administrative offices and the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. You will find the statue of John Harvard outside its Western side.
- Sever Hall, built between 1878 – 1880 by Anne Sever in honor of her husband, James Warren Sever. It’ features’s used as a general purpose classroom building and contains classrooms, lecture halls, offices for professors and other rooms where attendees can do their scholarly work.
- Harvard Science Center is a more modern building, built in 1972, and contains the main classrooms and laboratories for undergrads in science and mathematics.
- The Memorial Church of Harvard University is a Protestant church, affectionately known as “MemChurch” and has stood in Harvard Yard for over 400 years.
Widener Library
Located on the banks of the Charles River is The Harry Elkins Widener Memorial Library, or Widener Library for short.
It houses around 3.5 million books containing research collections in humanities and social sciences, and is the beating heart of the Harvard College Libraries.
It was named after Harvard College graduate and Harry Elkins Widener, whose mother commissioned the building after he died in the sinking of the RMS Titanic.
Sanders Theatre – Memorial Hall
The Sanders Theatre, also known as Memorial Hall, is famous for its English design and acoustics. It has 1,000 seats and was built as a major lecture hall.
Today, it hosts undergraduate lectures, the prestigious Charles Eliot Norton Lectures, and thePhi Beta Kappa induction ceremony which takes place every year.
Some notable figures who have lectured here are Theodore Roosevelt and Martin Luther King, Jr.
Occasionally, it has musical events too.
Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology (Pass By)
On the campus of the university is the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology.
It contains artifacts, objects and images from communities around the world and aims to educate on global diversity.
Harvard Museum of Natural History (Pass By)
The Harvard Museum of Natural History contains collections and historical snippets from the research of scientists across the University, focusing on the natural world and the human place in it.
We didn’t go in the museum, but it’s considered one of the top attractions on the campus of Harvard University.
The Harvard Art Museums (Pass By)
The Harvard Art Museums are made up of three separate museums; the Fogg Museum, Busch-Reisinger Museum, and Arthur M. Sackler Museum.
The Fogg Museum is both an art museum and teaching facility for art scholars. The museum contains a large collection of plaster casts, photographs, Western paintings, sculptures, decorative arts, prints, and drawings from the Middle Ages to today.
The Busch-Reisinger Museum is a Germanic Museum, dedicated to the study of all modes and periods of art from German-speaking countries in Europe.
The Arthur M. Sackler Museum contains Harvard’s collections of Asian, ancient, and Islamic and later Indian art.
The Harvard Shop
Of course, a tour would not be complete without passing by the Gift Shop. Here you can buy all your nick-nacks, trinkets and souvenirs to take home with you, from baseball caps to jumpers!
Final Thoughts
Giving my daughters a chance to learn is one of the reasons why I love to travel with them, and why I continue to do so despite it being so hard.
I often think of quitting and putting them back into school – so badly do I need a break and some sort of separation and individuality.
But then we get these results from the standardized homeschooling tests, and then I think about the box I’d be putting them back into and how much they’d loose from not traveling and experiencing these many different doors of possibility.
Travel shows them all the different paths that are available to them. You only know what you know, right? Travel helps them to uncover who they truly are.
At the end of our Harvard campus tour, the girls had a gleam in their eye as they spoke about Harvard and college and Harvard University tuition costs.
I could see they recognized the possibility and saw themselves in it.
Harvard was an experience that excited them. I was so grateful to Tim our guide for painting a picture of what Harvard was like as a student.
I think Kalyra loved how Hogwarts-like it sounded. Savannah flat out said, “I want to go to Harvard. Can you get me in?” (update: Six years later, Harvard is still on her college list. But she’s also since been to Oxford, UK and NYU in New York and have both of them on her list as well!)
Well, Harvard offers no scholarships, so we better come up with a really good investment savings plan!!
Boston Travel Video
Harvard University Tours
- Buy your Harvard “Hahvahad” walking tours here.
- Get your Boston Go Card here
- Boston Duck Tours (also included on the Premium Boston Go Card
- Find your Boston accommodation here. (We stayed at this lovely modern apartment in South Boston, which we booked through Booking.com)
