A trip to Cambridge is never complete without a visit to Harvard (/Hah’vahd/)!
I’ll admit, I partially went there for the history, architecture and vibe, and I partially went there just so I can tell people I went to Harvard. No false advertising here! The Ivy League University was established in 1636 and named after John Harvard. It is the oldest institution for higher education in the United States.
Table of Contents
Harvard’s spectacular history, gorgeous setting, and inspiring atmosphere make it a must-see stop on your next trip to Boston!
Fun Facts about Harvard University
It is older than Calculus! The University was founded in 1636 while Calculus wasn’t invented until the late 17th century.
It costs over USD$58 000 per year to attend the Ivy League Institution.
In 2013, the University gave out $182 Million in financial aid.
Only 6% of applicants are accepted to Harvard.
Notable Harvard/Radcliffe Alumni include (AKA people in debt until they die/died):
T.S. Eliot
Barack Obama
John F. Kennedy
John Hancock
Margaret Atwood
William S. Burroughs
Gertrude Stein
Tom Morello
Widener Library, pictured above, is the second largest in the United States. According to admitsee.com, the library “consists of a whopping 10 floors with four of those underground. The library was named after Hary Elkins Widener who donated $3.5 million to Harvard to have a library built in her son’s name; there was one condition however, the physical building of the library could never be changed .When they wanted to expand the library, some architects got creative and started constructing rooms underground. Now the books have a place to go and Harry’s request is preserved.”
And while Widener Library is arguably the most well-known, there are in fact over 70 libraries at Harvard.
Every now and then I get this sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach when I’m reminded that I will never have enough time on the planet to read all the books. This is one of those times.
