Cornell University Campus Tour
Architecture, history & things to do near Cornell University (Cornell)
Why Walk Cornell University Campus
Cornell's campus sits on a hill above Ithaca, New York, with gorges carved by Fall Creek and Cascadilla Creek framing the campus on two sides. The Arts Quad, the historic core, features Collegiate Gothic buildings including Goldwin Smith Hall (humanities), McGraw Tower with its 21-bell chime, and Uris Library with its Harry Potter-like reading room. The engineering campus centers on Duffield Hall and the modern Gates Hall (computer science, opened 2014). The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences occupies buildings on the Ag Quad to the east. Milstein Hall, a cantilevered structure designed by OMA/Rem Koolhaas, bridges University Avenue to connect the art and architecture programs.
About Cornell University
Founded
Chartered April 27, 1865; first classes were held in 1868. Co-founded by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, who became its first president.
Type
Private Ivy League research university that is also New York State's land-grant institution. Four of its colleges (Agriculture and Life Sciences, Human Ecology, Industrial and Labor Relations, and Veterinary Medicine) are state-supported "contract colleges" administered with the SUNY system, so New York residents pay lower tuition there.
Setting
Hilltop campus of roughly 2,300 acres on East Hill above the city of Ithaca, in New York's Finger Lakes region, about four hours northwest of New York City. The campus sits between two gorges, Fall Creek and Cascadilla Creek, near the southern tip of Cayuga Lake.
Enrollment
Roughly 26,000 students total, including about 16,000 undergraduates, across the Ithaca campus (plus Cornell Tech in New York City and Weill Cornell Medicine).
Mascot
The Big Red Bear, the costumed mascot known as "Touchdown." Teams compete as the Big Red.
Free Cornell University Campus Tour with Roamee Pro
Roamee Pro offers a free Cornell University campus tour with audio narration. Explore McGraw Tower, Cascadilla Gorge, Sage Chapel, plus hidden spots like Cornell Botanic Gardens and Uris Library reading room, at your own pace without booking a group tour.
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Must-See Spots at Cornell University
- •McGraw Tower — a 173-foot clock tower with a 21-bell chime that rings concerts daily, overlooking the Arts Quad
- •Cascadilla Gorge — a forested gorge with waterfalls and a stone staircase trail connecting downtown Ithaca to campus
- •Sage Chapel — a Romanesque chapel with an interior of Tiffany-style stained glass and carved stone, used for concerts and services
- •Milstein Hall — OMA/Rem Koolhaas's 2011 cantilevered building bridging University Avenue, housing Architecture, Art, and Planning
Signature Architecture
- •McGraw Tower — 173-foot stone bell tower completed in 1891, housing the Cornell Chimes (9 bells at the 1868 opening, now 21). Student chimesmasters play live concerts three times a day on class days; visitors can climb the 161 steps to watch.
- •Uris Library — Romanesque library completed in 1891, designed by William Henry Miller, Cornell's first architecture student. Its A.D. White Library reading room, a tiered cast-iron book gallery, is among the most photographed interiors on campus.
- •Sage Chapel — Nondenominational chapel opened in 1875 and expanded over the decades. Its memorial crypt holds the tombs of founders Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White.
- •Andrew Dickson White House — Mansion built around 1871 for the first president; it now houses the Society for the Humanities.
- •Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art — I.M. Pei-designed concrete building opened in 1973; admission is free, and the upper-floor galleries offer wide views over Cayuga Lake.
Hidden Corners of Cornell University
- •Cornell Botanic Gardens — over 4,000 acres of natural areas including the F.R. Newman Arboretum and wildflower gardens near Beebe Lake
- •Uris Library reading room — a cathedral-like reading room with a vaulted ceiling and tall windows, one of the most photographed campus interiors in America
Notable Alumni
- •Ruth Bader Ginsburg (U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Class of 1954)
- •Bill Nye (engineer and 'Science Guy' television host)
- •Toni Morrison (Nobel laureate; earned her master's degree at Cornell)
- •Janet Reno (former U.S. Attorney General)
- •Christopher Reeve (actor)
- •Robert Engle (Nobel laureate in Economics; earned his PhD at Cornell)
- •Keith Olbermann (broadcaster)
Campus Traditions
- •Dragon Day: every spring, first-year architecture students build a large dragon and parade it across the Arts Quad, traditionally facing off against an engineering-built phoenix.
- •Slope Day: an end-of-classes festival on Libe Slope in early May featuring a major concert headliner.
- •Cornell Chimes concerts: live bell performances three times a day on class days from McGraw Tower.
- •Tray-sliding and sledding down Libe Slope after the first big snowfall.
- •Ice cream and apple cider doughnuts from the Cornell Dairy Bar and Cornell Orchards, a nod to the school's agricultural land-grant roots.
Where to Eat Near Campus
- •Collegetown along College Avenue and Dryden Road, immediately southeast of campus, packed with student spots including ramen, Thai, and late-night options.
- •Collegetown Bagels (CTB) for bagels, coffee, and sandwiches, a long-running student staple.
- •The Cornell Dairy Bar in Stocking Hall for ice cream made on campus from the university's own dairy program.
- •Ithaca Commons, a downtown pedestrian mall a short drive or bus ride downhill, home to Moosewood Restaurant (of vegetarian cookbook fame) and many cafes.
- •Trillium near Kennedy Hall on the Ag Quad for quick weekday lunches.
Did you know? The Cornell Chimes rang out at the university's opening day in 1868, before most of the campus buildings even existed, and have been played daily ever since. Student "chimesmasters" still earn the role through a competitive multi-week audition known as "compets."
Visiting Cornell University
Prospective students can book through Cornell Undergraduate Admissions, which offers free guided campus tours and information sessions led by student ambassadors; reserve online in advance, as sessions fill up. Self-guided walking is welcome year-round, with a self-guided tour map available. Day visitors typically use paid visitor lots and garages; metered and permit rules are enforced on weekdays, so check signage. The Cornell Botanic Gardens (free) and the Johnson Museum of Art (free) are good public stops, and Ithaca's TCAT buses connect downtown and Collegetown to campus.
Walking Tip
Cornell is hilly — the climb from Ithaca to campus is steep. Start at the Arts Quad, then walk to the gorges. Suspension Bridge over Fall Creek gives dramatic gorge views. Campus buses connect distant areas.
Best Time to Visit
Fall for foliage in the gorges (October). Spring for gorge waterfalls at peak flow (April-May). Ithaca winters are cold and snowy. Summer is lush and the gorges are at their most inviting.
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