Dartmouth College Campus Tour
Architecture, history & things to do near Dartmouth College (Dartmouth)
Why Walk Dartmouth College Campus
Dartmouth's campus in Hanover, New Hampshire, is centered on the Dartmouth Green, a broad lawn surrounded by Georgian and Colonial Revival buildings. Baker-Berry Library, with its 200-foot tower, dominates the north side and contains the famous Orozco murals — a series of frescoes by Mexican muralist José Clemente Orozco painted between 1932 and 1934. Dartmouth Hall, the original building rebuilt by 1906 after a 1904 fire, faces the Green from the east. The Hopkins Center for the Arts (the 'Hop'), designed by Wallace Harrison (who later designed Lincoln Center), houses theater, music, and film programs. The Thayer School of Engineering and Tuck School of Business sit on the north edge of campus. The Connecticut River and the Appalachian Trail are minutes from campus.
About Dartmouth College
Founded
1769, chartered by King George III; the ninth college established in the American colonies.
Type
Private Ivy League research university in Hanover, New Hampshire. Despite the name "College," it grants doctoral degrees and houses graduate and professional schools.
Setting
Rural town of Hanover on the Connecticut River, along the New Hampshire–Vermont border. The campus centers on a tree-lined green; Boston is about 130 miles to the southeast.
Enrollment
About 4,500 undergraduates and roughly 2,000 graduate and professional students, for a total near 6,500.
Mascot
The Big Green (team name). The former Dartmouth Indian symbol was retired in the early 1970s; "Keggy the Keg" is an unofficial student mascot.
Free Dartmouth College Campus Tour with Roamee Pro
Roamee Pro offers a free Dartmouth College campus tour with audio narration. Explore Baker-Berry Library, Dartmouth Green, Hopkins Center for the Arts, plus hidden spots like Orozco Murals and The Dartmouth Organic Farm, at your own pace without booking a group tour.
explore by interest
Must-See Spots at Dartmouth College
- •Baker-Berry Library — the main library with a 200-foot bell tower and José Clemente Orozco's 'Epic of American Civilization' frescoes inside
- •Dartmouth Green — the central lawn framed by Dartmouth Hall and Baker Library, the heart of campus since 1770
- •Hopkins Center for the Arts — Wallace Harrison's 1962 performing arts center, a prototype for his later Lincoln Center design
- •Dartmouth Row — a line of four white Georgian buildings along the east side of the Green, including original Dartmouth Hall
Signature Architecture
- •Baker-Berry Library — Baker Memorial Library opened in 1928, designed by Jens Fredrick Larson in Georgian Colonial style with a roughly 200-foot tower modeled on Independence Hall. A reading room holds José Clemente Orozco's mural cycle 'The Epic of American Civilization' (1932-34), a National Historic Landmark.
- •Dartmouth Hall — The college's symbolic building, first built 1784-91. The current structure is a 1906 reconstruction after fire (rebuilt again after a 1935 fire), in white Georgian colonial style facing the Green.
- •Hood Museum of Art — Originally designed by Charles Moore and opened in 1985; reopened in January 2019 after a major expansion by Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects. Its collection includes Assyrian reliefs from the 9th century BCE.
- •Rauner Special Collections Library — Housed in Webster Hall (1907); holds the college's rare books and archives, including Daniel Webster materials and a copy of the 1769 charter.
Hidden Corners of Dartmouth College
- •Orozco Murals — José Clemente Orozco's powerful 1932-34 fresco cycle in the basement of Baker Library, covering 3,200 square feet
- •The Dartmouth Organic Farm — a student-run farm on the edge of campus with greenhouses and community plots
Notable Alumni
- •Daniel Webster, statesman and orator (Class of 1801), who argued the 1819 Dartmouth College v. Woodward Supreme Court case
- •Nelson Rockefeller, US Vice President and Governor of New York (Class of 1930)
- •Dr. Seuss (Theodor Geisel), author and illustrator (Class of 1925)
- •Robert Frost, poet (attended 1892, did not graduate)
- •Mindy Kaling, actress and writer (Class of 2001)
- •Shonda Rhimes, television producer and writer (Class of 1991)
- •Henry Paulson, US Treasury Secretary (Class of 1968)
Campus Traditions
- •Dartmouth Winter Carnival, held since 1911, featuring a large snow sculpture on the Green plus ski and ice events
- •Homecoming bonfire, where first-year students run laps around a tall bonfire on the Green
- •The Dartmouth Outing Club (founded 1909), the oldest collegiate outing club in the US, runs first-year trips into the White Mountains before orientation
- •Polar Bear Swim, plunging into the cold waters of the Connecticut River or Occom Pond during winter
- •Green Key, a spring weekend of concerts and events
Where to Eat Near Campus
- •Lou's Restaurant on Main Street, a Hanover diner and bakery operating since 1947
- •Molly's Restaurant & Bar on Main Street, a longtime student and local pub
- •Murphy's on the Green, a tavern facing the campus green
- •Class of 1953 Commons (formerly Thayer Dining Hall), the main on-campus dining hall
- •Base Camp Café on Lebanon Street, a Himalayan restaurant popular with students
Did you know? Dartmouth was the birthplace of the BASIC programming language, created in 1964 by professors John Kemeny and Thomas Kurtz, who also pioneered the Dartmouth Time-Sharing System that gave students interactive access to a central computer.
Visiting Dartmouth College
The Admissions Office runs information sessions and student-led campus tours during the academic year; register in advance through the Dartmouth Admissions website, as walk-in availability is limited. Self-guided tour maps are available year-round. Visitor parking is limited in central Hanover; metered street parking and the parking garage on Lebanon Street are options, and Admissions can advise on designated visitor lots. The Hood Museum of Art is free and open to the public.
Walking Tip
The campus is compact and centered on the Green. Baker Library and the Orozco Murals are a must. Walk north to the Hop, then continue to the Connecticut River. Main Street in Hanover runs along the south edge.
Best Time to Visit
Fall (September-October) for peak New England foliage — among the best in the Ivy League. Winter is snowy and beautiful. Spring and summer reveal the lush Connecticut River valley.
Start Your Dartmouth College Campus Tour
Get a campus route with narrated stories —
personalized to your interests, ready in seconds
Your personal guide in 5 seconds