MIT Chapel
The MIT Chapel is a small brick chapel on the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. Eero Saarinen designed it, and it was dedicated in May 1955, next to his Kresge Auditorium. Inside, a metal sculpture by Harry Bertoia hangs under a skylight. This page covers where the chapel is, what you can see, and how a visit fits with a Boston trip. If you are also planning time across the river, our guide to things to do in Boston covers the rest of the city.
Location
The chapel sits on the western edge of the MIT campus, inside a shallow moat. The circular building surrounded by water feels quiet next to the busy academic area around it.
The address is 48 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, next to Kresge Auditorium and the Kresge Oval. MIT lists public visiting hours on weekdays, from 10:00 to 11:00 AM and 1:30 to 2:30 PM. The chapel is not open for viewing during services, and hours can change, so check MIT's chapel page before you go. From the Charles River side, the walk to the chapel is short.
Historical Marvel
The MIT Chapel is a mid-twentieth-century landmark. The Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen designed it, and it was dedicated in 1955 with Kresge Auditorium. It is a brick cylinder about 50 feet across, set inside a shallow moat, and the spire and bell tower were added in 1956. The rough brick and the single skylight give the room a plain, modern look that still reads as a place for quiet.
Activities
The chapel provides a quiet space apart from the busy campus around it. Visitors can take in Eero Saarinen's circular brick design, look up at Harry Bertoia's Altarpiece for MIT Chapel, a brazed-steel sculpture, or reredos, cascading down from the skylight above the altar, and step outside to see sculptor Theodore Roszak's aluminum bell tower and spire, added in 1956.
Nearby Attractions
Kresge Auditorium sits right beside the chapel, so the two are easy to see together. The MIT Museum is in Kendall Square, on the far side of campus, so plan on a longer walk or a short ride. A stroll along Massachusetts Avenue to the Harvard Bridge leads to a view of the Charles River and the Boston skyline. Farther up the avenue, Harvard Square and Harvard University are the other main Cambridge stops, and the Harvard Science Center is a short walk from the square.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MIT Chapel?
The MIT Chapel is a small, round brick chapel on the MIT campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Eero Saarinen designed it, and it was dedicated in 1955. It is known for its moat, its single skylight and a hanging metal sculpture by Harry Bertoia.
Who designed the MIT Chapel?
Eero Saarinen, the Finnish-American architect, designed the MIT Chapel and the nearby Kresge Auditorium. Sculptor Harry Bertoia made the metal altarpiece inside, and sculptor Theodore Roszak designed the spire and bell tower.
When was the MIT Chapel built?
The chapel was dedicated in May 1955, together with Kresge Auditorium. The spire and bell tower were added in 1956.
What are the MIT Chapel visiting hours?
MIT lists public visiting hours on weekdays, from 10:00 to 11:00 AM and 1:30 to 2:30 PM. The chapel is not open for viewing during services. Hours can change, so check MIT's chapel page before you go.
Where is the MIT Chapel?
The chapel is on the western side of the MIT campus in Cambridge, next to Kresge Auditorium and the Kresge Oval. MIT lists the address as 48 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139. It sits across the Charles River from Boston.
Is the MIT Chapel a church?
Not in the usual sense. It is a chapel on a university campus, not a parish church. Saarinen designed it for interfaith worship, and MIT uses it for services by approved groups, memorial services and concerts.
What is inside the MIT Chapel?
Inside are a plain marble altar, curving brick walls and a Bertoia screen of metal that hangs from the skylight and catches the light. The skylight is the chapel's only window, and light reflected off the moat also moves across the walls.
Can I visit the MIT Chapel on a Boston Sightseeing tour?
Not on the hop-on hop-off routes, which stay within Boston and Charlestown. The Boston & Cambridge City Tour passes the MIT campus and Harvard Square, but its itinerary does not list the chapel as a stop. Use the hop-on hop-off tour map to see which Boston stops each ticket covers.
Plan Your MIT Chapel Tours Boston
Boston Sightseeing's hop-on hop-off double-decker routes stay within Boston and Charlestown and don't reach MIT or the rest of Cambridge. The one Boston Sightseeing option that does is the Boston & Cambridge City Tour, a guided, climate-controlled shuttle that passes the MIT campus and Harvard Square alongside Boston's neighborhoods and waterfront. Its itinerary does not list the chapel as a stop, so do not plan on going inside it.
For Boston sights, the hop-on hop-off route starts at Stop 1, the New England Aquarium and Faneuil Hall, and also stops near the Old State House and Boston Common. The hop-on hop-off tour map shows every stop, and the Freedom Trail passes several of them.
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