Team vs team
Use your own phones and join a team. Any teammate’s answer advances everyone. Beat the other teams on the leaderboard.
City exploration game
Harvard Undercover: The Porcellian Files
4.43Player rating
A DIFFERENT WAY TO SEE THE CITY
Play at your pace · usually 93 min 1.6 km Cambridge, MA App-guided
Play in
English
The experience
About this quest
Harvard University is synonymous with academic excellence and integrity.
Discover Harvard Yard, a stomping ground for intellectuals and innovators, a hub of culture, science, and politics. You will see how students give back to their communities, write about important issues, and celebrate key traditions.
But you can also learn a few truths about Harvard that students don’t like to acknowledge-Harvard has quite a few myths.
Ready to discover them?
Is this for you?
Who it's for
Couples, families with teens and parents on a college visit can walk Harvard Yard at their own pace in about 90 minutes, from Johnston Gate past Widener Library to the Lampoon Building, picking up the traditions and the myths students would rather not admit. It is best done in daylight. Anyone hoping to quiz a live guide about admissions, or to see inside the private clubs, should choose something else.
What makes this quest special
Highlights
Find out the truth about “The Statue of Three Lies”
Learn about how the sinking of the Titanic saved Harvard’s book collection
View an authentic stop on the Underground Railroad
Figure out who keeps stealing the chair of the president of The Harvard Crimson
From people who played this quest
Good times. In their words.
4.43 / 5
56 player ratings
Selected player reviews. Original words and ratings.
Most relevant starts with detailed five-star reviews. All ratings remain available.
From your phone to the streets
A walk that turns into an adventure.
- 1
Open the app. You’re on your way.
Choose your pass, then open your quest in the Questo app. It guides you from the starting point.
- 2
Get outside. Follow your curiosity.
Discover real places and their stories on foot. Stop for a coffee or a photo, then pick up where you left off.
- 3
Crack a clue. Share a little victory.
Look around for answers, solve puzzles and enjoy the “we got it!” moments.
CHOOSE YOUR PASS
How many are playing?
Get this questNo booking slot · play any dayFull refund until you start playing
BRING YOUR WHOLE GROUP
One city. Rival teams. Great stories together.
A school trip, a team day or friends out together. Turn your next outing into a little friendly competition.
Everyone for themselves
One player per phone. Solve clues on your own and race for the top spot on the final leaderboard.
Can a team share one phone?
Yes. Play together on one phone per team, or use your own phones and join the same team in the app. We recommend your own phones so everyone can take part.
Your walk, at a glance
Cambridge, MA
A · Start
1465-1483 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
B · Finish
Harvard Lampoon, 44 Bow St, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
Start and finish only. Discover the stops as you play.
The people behind the adventure
Created by Samuel Fishman.
A route that brings places and playful storytelling together.
Made by Samuel Fishman
WHAT MAKES A QUEST DIFFERENT
Your adventure, with a playful twist.
1 / 4
Experience
- This quest
- Discover places through stories and clues in the app
- Guided walking tour
- Hear stories and ask a guide questions
2 / 4
Pace
- This quest
- Pause for a photo, a café or a longer look
- Guided walking tour
- Usually follows the guide’s schedule
3 / 4
Company
- This quest
- Explore with your own people or on your own
- Guided walking tour
- Private and shared group tours are available
4 / 4
Guidance
- This quest
- Directions and challenges in the Questo app
- Guided walking tour
- Live interpretation from a guide
Features and terms vary by experience. Check the details before booking.
Good to know before you play
- Best during the day
- Best for couples
- Recommended activity for families
A little clarity before you go
Frequently asked questions
Does the quest take you inside the Porcellian Club?
No. The route stays in and around Harvard Yard, with stops such as Holden Chapel, the Statue of John Harvard, Memorial Church, the Harvard Crimson Building and the Harvard Lampoon Building. The story looks at Harvard's clubs, traditions and the myths around them as you walk.
Where does the walk start and finish?
You start at Johnston Gate and finish at the Harvard Lampoon Building, so it does not end where it began. The 11 stops run in order through Harvard Yard and past the Carpenter Center, Beck-Warren House and the Harvard Crimson Building.
How long does it take and how far is it?
Most players take around 90 minutes, including walking and solving the puzzles at each stop. The route covers about 1.6 km, and it is best played during the day. You can pause at any point and pick it up again later.
Is it good for kids?
It is recommended for families and works best with older children and teens, especially those visiting Harvard as future applicants. Each stop has a puzzle based on what is in front of you, and the walk is a manageable 1.6 km over about an hour and a half.
Can we play as a group, and do we need to book a time?
Yes, one ticket covers the whole group playing together on a phone. There is no set start time and no group to join, so you can begin at Johnston Gate whenever suits you and go at your own pace.
Is Harvard Undercover: The Porcellian Files self-guided?
Yes. The Questo app guides you between locations without a tour guide or fixed departure. You can start when it suits you and pause if needed.
Where does Harvard Undercover: The Porcellian Files start and finish?
It starts at Johnston Gate, 1465-1483 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA and finishes at Harvard Lampoon Building, Harvard Lampoon, 44 Bow St, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. The route is approximately 1.6 km and includes 11 location-based puzzles.
How many accesses does our group need?
This classic quest sells access per device and player. Each person who wants to solve clues on their own phone needs their own access.
Keep exploring
Every quest. One year.
Explore the annual passGive them a story
A day out, gifted.
Explore Questo giftsKeep exploring Cambridge, MA
More adventures in Cambridge, MA
Harvard context
A real private club inside a fictional undercover case
The Porcellian Club is a real Harvard final club with roots in the 18th century, while Harvard Yard’s gates and buildings reflect a much wider academic history. This quest borrows that atmosphere of exclusivity for an invented intelligence operation. The club and campus setting are real; the stolen files, secret assignment and suspects belong to the game’s fictional story. Playable languages: English.
