Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA, Bezoekersgids & wat te doen in de buurt

Harvard Square is the busy triangular crossroads in Cambridge, MA where Massachusetts Avenue, Brattle Street and John F. Kennedy Street meet beside Harvard Yard. It is the social heart of the university district, known for its subway station, street performers, bookshops and cafes, and it makes a natural starting point for exploring Cambridge on foot.

The story behind it

The square grew up around Harvard College, and its modern shape owes a lot to transport. The subway from Boston reached Harvard Square on 23 March 1912, and the first entrance was a large oval headhouse of brick and stone. It did not last in public affection. By 1919 critics said it blocked drivers' views of oncoming traffic and left streetcar passengers with no space to wait.

After some heated debate over a replacement, architect Clarence H. Blackall's more graceful design won approval. The kiosk you see today was built in 1928 as the station's main entrance. When the station was rebuilt in the 1980s, the kiosk was moved slightly and restored. From 1984 to 2019 it housed Out of Town News, a famous newsstand that sold papers from around the world.

What to look for

• The 1928 kiosk in the middle of the plaza, a handsome piece of early twentieth century design that still marks the station entrance below.
• The sunken open area by the station, known locally as the Pit, where musicians, skaters and students gather.
• Johnston Gate, the entrance to Harvard Yard just across Massachusetts Avenue, which shows how closely the square and the university are tied.
• The mix of old brick buildings and modern shopfronts along the surrounding streets, a reminder of how many eras have layered over each other here.

Tips for your visit

• The square is an open public space, so you can visit at any time. Allow 20 to 30 minutes for the plaza alone, or longer if you plan to wander the side streets.
• Mornings are calmer for photos. Afternoons and early evenings are livelier, with more performers and people.
• Harvard Yard, Cambridge Common and the Old Burying Ground are all a short walk away, so it is easy to combine them into one outing.
• The Red Line stops here, so it is simple to reach from Boston without a car. Check current opening hours for any shop, museum or cafe you want to enter.

See it on a quest

If you want more than a quick look, try Murder Mystery: Death in the Shadows in Cambridge, MA. You reach the square on foot as one stop of a longer route through the area, the app tells you about each place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle on the spot. One ticket covers the whole group.

Ghost Hunt in Cambridge, MA suits anyone who likes a darker take on the city. You walk between stops at your own pace, hear about each place as you get there, and work out a puzzle in front of you. One ticket covers the whole group.

Cambridge, MA Detective Mystery: Infiltrate a Secret Society. is a good fit if you enjoy a detective theme. The route passes Harvard Square, so you see it as part of a longer walk, learn its story from the app and solve a puzzle on location. One ticket covers the whole group.