Tours
Explore the Stanford campus in person with self-guided tours and limited guided and student-led tours. Links with an arrow indicate an external site.
Please note that the limited guided tours may have strict capacity limits and/or other entry criteria. Hours and access to some areas may be limited.
Limited Guided and Student-Led Tours
A Backstage Look at Frost Amphitheater
Frost Amphitheater serves as a vibrant hub of artistic expression, fostering social connections and enriching collective experiences. The Laurence Frost Amphitheater first opened its doors in 1937 and mostly served as a site for commencement and large-scale university events. This tour gives you a backstage look at both the amphitheater’s front of house and, of course, backstage. Enjoy a guided walk through the beautiful, revived Frost Amphitheater, and learn about its history and how it retained its historic look and feel while adding state-of-the-art, upgraded facilities.
Limited Guided Tour
Friday, February 27, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m.: Limited to 50 participants on a first-come, first-served basis. Arrive on time; latecomers will not be admitted. Meet at Frost Amphitheater, 351 Lasuen Street, main entrance at Lasuen Street and Roth Way.
Anderson Collection
Stanford University is the home to the core of the Anderson Collection, one of the world’s most outstanding private assemblies of modern and contemporary American art. The collection is a gift from Harry W. and Mary Margaret Anderson and Mary Patricia Anderson Pence, the Bay Area family who built the collection over the last 50 years. The Anderson Collection at Stanford University is adjacent to Cantor Arts Center and the McMurtry Building for the Department of Art and Art History, and across Palm Drive from Bing Concert Hall and Frost Amphitheater. The addition of this remarkable art collection strengthens Stanford’s growing commitment to the arts and the connection between the study, creation, and experience of art.
The museum is free and open to the public.
Family Weekend Private Guided Tours:
Friday from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. and Saturday from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Public Guided Anderson Highlights Tour:
Saturday from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Drop-In Drawing:
Friday from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m.
Denning House
Denning House is the convening space for Knight-Hennessy Scholars at Stanford University. Denning House is a gorgeous timber-framed facility overlooking Lake Lagunita on the Stanford campus. Built in 2018 specifically to house Knight-Hennessy Scholars, Denning House provides an inspiring venue for scholars, staff and visitors, and a magnificent setting for art. A gift from Roberta Bowman Denning, '75, MBA '78, and Steve Denning, MBA '78, made the building possible.
Limited Guided Tours
Friday, February 27, 11:00 - 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 - 1:30 p.m.: Limited to 20 participants per session on a first-come, first-served basis. Arrive on time; latecomers will not be admitted. Meet at 580 Lomita Drive for the guided tour.
University Libraries - Special Collections
At the opening ceremony for the inaugural class at Stanford University in October 1891, one of the speakers celebrated the promise of the new institution, saying "It is hallowed by no traditions, it is hampered by none. Its fingerposts all point forward ... From our work the future of the university will grow as a splendid lily from a modest bulb." In the Department of Special Collections and University Archives, every Stanford student has access to research materials stretching across the past 5000 years. This tour will invite visitors to explore documents associated with the birth of the University, developments in the technologies of photography that took place in Palo Alto, rare books and manuscripts given to the University by the Stanfords and their associates, and some examples of recent acquisitions that will support scholarship at Stanford for the current and future generations.
Limited Guided Tour
Friday, February 27, from 10:00 to 10:30 a.m.: Limited to 25 participants on a first-come, first-served basis. Meet at Green Library, 2nd floor, Barchas Room.
Memorial Church
Stone carvings, mosaics, and stained glass make Stanford Memorial Church the University’s architectural crown jewel. It was one of the earliest, and is still among the most prominent, interdenominational churches in the West.
Memorial Church is open to the public for self-guided tours during Family Weekend on Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Limited Guided Tour
Saturday, February 28, at 11:00 a.m.: Limited to 20 participants per session on a first-come, first-served basis. Meet at the church entrance in the Main Quad.
Science and Engineering Quad Tour: CoDa
The Computing and Data Science building (CoDa) opened its doors in 2025 and is home to an interdisciplinary collaboration of people and programs working to transform the way we apply data science and computation to make an impact in the real world. These include Stanford Data Science, Stanford Impact Labs, and the undergraduate programs of Computer Science, Mathematical & Computational Science, and Symbolic Systems. Explore the new building and learn about the architecture, art, and spaces in the Farm's latest building.
Limited Guided Tours
Friday, February 27, at 10:00 a.m. and at 3:00 p.m.: Limited to 15 participants per session on a first-come, first-served basis. Meet outside the CoDa building (389 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, CA 94305) on the Jane Stanford Way side.
Cantor Arts Center
Serving the Stanford campus, the Bay Area community, and visitors from around the world, the Cantor Arts Center provides opportunities for all visitors to connect with a diverse collection of art, special exhibitions, and public programs. Founded when the university opened in 1891, the historic museum was expanded and renamed in 1999 for lead donors Iris and B. Gerald Cantor. The Cantor’s collection spans 5,000 years and includes almost 42,000 works of art from around the globe. The Cantor is an established resource for teaching and research on campus. Admission to the Cantor is always free, as are the tours, public programs, and family activities we offer to the public. New expanded hours make the museum accessible on Thursday evenings until 8pm and starting at 10am on the weekends.
The museum is free and open to the public.
Rodin Sculpture Tour:
Friday and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Cantor Highlights Student-Guided Tour:
Friday and Saturday from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m.
David Rumsey Map Center at Green Library
Join us for a guided tour of the David Rumsey Map Center at Stanford Libraries. Upon arrival, you'll be greeted by one of our knowledgeable staff members for an immersive experience. 30-Minute Overview: Dive deep into the history, collections, and special exhibitions of the David Rumsey Map Center, enriched with insights and stories from our passionate team. Interactive Experience: After the guided portion, we invite you to explore the digital collections on our state-of-the-art large touch screen monitors. Feel the past come alive at your fingertips! Exhibition Exploration: Take your time to peruse our rotating exhibition, showcasing rare and fascinating maps from various eras and regions. Connect with Experts: Our friendly staff will be around for a chat, ready to share their knowledge and answer any questions you might have.
Limited Guided Tour
Friday, February 27, 2026, at 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. Limited to 30 participants on a first-come, first-served basis. Meet at the Bing Wing entrance of Green Library, (459 Lasuen Mall) by 2 p.m., entrance facing Memorial Church
University Archaeology Collections
Textiles are intimate creations, worn on our bodies or otherwise integrated into daily life. They serve as functional and decorative items while also acting as dynamic archives of cultural history, memory, and identity. Highly skilled and labor-intensive processes are involved in their creation, from preparing fiber materials to weaving to ornamental techniques like embroidery.Woven Narratives: Textiles as Living Archives unravels stories of textiles from different cultural contexts. The exhibition pulls from the permanent collection of the Stanford University Archaeology Collections, featuring anthropological and archaeological textiles and objects related to textile production from diverse communities in Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, Thailand, Japan, and the Philippines. Textiles are archives of heritage and identity, technique and style, oppression and resistance, and relationships among people and between people and environments. Woven Narratives traces thematic threads that illustrate enduring and evolving textile traditions and practices.Woven Narratives: Textiles as Living Archives is the newest exhibition of the Stanford University Archaeology Collections (SUAC). The exhibit was curated by students in the Spring 2025 course “Introduction to Museum Practice.”
Student-Led Tour
Friday, February 27 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Exhibit tour of Woven Narratives: Textiles as Living Archives.
O'Donohue Family Stanford Educational Farm
The O'Donohue Family Stanford Educational Farm is Stanford's living laboratory for hands-on learning in sustainable agriculture. We utilize agroecological relationships and natural diversity to grow over 200 varieties of vegetables, flowers, herbs, field crops and fruit. Students come to the farm to test new ideas about the biological, social and environmental aspects of farming and gain experience in the practice of sustainable agriculture. On-farm research spaces also provide faculty and students with hands-on learning opportunities agroecology, engineering, and more.
Guided Tour:
Friday, February 27, 1:30 p.m., 555 Fremont Road, Stanford, CA 94305
Open Hours:
Friday, February 27, 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 28, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
No tickets if visiting during open hours. To volunteer at the farm on Saturday from 9:30-11:00am. Register to Volunteer here.
Self-Guided Tours
Music Library & Archive of Recorded Sound at Braun Music Center
Stanford’s Music Library and Archive of Recorded Sound are two of the country’s premier research collections. Come by the Music Library to peruse our books and scores, watch an opera on DVD, or spin some new vinyl (with really good headphones). Head downstairs to see a display of historic phonographs or spend some contemplative time in the Archive of Recorded Sound reading room.
Open House
Friday, February 27, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Braun Music Center, 1st floor, Music Library, 541 Lasuen Mall.
Self-Guided Tour Map - Stanford Campus
Shows Visitor Center, self-guided tour route, points of interest with descriptions, and photo locations. Also includes additional options not shown on the indicated route, such as the Arts District, Athletics District, and Campus Residences.
Stanford Public Art Tours on Stanford Mobile
Explore Stanford's expansive public art collection on campus or virtually with the newest mobile feature, Public Art Tours.
Stanford and the 1906 Earthquake Self-Guided Walking Tour
Amidst the physical destruction to the Stanford campus from the 1906 earthquake rose the resolve of the young university to rebuild. Though far from the total “Destruction of Great Stanford University” that was reported in the newspapers of the day, Stanford's buildings did suffer tremendous damage. While most buildings of the inner Quad survived, Memorial Church was almost completed destroyed as were the newly built Library and Gymnasium.
Curious objects around Stanford campus
Witness to more than 130 years of history, the Stanford campus is full of interesting – and in some cases, mysterious – items, dispersed throughout the grounds. With abundant help from the Stanford community, Stanford News highlights a few.
Please note: some objects and locations may not be publicly accessible
Campus Walks
Enjoy the campus and its surrounding area with a number of themed walks or trails on the Community Engagement website.
Stanford Athletics District
Explore the Stanford Athletics District fields and facilities with a self-guided tour.
Home of the Champions
Self-guided tour of the Home of the Champions, Friday, February 27, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
More than a museum or a hall of fame, Home of Champions is a living, constantly-evolving space designed to celebrate more than a century of excellence and innovation in Stanford Athletics. From the Heisman Trophy to the Honda Cup, from the Wow Boys to the women of the 2016 Summer Olympics, we pay tribute to the contributions and successes from the many trailblazers, scholars, coaches and champions who have called Stanford home.
Self-Guided Tour of Stanford Gardens
Welcome to Stanford! Those who work and study on this beautiful campus are fortunate to enjoy a variety of diverse gardens with an ever-changing palette of colors, scents, and animal visitors. If you love gardens and trees, Stanford is an excellent place to experience them.
Stanford Arts District and Other Arts Facilities
The vibrant Arts District now marks the entrance to campus on either side of Palm Drive. World class museums, a premier concert hall, and expansive academic space dedicated to Art & Art History have joined other existing campus venues to create a thriving home for the arts at Stanford.
Architecture at Stanford
LBRE offers two self-guided tours that highlight architecture and landscape across campus. Each tour should take about 60-120 minutes depending on the number of stops and your personal interest. The tour can be completed in half the time on a bike and can be split into shorter segments as well.
Arch. & Landscape at Stanford 1990-2005 and Architecture at Stanford 2000-2020
Each self-guided tour is available as a printable 11x17 pdf or via mobile app.
Huang Engineering Center Innovations
These touchstone artifacts scattered throughout the Huang Engineering Center illustrate the kinds of world-changing innovations that have emerged from the School of Engineering.
Trees of Stanford
These maps enable one to visit and get acquainted with particular trees and learn their names. A major step on the path to familiarity is learning a name; thus armed, the explorer can look up information and talk to others about discoveries.
Campus Highlights to Visit
The Oval and Palm Drive
The Oval and Palm Drive mark the gateway to the University. The Oval serves as a relaxing spot for students, faculty, and community members to have picnics, play volleyball, and enjoy the California weather. Palm Drive, lined with roughly 150 Canary Island palm trees, leads to University Avenue and downtown Palo Alto.
Hoover Tower
Hoover Tower is the historic home of the Library & Archives and the Lou Henry Hoover Observation Deck and Carillon. Visitors can view portions of the collection in the ground floor exhibition galleries and see the historic Belgian carillon on the 14th floor observation deck, which also offers panoramic views of the surrounding area. The central floors of the tower contain offices and purpose built stacks which hold part of the Library & Archives collections, but are closed to the public.
Hoover Tower hours: Monday - Sunday 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets to access the observation deck are $8, free for Stanford Affiliates with a valid Stanford ID. Exhibitions in the galleries and the rotunda are free and open to the public.
Stanford Bookstore
Purchase some Stanford gear while on campus. Visit the bookstore website for open hours and more information.
Arizona Cactus Garden
The garden, also known as the Cactus Garden, was designed for Jane and Leland Stanford by landscape architect Rudolf Ulrich between 1881 and 1883. During the early years of the university, the Cactus Garden became the meeting place for many courting Stanford students. Visit this iconic campus destination.
Meyer Green
Stanford's newest open space features curving walkways and gentle grassy slopes surrounded by groves of eucalyptus and cedar. Read about the opening of Meyer Green.
Papua New Guinea Sculpture Garden
This garden contains 40 wood and stone carvings of people, animals, and magical beings that illustrate creation stories and cultural traditions. Ten artists from the inland Sepik River area created the sculptures on-site during a five-month visit in 1994. Visit this iconic campus destination.
Main Quad & Memorial Court
Frederick Law Olmsted planned and designed the Quad in Richardson Romanesque and Mission Revival architectural style. The Quad holds Stanford’s 12 original classrooms from its opening in 1891. Today it houses the School of Humanities & Sciences and is home to many Stanford traditions, such as Senior Dinner on the Quad for graduating seniors. Memorial Court is the main entrance to the Main Quad from Palm drive and features several sculptures by Auguste Rodin.
Stanford Dish
See gorgeous views of campus and the bay on this 3.5-mile trail. No pets or animals allowed within the Dish Area except trained service animals. The Dish is a special area to both Stanford and the surrounding communities, and it serves many purposes. The Dish itself is a radio telescope that is still in use. Other research and teaching programs also use the dish area.
Hours during Family Weekend: 6:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. See the Dish website for current status. You can also walk the dish virtually with this self-guided virtual field trip.
Stanford Visitor Center
Meet with staff at the Stanford Visitor Center. The Visitor Center is open Monday through Friday*: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
The staff will be available to help provide information on how to tour the campus on your own, whether navigating via our self-guided tour map or any of the many resources available under the "Explore Campus" tab on the Stanford visitor website at: visit.stanford.edu/explore-campus.
Stanford Family Mausoleum and Angel of Grief
Visit the Stanford Mausoleum Area to see the Stanford Family Mausoleum; the Stanford Family statue; the Angel of Grief.
Lake Lagunita
Lake Lagunita is still a beautiful pace to go for a run, walk or just enjoy the view.
Terman Fountain
Visit a new fountain on campus. This is a popular location for students to wade and relax in while on campus.
Stanford Libraries
Stanford Libraries are home to many interesting collections and exhibits. See the locations and hours for information on visiting. And check out the Exhibits page to see what exhibitions are happening during the weekend.
Virtual Tours and Videos
Student-narrated 360° tour
Take a 360° guided video tour of the Stanford University campus.
Garden Tour
Discover the location of each garden on campus, including descriptions of the history, features, and notable plants.
School of Humanities and Sciences Virtual Tour
The School of Humanities and Sciences, encompassing 23 departments and 25 interdisciplinary programs, is the foundation of a liberal arts education at Stanford. This virtual video tour will give you a taste of our beautiful spaces and offerings.
Virtual Campus Walk
Follow the path for a virtual self-guided walking tour featuring photos and information about many sites of central campus.
Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve
Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve (JRBP) is located near Stanford University's campus in the eastern foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Experience this beautiful preserve virtually and learn how the field station provides undergraduate educational experiences and plays an active role in educating the general public. Please note: Jasper Ridge is not open to the public during Family Weekend.