Campus History & Architectural Tour

Join a tour led by volunteer docents from CHATS (Campus History & Architectural Tour Service). Discover how the original academic buildings and high-tech laboratories of Caltech, one of the world's foremost institutions of science and engineering, created an architectural footprint that relates to the surrounding community. After a brief visit to the Athenaeum, Gordon Kaufmann's Mediterranean eclectic faculty club completed in 1930, the historic tour will explore Caltech's original campus. Participants will see how Bertram Goodhue & Goodhue Associates using shaded portals, stucco walls, Roman arches and water features to set the tone for a campus of great beauty so that scientists and engineers would become more aware of the aesthetic values of life.Advance RSVP RequiredNOTE: This is a strenuous walk and is not suitable for people with strollers, walkers or children. The total distance is approximately 1⅓ miles and includes flights of steps. Tours last from 1½ to 2 hours. Low-heeled shoes are advised.The Athenaeum parking lot is reserved for members and guests of members only. Visitors have two hours of free parking on Hill Avenue and California Boulevard.