A Powerful Sense of Place
Frequently ranked one of the most beautiful colleges in America, the Dartmouth campus is renowned throughout the world for its mountain vistas, towering pines, and pastoral setting in the deep green Upper Connecticut River Valley. That natural splendor lends a significant layer to the community's compelling sense of place, but it's just one aspect of what gives this campus its vivid color and energy. Here are a few more facets of the Dartmouth experience.
The Dartmouth Green
Everything comes together on the Green. It's the pedestrian hub of the campus and the setting for many beloved traditions and activities-Winter Carnival, for example, and a weekly summer farmer's market. The sheer beauty of this grassy expanse, which transforms dramatically with the seasons, enriches the interactions among students, staff, and faculty as they traverse it in the course of their days. Read more about the Dartmouth Green and the school's traditions.
Culture of Exploration
Students and alumni will tell you that what distinguishes this campus is an effervescent blend of curiosity and action. Our diverse community is continually immersed in multicultural activities from the Pan Asian Council (PAC) meetings to the annual Black Legacy Month presented by the Dartmouth African Students Association (DASA). Hundreds of campus clubs introduce students, faculty, and staff to a broad array of new adventures-for example the Argentine Tango Society, and Spoon, a club focused on experimental cuisine. Learn about campus diversity and Dartmouth's many clubs and organizations.
Baker-Berry Library
Built in 1928, the handsome Baker-Berry Library was modeled after Independence Hall in Philadelphia. With 2.5 million books and hundreds of thousands of digital resources, the library is also the location of José Clemente Orozco's dramatic fresco The Epic of American Civilization, a national historic landmark. Every evening at 6 p.m., the bells in the library's tower play the "Alma Mater"-musical requests are accepted for other times of day. One of Dartmouth's most photographed landmarks, the Baker-Berry features dozens of cozy study nooks and signature spaces such as the 1930s room and the Theodore Seuss Geisel Room. The library's Bell Tower also provides some of the most dramatic views of the campus. Check out the Baker Tower webcam.
"Of the nine libraries at Dartmouth, Baker-Berry is my favorite. I especially love studying in the Tower Room because it has a Hogwarts feel to it." Ali Reynolds '20, Hermon, ME
Natural Connections
Students have full access to the Dartmouth boat dock, mountain, lodge, pond, and ski slope—and the Appalachian Trail runs right through campus-so, yes, Dartmouth attracts its share of action-adventurers. But even those who prefer the galleries of the Hood Art Museum to a kayak on the Connecticut River find the fresh, bright air invigorating. Dartmouth's organic farm is a state-of-the-art learning laboratory, a working garden, and the setting for events that the entire community enjoys-fine-tuning recipes for wood-fired pizza, for example. On Friday nights, Shattuck Observatory hosts free viewings of the planets, making Dartmouth's big, beautiful sky even more accessible.
Community Within a Community
The sweeping 269-acre Dartmouth campus gathers into one walkable community a liberal arts college, a medical school, a school of engineering, a business school, athletic and arts complexes (including a world-class museum), plus a number of cafes and other dining options. Just steps away, the sophisticated college town of Hanover offers restaurants, shops, and a wide array of services. At the edge of campus, the renowned Hopkins Center for the Arts-named by the National Endowment for the Arts as one of the nation's exemplary performing arts centers-integrates the Dartmouth community into downtown life. Review campus maps or take a virtual tour of the campus.
