Brown University
An Ivy League university founded in 1764, where the red-brick buildings and green lawns on the college hill feel timeless and serene.
Brown University is the seventh-oldest college in the United States and one of the Ivy League schools. Its main campus sits on College Hill in the East Side. Entering through the Van Wickle Gates, you'll find historic buildings around the central lawn, including University Hall from 1770, the John Carter Brown Library and the John Hay Library. The campus is open for free, self-guided visits, and the admissions office offers free student-led tours (booked in advance on the official website). The nearby Thayer Street has many student cafés and budget restaurants, and you can easily walk on to Benefit Street and the Rhode Island School of Design.
Opening hours
Campus open all day; building interiors follow each venue's hours
Nearby sights
- John Hay Library
- John Brown House Museum
- Thayer Street
- Providence Athenaeum
- RISD Museum
- Benefit Street
- WaterFire & Waterplace Park
- First Baptist Church in America