Splash 2023
Attractions and Places Near MIT
Dear Parents,
Welcome to Splash 2023! There are tons of exciting and fun things to do around MIT and in the Boston/Cambridge area. Here are some places to eat and activities for you while your child attends Splash!
This guide is available at esp.mit.edu/parentactivities.
Parents’ Program
Parents will be able to attend educational talks and sample Splash classes from 10 am - 5 pm on both days of Splash. Learn more about the schedule and speakers at esp.mit.edu/parentschedule! All Parents' Program classes will be held on the first floor of Building 32, the Stata Center. Follow the red arrows below to get to Stata from Morning Check-In or Splash Help Desk. Enter through the door behind the large staircase (it will be next to an elevator).
Restaurants
On Campus
Dunkin’ (Saturday 8 am – 2 pm)
Dunkin’ is located on the first floor of the Student Center and focuses on coffee, doughnuts, and breakfast items.
TeaDo (Saturday and Sunday 11 am – 8 pm)
A bubble tea shop that also serves rice bowls, TeaDo is a student favorite located near the entrance of the Student Center.
Off Campus
Blue Bottle Coffee (Saturday and Sunday 7 am – 5 pm)
Coffee and pastries in Kendall Square.
Life Alive Organic Cafe (Saturday and Sunday 7 am – 9 pm)
Cafe in Kendall Square serving breakfast, grain bowls, salads, and more.
Cafe Luna (Saturday and Sunday 9 am – 4 pm)
A breakfast and brunch cafe near the Stata Center.
Area Four (Saturday and Sunday 8 am – 10 pm)
A cafe and bakery next to the Stata Center.
Chipotle Mexican Grill (Saturday and Sunday 10 am – 10 pm)
Mexican fast-food chain offering build-your-own burritos, tacos, and bowls, right across the Kendall/MIT T stop.
CAVA (Saturday and Sunday 10:45 am – 10 pm)
Mediterranean restaurant in Kendall Square, near the Stata Center and Kendall/MIT T stop.
Row 34 (Saturday and Sunday 11:30 am – 10 pm)
Upscale seafood restaurant near the Stata Center and Kendall/MIT T stop.
Activities
On Campus
MIT Museum (Saturday and Sunday 10 am – 5 pm)
The MIT Museum features technology-related projects and art drawing from a wide range of scientific disciplines, historical and contemporary. The museum is located at 314 Main St., and costs $18 for adults, $15 for seniors, and $10 for youth and students.
MIT List Visual Arts Center (Saturday and Sunday 12 pm – 6 pm)
The List Visual Arts Center is a contemporary art museum with a variety of exhibits and installations. The current temporary exhibit is Carlos Reyes: 18 and List Projects 28: Sophie Friedman-Pappas and TJ Shin. It is located adjacent to the MIT Media Lab on the east side of campus, and is free.
Self-guided Walking Tour
The MIT walking tour takes you all around campus and includes fun facts about MIT! It can be accessed at esp.mit.edu/p-walk. Note: Some information is outdated, such as the MIT Museum, which is now located in Kendall Square.
Off Campus
Boston Common
Boston Common is the oldest park in the country. The Freedom Trail starts in the Common and leads around Boston’s historic revolutionary-era sites.
Boston Public Gardens
The public gardens are a beautiful public park with trees, flowers, lawns, ponds and art.
Cambridge Common
The 16 acre park which is centrally located outside of Harvard Square has a long and colorful history, and is an important local resource as well as a tourist attraction.
Harvard Art Museums
The Fogg Museum, Busch-Reisinger Museum, and Arthur M. Sackler Museum have permanent and temporary art exhibits. Tickets are free.
Harvard Natural History Museum
The HNHM presents a variety of exhibits including glass flowers, minerals and gemstones, microbial life, and animals from around the world. Adults: $15. Children: $10.
Harvard Square
A pleasant shopping area with various restaurants. We recommend Berry Line for frozen yogurt (3 Arrow Street).
Gardner Museum
Built in the style of a Venetian Palazzo, the Gardner Museum exhibits the 19th-century art collection of Isabella Stewart Gardner. Adults: $20. Children: Free.
Quincy Market
A bustling market in the center of Boston. This is near Faneuil Hall, which has beautiful views, restaurants, shops and street performers.
Museum of Science
Includes exhibits on Dinosaurs, Cosmic Light, Human Life, and a butterfly garden. 9 am – 5 pm both days. Adults: $29. Children (3–11): $24.
Museum of Fine Arts
Exhibits include Strong Women in Renaissance Italy, Tiny Treasures: The Magic of Miniature, and others. Saturday and Sunday, 10 am – 5 pm. Adults: $27. Youth (under 17): $10.
New England Aquarium
Includes exhibits with penguins, bonnethead sharks, piranhas, and colorful poison dart frogs. Saturday and Sunday, 9 am – 6 pm. Adults: $34. Children (3–11): $25.
