Smith College: A Comprehensive Campus Guide

Smith College, founded in 1871, stands as one of the first full-fledged colleges for women. Known for its beautiful campus set in an idyllic New England landscape, Smith offers a blend of architectural splendor and natural beauty. A walk around its grounds provides a comprehensive tour through American architecture from the eighteenth century to the present. The Smith campus is a beautiful natural setting that is as impressive as our academic environment.

Navigating the Campus

Interactive Online Map

Designed by CampusBird, a new online map offers users a detailed virtual tour of Smith College. Launched recently, this interactive tool allows individuals to explore various areas of the campus with ease. Users can scroll, zoom in and out, and access detailed information with a single click.

The map features a simple user interface that provides easy viewing on mobile phones, tablets, or desktop computers. It offers customized tours, such as a virtual walking tour and a tour of outdoor art at Smith. Lifelike renditions of buildings and interior and exterior photos help give map users a more tangible sense of place on campus. The map also allows users to explore the campus in the context of the larger Northampton community.

Architectural Highlights

The campus showcases diverse buildings, including:

College Hall: Peabody & Stearn's Queen Anne-style masterpiece.
The Quadrangle: A neo-Georgian design by Ames, Dodge and Putnam.
Cutter and Ziskind Houses: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill's International Style contributions.
Bass Science Center and Young Science Library: Postmodern designs by Shepley, Bullfinch, Richardson, and Abbott.

Experiencing the Seasons

Smith’s campus is an environment where simple physical beauty-the flaming hues of New England’s fall, the architecture of the buildings, seasonal colors reflected in Paradise Pond-is a constant source of pleasure. Every season in New England has a mood, and each brings its own activities:

Fall: Fall hikes in the nearby Holyoke Range.
Winter: Winter skating, snowshoeing, and skiing.
Spring: Spring rowing and picnics or studying outdoors under a willow tree.
Every year, a spectacular array of blossoming crocuses, hyacinths, narcissi, irises, lilies, and tulips provides an early glimpse of spring at Lyman Conservatory.

Arts and Culture

The Mendenhall Center for the Performing Arts houses outstanding theater, dance, and music facilities.

Visiting Smith College

Directions

Northampton is on Route I-91 in Massachusetts. Note that state highway exit numbers are changing state-wide to align with the practice of using mile markers to inform exit numbers. The new signs, when present, will be accompanied by a yellow sign below with the former exit number.

From the South:

From I-91 North take Exit 23 (old exit 18) and turn left onto Route 5.
Follow Route 5 into the center of town.
At the intersection of Route 5 and Route 9, turn left onto Route 9 (Main Street).
Go straight through four sets of traffic lights, turning left into Smith’s main entrance (College Lane) shortly after the seventh set.
The Office of Admission is on your right, overlooking Paradise Pond.

From the North:

From I-91 South, take Exit 26 (old exit 20), and follow onto Route 5 South into the center of town.
At the intersection of Route 5 and Route 9 (Main Street), turn right onto Route 9.

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