Visiting campus is a great way to get to know Brown University, but it’s not the only way to learn about the Brown student experience. Watch a virtual info session, take a virtual tour of campus, explore the Brown website and read more about how the Open Curriculum encourages students to take intellectual risks that prepare them to live and work in a globally connected world.
Undergraduate Admission
Beyond the Campus Tour
Get to know Brown virtually.
Beyond the Campus Tour
Get to know Brown virtually.
Attend a Virtual Info Session
Hear from students, staff and faculty in this series of videos that provide an overview of Brown, its Open Curriculum and academic offerings, the application process and financial aid opportunities.
Take a Virtual Tour of Campus
Explore College Hill virtually with real students guiding you along the way. “Walk” through campus and enjoy detailed views of Brown architecture and landscaping, as well as inside looks at more than a dozen buildings, including dining, residential, academic and athletic spaces.
Examine Brown’s Open Curriculum
Learn more about how the Open Curriculum allows students to be architects of their own education — crafting an educational path that challenges, inspires, provides meaning and guides them toward a life and career that do the same.
Go Beyond the Brown Campus
You can’t fully experience Brown without getting out into Providence a little — check out these tips and recommendations for what to do in the area while waiting for your student, or together once the campus tour is over.
Grab a bite
If you’re hungry or looking for a good cup of coffee, you’ll find a variety of culinary options along Thayer Street and in the nearby area, including student favorite East Side Pockets, which reportedly has the best falafel around, and Insomnia Cookies, known for its late-night cookie deliveries and iconic location in one of the street’s oldest buildings.
Visit a museum
You can also take in some local history and artwork by visiting a museum or gallery, including:
- Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology, 21 Prospect St.
- Lippitt House Museum, 199 Hope St.
- Cohen Gallery (Granoff Center), 154 Angell St.
- Bell Gallery (List Art Building), 64 College St.
- Rhode Island School of Design Museum, 20 N. Main St.
Go shopping
Shopping options abound in the College Hill area and nearby. Drop by the Brown Bookstore on Thayer Street for Brown University gear and reading materials. Wayland Square, a historic neighborhood on Providence’s East Side, offers a selection of independent retail shops, cafes and restaurants. And did you know the nation’s oldest indoor shopping mall is located here in Providence? In addition to its historical architecture, The Arcade Providence, 65 Weybosset St., features dining and unique retail shops.
Explore the city
Further afield, you’ll find a variety of scenic spaces to walk, sit and enjoy all that Providence has to offer.
- The Providence River Pedestrian Bridge connects the East Side, full of shops and dining options, to the Jewelry District, the city’s center of innovation. Complete with park space on both sides of the river, the bridge offers a fantastic view of the city skyline and is only a short walk down the hill from Brown’s campus.
- For sweeping views of the Providence Harbor and Seekonk River, check out India Point Park. You’ll find plenty of bike and walking paths for you to take in the scenery.
- Known as “The Jewel of the City” for its dramatic elevated view of downtown Providence, Prospect Terrace Park is located on Congdon Street just a few short blocks from the Stephen Robert ’62 Campus Center.
- Take a walk along Benefit Street and enjoy its vibrant collection of 18th- and 19th-century architecture, including beautifully restored houses, churches and museums overlooking the city's waterfront.