Comment by alephnerd
20 hours ago
If you ever have the chance, you absolutely should visit the libraries and museums on campus. It's a treat.
I especially loved walking around Widener Library and marveling at the murals and that original Guteberg Bible
If you're willing to brave the American customs gulag, Stanford's free Cantor museum has very historically and artistically significant bits. No ID needed there, of all places.
you can see the Gutenberg bible at the Library of Congress in DC. There was no ordeal to enter. There was a very American sign that said no guns allowed inside, but I dont think. there was even a metal detector or ID required.
> Cantor museum has very historically and artistically significant bits
Amen to that. Love Stanford. Cal has a ton of great stuff too.
> the American customs gulag
What does that mean? I've been to Cantor multiple times and nothing seemed out of the ordinary security wise.
I think the poster meant for international travellers to get through the border.
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I tried going in, but couldn't without a student id.
I am surprised that a Harvard student ID was required. A long time ago, in the US, all university libraries were open the public. It was a requirement to receive federal funding. Perhaps this has changed, or Harvard forgoes federal funding for certain libraries in order to keep them more restricted. (Does anyone know the full story in 2025?)
I found a visitor access page here: https://library.harvard.edu/visitor-access
If you want to see something special, like the Magna Carta, I am sure you can send an email to the special collections supervisor. They would probably be more than happy to grant you one day entry.
Related:
Digitising the Magna Carta: https://hls.harvard.edu/today/magna-carta-making-history-ava...
Collection of manuscript Magna Cartas and early English statutes, ca. 1300-1577: https://listview.lib.harvard.edu/lists/hollis-014294028
Magna Carta, approximately 1300. Manuscript. HLS MS 172, Harvard Law School Library: https://iiif.lib.harvard.edu/manifests/view/drs:49364859$1i
Can a student take you in as a +1?
Ah yea, security has gotten much tougher now. There are a couple open-access museums though like the Art Museum, the Near East Museum, the Scientific Instruments one in the Science Building, and a couple others.
All in all, loved the museums and history, but detested Harvard. I would have been a better fit at a more middle class college like Cal, Stanford, or MIT.