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Welcome to Stanford

Welcome to Stanford banner across the entrance portals of Palm Drive.

Located in the San Francisco Bay Area, Stanford University is a place of discovery, creativity and innovation. Founded in 1885, Stanford’s areas of excellence span seven schools along with research institutes, the arts and athletics. Stanford’s students, faculty and staff work to improve the health and well-being of people around the world through the discovery and application of knowledge.

Visitor Information Services

A division of Stanford’s Office of Undergraduate Admission, Visitor Information Services (VIS) oversees the Stanford Visitor Center at 295 Galvez Street, providing campus tours and admission programs (both in person and virtually) for prospective undergraduates and their supporters, as well as campus information and self-guided tour resources for the general public. VIS also promotes exposure and access to higher education for other college-bound groups through seasonal tours and offerings.

The Visitor Center is open Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm, except during some academic breaks and holidays. For tour and program information, call 650-723-2560.

Stanford Memorial Church

Stanford Memorial Church was established by Jane Stanford in memory of her husband, Leland Stanford, as a symbol of the family’s commitment to an education informed by religious, spiritual, moral and ethical values. Dedicated in 1903 as a non-sectarian religious center, “Mem Chu” remains the most prominent architectural feature of the Main Quadrangle and is home to University Public Worship. The church features five organs, including the Fisk-Nanney organ, which has 73 ranks and 4,332 pipes. It is one of three religious and spiritual spaces on campus led by the Office for Religious and Spiritual Life.


Hoover Tower and Pavilion

The 285-foot Hoover Tower was built in 1941 and dedicated as part of Stanford’s 50th anniversary celebration. The Hoover Observation Deck offers views of the Santa Clara Valley and houses a carillon of 48 bells, the largest inscribed “For Peace Alone Do I Ring.” The lobby features exhibitions on such topics as the institution’s founder—Stanford alumnus and U.S. president Herbert Hoover—and collections held at the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

For availability and hours, call 650-723-2053 for the Observation Deck, or 650-723-3563 for the Reading Room and Exhibition Galleries.


The Dish

The 150-foot-diameter radiotelescope in the Stanford foothills called the Dish was constructed in the 1960s to probe the scattering properties of the Earth’s ionosphere. It is still in use and is owned and operated by SRI International. Annually, more than 600,000 people hike the service roads surrounding the Dish within Stanford’s 315-acre habitat reserve, which also supports academic programs, environmental restoration and habitat conservation. Public access is limited to daylight hours, and pets are prohibited.