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The Infinite Corridor is the main pedestrian thoroughfare at MIT (February 2006)
Empty Infinite Corridor during COVID-19 lockdown (March 2021)

The Infinite Corridor[1] is a 251-meter (823 ft) hallway[2] that runs through the main buildings of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, specifically parts of the buildings numbered 7, 3, 10, 4, and 8 (from west to east).[3]

Twice a year, in mid-November and in late January, the corridor lines up lengthwise with the position of the Sun, causing sunlight to fill the entire corridor. Named MIThenge, the event is celebrated by students, faculty, and staff.[4]

Significance

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Glass-enclosed historic displays

The corridor is important not only because it links major MIT buildings, but also because it serves as the most direct indoor route between the east and west ends of the campus. The corridor was designed as the central spine of the original set of MIT buildings designed by William W. Bosworth in 1913.[5]

The Infinite Corridor is slightly longer than that of the University Hall building at the University of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, which measures 800 feet (240 m) long.[6] It is, however, significantly shorter than the so called "K-Straße" (K-street) in the Rost-/Silberlaube building of the Free University of Berlin, which measures about 320 metres (1,050 ft).[7][citation needed]

Etiquette

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Unenclosed bulletin boards rapidly accumulate many posters

On occasion, students in the Transport Lab of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) have studied foot traffic in the Infinite Corridor, as a safer, more accessible model of highway traffic. In 1997, one student report made the following observations about the informal rules that seem to apply to Infinite Corridor traffic:[8]

The rules of the road for the Infinite Corridor include: stay to the right, limit group size, pass on the left, form a line at bottlenecks, don't stop/slow down, no tailgating, traffic within corridor has right of way, no physical contact and no eye contact.

Hacks

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Because the heavy pedestrian traffic in the Infinite Corridor guarantees a large audience, it is a setting for some "hacks" (practical jokes),[9] especially those of a serial nature such as a series of "Burma Shave" style signs. The "Mass Toolpike" hack in 1985 involved placing traffic signals, lane markings, and highway-like signs along the length of the Infinite Corridor.[10] An April Fools' Day post from the Alumni Association blog Slice of MIT suggested that the corridor floor would be replaced with a self-powering moving walkway made of piezoelectric tiles.[11]

Geography

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Entrance

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An outside grand stairway leads up from Massachusetts Avenue to Lobby 7, the main entrance to the Infinite Corridor. This location is often called "77 MassAve", an abbreviation of its official street address; the street itself forms the western boundary of the main or central campus. The MIT Student Center (Building W20) is located directly across the street, at 84 Massachusetts Avenue.

Nearby bus stops serve MBTA buses from Harvard Square, and from Back Bay across the Charles River via the Harvard Bridge, as well as various shuttle buses. Food vendor trucks often park in designated spaces near the entrance.

Lobby 7

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MIT Lobby 7, viewed looking up at the interior of the Little Dome

Lobby 7, so named because of its location in Building 7 (formally named the Rogers Building), is a large 100-foot (30 m) vertical space open all the way up to the interior of the Little Dome. A carved inscription[12] circles the space just below the base of the Little Dome. Four empty pedestals occupy the corners of the square lobby; they were originally intended for large Neoclassical figural sculptures, but are instead often occupied by students studying, or occasionally playing live music. The Infinite Corridor begins straight ahead through the lobby, on the opposite side from the street.

During the 1970s, two large pillars flanking the entrance to the Infinite Corridor were partially wrapped in paper and used by the liberal "Alternative Advertising" and somewhat less liberal "Pillar Productions" where students would scrawl responses to issues of the day such as nuclear power or whether disco sucked. A display of Air Force art was once withdrawn after vandalism in the lobby.[citation needed]

Lobby 7 is frequently used for formally scheduled or impromptu concerts, as well as dance performances. Occasionally, "performance art" hacks or installation art hacks are sited in Lobby 7. Banners advertising campus events are often hung from the upper levels of Lobby 7, including the occasional hack banner such as "Don't let the Grinch steal your Christmas" (in reference to complaints about the campus Christmas tree). The cavernous interior space of Lobby 7 is frequently the site of hacks that require a large volume of unobstructed indoor space.[9]

Memorial Lobby (Lobby 10)

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A two-story atrium space at the half-way point of the corridor, informally known as Lobby 10, is part of the MacLaurin Buildings in Building 10, underneath the Great Dome. In this space, it is quite common to find several booths or tables advertising upcoming events, or students engaged in other public activities and demonstrations, such as juggling or dancing. Often, there are fund-raising activities, such as selling used books, tickets for shows or concerts, artworks made in the MIT GlassLab or Student Art Association, or Chinese pastries and other snacks.

On November 18, 2013 a formal dedication ceremony was held to rename the space Memorial Lobby. The travertine walls bear the engraved names of MIT alumni who died in each of several wars, and these inscriptions have been re-gilded to make them more readable.[13]

Different levels

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The Infinite Corridor has five levels: the basement, and floors 1 through 4. Elevators in Lobby 7 and in Lobby 10 provide access to each floor, as do numerous stairways. The elevators in Lobby 10 also provide access to the Barker Engineering Library, via the 5th floor. In accordance with its US location, MIT buildings usually use the American floor numbering scheme.

The first floor (called the "ground floor" by some) is the most traveled level, and is often the only one referred to as the Infinite Corridor. It is most of a floor above ground level at Massachusetts Avenue (the west end, Building 7), and in areas is a full floor up, with a parking lot entrance passing underneath (this entrance crosses the basement-level corridor at grade between Buildings 7 and 3). At its east end in Building 8, it is also about half a floor up. The Basement Infinite Corridor mirrors the first floor passage, but connects to the extensive below-grade system of tunnels connecting many buildings.

Displays

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Glass-walled labs adjacent to the Infinite Corridor, showcasing recent faculty and student publications

The walls lining the Infinite Corridor were painted stark "Institute Gray" with black doorway trim until Spring 1970, when a number of wall murals appeared. With two notable exceptions, the paintings were soon replaced by bulletin boards and enclosed display cases which remained largely unchanged for several decades. A Summer 2010 renovation installed more-durable boards, and more clearly marked many portions of them as reserved for exclusive use by one specified student activity or another.

The Cashier's Office wall was painted as a giant dollar bill for over 25 years (and was itself the subject of a number of non-destructive hacks).[14] The mural was eventually removed and replaced with a glass wall when the space behind it was converted to a community lounge.[15] A picture of the old wall mural is etched into the glass, as a historical marker. The oldest remaining wall mural (near the former location of the Admissions Office) is an early-1970s style colorful painting of a "multicultural" group of people walking quickly, painted by Andrea H. Pritchard, wife of Physics Professor David E. Pritchard.[citation needed] Having survived many renovations and repaintings of the Infinite Corridor, the mural now is a carefully preserved relic of that era.

Some adjacent laboratories, notably those of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (DMSE, Course 3), now have floor-to-ceiling glass walls and large posters or display cases explaining some of their research activities and course offerings. This is a natural result of the DMSE's facilities location surrounding the eastern end of the Infinite Corridor.

MIT's Infinite Solar System model

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In 2018, MIT professor Richard Binzel installed a 1:30,000,000,000 ratio Solar System model along 200 m of the Infinite Corridor at the third floor level. Each full-color plaque shows the to-scale size of a planet, along with an enlarged image and some basic data.[16][17][18] At the scale of the model, the speed of light reduces to 1 cm/s, so that by walking normally, a viewer can attain warp speed, exceeding the cosmic speed limit.[16][17] In addition to a printed brochure, a free online self-guided tour is available.[16]

MIThenge

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Observers awaiting MIThenge, November 2019

On several days each year, the Sun sets in alignment with the Infinite Corridor and shines along its entire length. This is known as "MIThenge", a reference to Stonehenge's alignment with the Sun (although the type of alignment bears a closer relationship with that of Newgrange and Maeshowe in that the sunlight passes through the mass of the buildings rather than through the standing stones of Stonehenge). These alignments occur on several days around January 31 and November 11. The phenomenon was spotted, calculated, and popularized in 1975–76 according to a Sky and Telescope article;[19] the naming convention follows that coined for Manhattanhenge.[20]

A less-known alignment with the Moon also occurs, but it is more subtle and more difficult to observe.[21] Although it occurs in alignment with the corridor during the summertime months, the sunrise cannot be observed then, due to visual obstructions at the eastern end of the Infinite Corridor.

A campus newspaper, The Tech, has published etiquette and viewing suggestions for first-time observers.[22] Several online videos offer different perspectives on the phenomenon and on the observers.[23][24]

MIThenge January 2022
  • MIThenge January 2022, unobstructed
    Unobstructed view
  • MIThenge January 2022, crowded corridor
    Crowded corridor

Demonstrations

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During the 1960s, a common Technology Day demonstration used the unobstructed length of the corridor to demonstrate the speed of light in a simple, direct way. A strobe light, photocell, and oscilloscope were positioned at one end of the corridor, and a mirror at the other. The round-trip time is about 1.67 microseconds. The photocell picked up both the direct and reflected flashes. The flash duration being well under a microsecond, the result was two nicely separated pulses on the oscilloscope screen, which could be measured to compute the speed.

References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Infinite Corridor

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
The Infinite Corridor is a 825-foot-long (251-meter) east-west that forms the central spine of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) campus in , connecting the institute's primary academic buildings including Buildings 7, 3, 10, 4, and 8. Constructed in 1913 as part of the Maclaurin Buildings to accommodate the expanding campus population and curriculum, it exemplifies MIT's open and collaborative architectural philosophy, contrasting with more segmented designs at peer institutions. This double-loaded corridor functions as a primary , facilitating daily commutes for thousands of students, faculty, and staff while promoting interdisciplinary interactions through its adjacency to diverse labs, classrooms, and departments. Its walls are adorned with vibrant posters advertising events, opportunities, and student organizations, creating a dynamic atmosphere of and energy that reflects the institute's of continuous learning. Glass partitions along sections offer glimpses into active laboratories, underscoring MIT's emphasis on transparency in scientific endeavor. The Infinite Corridor holds cultural significance at MIT, notably as the site of "MIThenge," a biannual astronomical alignment where the setting sun lines up precisely with the hallway's axis in mid-November and late , drawing crowds to witness the phenomenon from the eastern end in Building 8. Recent campus developments, such as the 2023 renovation of the Undergraduate Advising Center in Building 11 adjacent to the corridor, have enhanced its role as a hub for student support services, including career advising and holistic academic guidance. Overall, the corridor symbolizes the interconnectedness of MIT's community, serving not only as a physical link but also as a metaphorical pathway for knowledge exchange and institutional identity.

History and Design

Construction and Architect

The Infinite Corridor was constructed between 1913 and 1916 as part of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's relocation from Boston's Back Bay to a new 50-acre campus in . Architect Welles Bosworth, an MIT alumnus from the class of 1889, was selected in early 1913 to design the campus plan, which emphasized a neoclassical Beaux-Arts style combining monumental aesthetics with functional flexibility for future expansion. His vision integrated the corridor as the central east-west spine, initially unifying Buildings 3, 4, 8, and 10 to create an interconnected academic core centered around courts and a grand rotunda. This design drew inspiration from , symbolizing connectivity and order through its linear form and symmetrical layout, while prioritizing efficient interior circulation to link departments such as and sciences. The corridor's initial purpose was to facilitate the flow of students and faculty across disciplines, promoting interdisciplinary interaction amid MIT's rapid growth driven by industrial and technological advancements. Specific elements included high ceilings to accommodate heavy research equipment and enhance spatial openness, along with durable floors for high-traffic durability. Natural light was incorporated through tall windows along the length, illuminating the double-loaded passageway and supporting its role as a vibrant artery. Over time, the structure has evolved to include multi-level connections, but the original construction established its foundational axis.

Renovations and Modifications

In 2010, MIT undertook a significant at the eastern end of the Infinite Corridor as part of broader updates to the Main Group buildings, culminating in the opening of the Laboratory for Advanced Materials (LAM) in Building 4. This project, the third in a series following the NanoLab and Undergraduate Laboratory renovations, replaced opaque cinderblock walls, corkboards, and closed doors with extensive frosted and floor-to-ceiling glass walls to enhance public visibility into research spaces and foster a more open environment. On November 18, 2013, Lobby 10 along the Infinite Corridor was formally rededicated as the Memorial Lobby, honoring MIT alumni and faculty who died in . The ceremony included the installation of new bronze plaques on the lobby walls, listing the names of those lost in conflicts including World Wars I and II, Korea, , , and , expanding on existing inscriptions to provide a more comprehensive tribute. The from 2020 to 2022 drastically altered usage of the Infinite Corridor, with campus shutdowns in March 2020 leading to a sudden silencing of its typical bustle and reduced foot traffic as classes moved online and most activities ceased. guidelines were enforced across MIT, including in high-traffic areas like the corridor, contributing to its unusually empty state documented in photographs from March 2021 showing the hallway devoid of pedestrians during what would normally be peak hours. In 2022, the top floor of Building 4 underwent renovation to relocate the Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences (EAPS) department, creating new high-performance laboratories and offices while improving connectivity to the Infinite Corridor. This update modernized research spaces adjacent to the corridor, maintaining its role as a central hub for interdisciplinary work. In October 2025, MIT opened a new 5,000-square-foot Undergraduate Advising Center in Building 11, directly adjacent to the Infinite Corridor. The open-design space enhances student support services, including career advising and academic guidance, further integrating the corridor as a key node for campus life. Ongoing maintenance of the Infinite Corridor addresses wear from its role as a primary pedestrian route, which mixes thousands of people daily in a space originally designed in Beaux-Arts style for efficient circulation. High usage continues to necessitate periodic updates to ensure functionality amid campus expansions.

Geography and Layout

Dimensions and Main Path

The Infinite Corridor is a prominent east-west hallway spanning 251 meters (825 feet) through the heart of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) campus, connecting the main entrance at 77 Massachusetts Avenue to Building 8. This linear path begins at Lobby 7 and sequentially passes through Buildings 3, 10, and 4 before terminating near Building 8, facilitating seamless pedestrian movement across multiple academic structures without the need for outdoor travel during inclement weather. Its hallmark straight-line design features no major turns or bends, creating extended sightlines that extend the full distance and contribute to its nickname, the "Infinite Corridor," evoking a sense of endless continuity despite its finite dimensions. To ensure , the corridor incorporates elevators and ramps at key transition points between buildings, enabling users and those with mobility challenges to navigate the entire path. As of , modernization of the elevator in Lobby 7 was underway to enhance . These features align with MIT's broader efforts to provide equitable access to its facilities.

Key Lobbies and Entrances

The Infinite Corridor's primary east entrance is located in Lobby 7 of Building 7 at 77 Massachusetts Avenue, serving as the symbolic main gateway to the MIT campus. This grand, four-story atrium features fluted Ionic columns, limestone facades, and a prominent dome with a that floods the space with natural light, creating an imposing yet welcoming threshold to the corridor. At the corridor's central midpoint lies Lobby 10 in Building 10, known as the Memorial Lobby, which was officially dedicated on November 18, 2013, to commemorate MIT alumni who lost their lives in wartime service during , , the , and the . Positioned beneath the iconic Great Dome, the lobby includes restored and regilded wall engravings listing the names of these fallen alumni, emphasizing its role as a solemn hub along the path. The west end of the Infinite Corridor terminates near Building 8, providing a less formal exit that connects to additional extensions beyond the main spine running through Buildings 7, 3, 10, 4, and 8. Unlike the ornate entrances at either end, this terminus facilitates seamless pedestrian flow into adjacent areas without distinctive architectural fanfare. Pedestrian etiquette in these lobbies, particularly at Lobby 7 during peak hours, emphasizes continuous movement, with an unspoken norm against stopping or congregating in the thoroughfare to maintain efficient flow for the thousands of daily users.

Multi-Level Connections

The Infinite Corridor extends vertically across five levels, indexed from 0 to 4 at MIT, with the primary pathway situated on the first floor (Infinite 1). The upper levels (Infinite 2 through 4) partially mirror this horizontal route within sections of Buildings 3, 4, and 10, providing parallel passageways that align with key segments of the main corridor. These upper floors facilitate movement between academic spaces while maintaining connectivity to the core east-west axis. Vertical access between levels is achieved primarily through staircases and elevators strategically located at major nodes. In Lobby 7, a grand ascends from the main entrance on Massachusetts Avenue, linking the ground level directly to upper floors and serving as a prominent architectural feature since the building's construction. Complementing this, elevators in Lobby 7 enable access to higher levels, including the third floor, which houses educational displays. Similarly, elevators in Lobby 10 connect all five levels, including the basement (Infinite 0) and the upper tiers, enhancing accessibility for students and visitors navigating to areas like the Barker Library. Numerous additional stairways throughout the corridor provide further inter-level transitions, though the upper levels overall experience lower foot traffic compared to the bustling ground floor. Beyond the primary east-west alignment, the Infinite Corridor incorporates branching paths that extend north and south, integrating adjacent facilities into the network. Northward spurs from central points, such as near Building 8, lead to the Department of and in Building 6, allowing seamless access to EECS labs and offices. Southward extensions connect to the Ray and Maria Stata Center (Building 32), where the corridor morphs into wider, open linkages that blend with the center's hub-and-spoke design, fostering interdisciplinary interactions. The upper levels exhibit variations in design and usage that distinguish them from the main path. On the third floor, hallways are narrower and offer an uninterrupted east-west sweep, optimized for specific installations like the Infinite Solar System model, while remaining less congested than the first floor. These features contribute to a total connected footage across all levels that exceeds 1,000 feet, expanding the corridor's utility beyond its foundational horizontal plane.

Significance and Usage

Role in Campus Life

The Infinite Corridor serves as the central spine of the MIT campus, connecting the main academic buildings that house numerous departments, classrooms, and laboratories, thereby facilitating seamless movement across the institution. This extensive hallway, spanning approximately 825 feet in an east-west orientation, acts as the primary indoor route for pedestrians, enabling efficient east-west travel while shielding users from New England's often inclement weather. Thousands of students, faculty, and staff traverse it daily, underscoring its role as a vital artery for campus and connectivity. Beyond its practical function, the corridor plays a key social role in fostering interactions among the MIT community. It frequently hosts meetings and casual conversations, capitalizing on the proximity it creates between individuals from diverse academic backgrounds, which in turn promotes cross-disciplinary . Student organizations utilize its walls for promotional displays and tabling activities to recruit members and publicize events, enhancing . Additionally, the corridor features prominently in freshman orientation tours, where new students learn about campus layout and culture while walking its length. In 2025, the renovation of the first floor of Building 11 into a 5,000-square-foot Undergraduate Advising Center hub was completed, featuring collaborative spaces, lounges, and career advising offices to support along the corridor. This development, part of post-pandemic reconfiguration, aims to encourage lingering and interactions in the area. Symbolically, the Infinite Corridor embodies MIT's interdisciplinary by physically linking disparate fields and encouraging spontaneous exchanges that drive innovation and teamwork. Following the disruptions of the , which temporarily reduced foot traffic and in-person gatherings, the corridor regained its full vibrancy by 2023, with ongoing hybrid events and recent spatial enhancements further integrating it into daily campus life.

Etiquette and Pedestrian Flow

Pedestrians in the Infinite Corridor are expected to follow core unwritten rules analogous to highway traffic to maintain efficient movement: walk on the right side, pass others on the left, limit group sizes to avoid blocking lanes, avoid stopping or slowing abruptly except at designated lobbies, and yield to oncoming traffic at intersections. These guidelines, often likened to driving etiquette, designate the space near the walls as a slower lane for casual walkers or those viewing displays, while the outer portions serve as passing lanes, with oncoming flows separated by an imaginary center line that should not be crossed unnecessarily. Biking is prohibited to prevent hazards in the high-traffic environment, and groups are advised against spanning the full width of the corridor in one direction, which can impede flow. In 1997, a Civil and Environmental Engineering class at MIT conducted a detailed study titled "Finite Elements of the Infinite Corridor," treating the as a transportation network to model pedestrian dynamics using finite element analysis. The project observed and simulated factors such as individual speeds, group behaviors, and bottlenecks, revealing peak flow rates of up to 163 people per minute (combined east- and westbound) during class transitions, equivalent to nearly 10,000 people per hour under optimal conditions. This analysis highlighted cyclic surges tied to class schedules, with average traversal times of 2.5 minutes but delays up to 3.7 minutes at high density, emphasizing the need for adherence to flow rules to prevent congestion. High density occurs primarily during class changes, such as between 1 and 3 p.m., when surges from large lectures create temporary "crushes" at key points like Lobby 10 or Building 3. Morning peaks around 8 to 10 a.m. similarly strain capacity as students commute to early sessions. These periods underscore the corridor's role as a vital , handling substantial daily volumes that necessitate disciplined movement. Enforcement relies on informal peer pressure among users, with no formal policing but widespread awareness fostered through institutional communications.

Cultural and Artistic Elements

Hacks and Pranks

At MIT, "hacks" refer to elaborate, benign pranks executed by students that demonstrate technical ingenuity and creativity while adhering to an informal code of ethics emphasizing harmlessness and amusement for the community. The Infinite Corridor serves as a prime location for such hacks due to its high visibility and daily foot traffic of thousands, providing hackers with a captive audience for their temporary installations. One notable example is the 1985 "Mass Toolpike" hack, where students transformed the entire 251-meter length of the corridor into a simulated by installing double yellow lane markings, traffic signals, signs, a rotary, and even parking a real car in Lobby 10 complete with a mock toll booth referencing the high cost of tuition. In 2014, for , a satirical proposal circulated suggesting the installation of piezoelectric floor tiles along the corridor to harvest energy from footsteps and power LED lights, framed as an eco-friendly "Zero Footprint" to enable safe texting while walking. During the 2000s, hacks included the 2005 "Mario Bros." installation, which overlaid the corridor with life-sized projections and props mimicking the level, complete with pixelated and coins dangling from the ceiling to immerse passersby. Post-2020 examples include the 2022 "Openness Hack" in adjacent Lobby 7, where a black stripe was added to obscure the word "openness" on an official , subtly critiquing institutional transparency in a nod to MIT's hacking tradition. In 2023, the "Duke Sally" hack featured a on Building 7 and a welcome sign in Lobby 7 honoring a fictional figure, continuing the tradition of whimsical displays in high-traffic areas near the corridor. These pranks often cause brief, temporary disruptions but are celebrated for balancing whimsy with engineering prowess, fostering community spirit without lasting alterations. Many such hacks are meticulously documented in the IHTFP Hack Gallery, a student-maintained online archive that preserves photographs, write-ups, and historical context to honor MIT's prank culture. Safety remains paramount, with guidelines stipulating that hacks must avoid , , or obstruction of emergency access routes like the corridor.

Displays and Murals

The walls of the Infinite Corridor feature a variety of permanent and semi-permanent visual exhibits that reflect MIT's academic and cultural environment. During the 2010 renovations at the eastern end of the corridor, particularly at the junction of Buildings 4 and 8, cinderblock walls and closed doors were replaced with floor-to-ceiling frosted glass panels, allowing passersby to view ongoing research activities in adjacent laboratories such as the Laboratory for . These glass-walled spaces provide glimpses into interdisciplinary projects in and , enhancing the corridor's role as a dynamic pathway through . Bulletin boards line much of the Infinite Corridor and its adjoining areas, serving as key venues for departmental and student group announcements. Managed by the Association of Student Activities, these boards are allocated biennially to registered student organizations for posting event promotions, job opportunities, and community updates, ensuring a steady flow of timely information for the thousands of daily pedestrians. Groups are required to maintain their assigned spaces by keeping postings current and including contact details, with policies prohibiting obstructions to . Historical plaques are prominently displayed in Lobby 10, located along the corridor beneath the Great Dome. In 2013, the space was renamed Memorial Lobby to honor MIT alumni who died in , with its walls bearing engraved lists of those lost in , , the , and the . This dedication underscores the corridor's role in commemorating institutional history, and the lobby hosts annual events like ROTC vigils to maintain its significance. To support ongoing content freshness, the corridor incorporates digital displays as part of the Infinite Display system, which projects event promotions and institutional messages on screens and projectors integrated into high-traffic zones. These electronic exhibits, including two projectors specifically in the Infinite Corridor, cycle content briefly to engage users without overwhelming the space, adhering to MIT's branding guidelines for clarity and relevance.

Scientific and Educational Features

Infinite Solar System Model

The Infinite Solar System Model is a scale representation of the solar system installed along the third-floor east-west path of MIT's Infinite Corridor, designed to convey the immense distances and relative sizes within our cosmic neighborhood. Created by planetary scientist Richard P. Binzel, a professor in MIT's Department of , Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, the exhibit was unveiled on November 9, 2018, coinciding with the MIThenge solar alignment event. Spanning approximately 200 meters from Lobby 7 in Building 7 to the western end near Building 8, it uses a uniform scale of 1:30,000,000,000, where the entire distance from the Sun to fits the corridor's length. This placement on the upper level takes advantage of the straight, unobstructed layout, allowing visitors to walk the model's full extent without interruptions. At this scale, the Sun is represented as roughly the size of a grapefruit, positioned at Lobby 7, while appears as a tiny peppercorn at the corridor's west end, emphasizing the vast emptiness of space. The installation features 14 informational plaques, each accompanied by 3D-printed spherical models approximately 4.3 cm in diameter for visual uniformity, depicting the Sun, the eight , and dwarf planets including Ceres, , , , and Eris, with additional markers highlighting the between Mars and , select major moons such as Jupiter's Galilean satellites and Saturn's prominent ones, the , and the ; plaques provide key facts on diameters, orbital distances, and compositions scaled to the model's ratio. For instance, Earth is about 5 meters from the Sun model, underscoring how even inner are separated by significant scaled distances. The primary educational objective of the model is to illustrate the profound scale of the solar system, helping students and visitors grasp concepts that are otherwise abstract and difficult to visualize through traditional diagrams or lectures. Binzel developed the exhibit as an extension of classroom activities in his planetary science courses, where students calculate scaled distances to appreciate interstellar vastness, and it now serves as a hands-on tool for astronomy tours, outreach events, and self-guided explorations. Guided tours led by Binzel himself continue to draw participants, fostering enthusiasm for space research by connecting the corridor's familiar environment to cosmic realities. Minor updates to the plaques have been made to incorporate new astronomical discoveries, such as refinements to Pluto's system based on data from the mission, including details on its surface features and moons. These enhancements ensure the model remains a current resource for education, without altering the core scale or physical layout.

Physics Demonstrations

The Infinite Corridor's straight, unobstructed 251-meter length makes it suitable for hands-on physics demonstrations focused on wave propagation and fundamental constants, particularly in and acoustics. Students and instructors have utilized the space for experiments that leverage its scale to achieve measurable results without specialized long-path facilities. These activities are often integrated into introductory physics laboratories, where safety protocols, such as eye protection for use and coordination to minimize pedestrian interference, are strictly enforced to ensure participant safety. One prominent example involves demonstrating the using a , photocell, and positioned at one end of the corridor to measure the time for to travel to the far end and back, providing direct of 's in . The theoretical time tt for this round trip is calculated as t=2dc,t = \frac{2d}{c}, where d=251d = 251 m is the corridor's length and c=3×108c = 3 \times 10^8 m/s is the . To arrive at the solution, first compute the one-way time d/c=251/3×108≈8.367×10−7d/c = 251 / 3 \times 10^8 \approx 8.367 \times 10^{-7} s, then double it for the round trip: t≈1.67×10−6t \approx 1.67 \times 10^{-6} s, or 1.67 microseconds. This duration is short enough to resolve with standard undergraduate equipment, allowing students to verify the value against known constants and discuss relativistic implications. Additional demonstrations exploit the corridor for acoustic experiments, such as measuring the through echoes generated by sharp claps or starter pistols at one end, with timing the return signal after reflection off the far wall. These setups typically yield speeds around 343 m/s at , illustrating principles of wave reflection and medium dependence without complex apparatus. In the connected lobbies, gravity's effects are explored via swings, where bob release from varying heights demonstrates and the independence of period from for small oscillations.

Astronomical Phenomena

MIThenge Event

The MIThenge event takes place twice each year, around November 9–13 and January 27–31, when the setting sun aligns precisely with the east-west axis of MIT's Infinite Corridor, illuminating its entire 251-meter length with direct . This alignment occurs because the corridor's straight-line geography runs due east-west, allowing the sun's path to match its orientation during these periods. The phenomenon is best observed for about two minutes, depending on atmospheric conditions, and requires such as filters to safely view the sun. The event's history traces back to fall 1975, when Tom Norton, an architecture research affiliate at MIT, noticed reports of sunlight flooding the corridor and collaborated with students Timothy E. Johnson and Wellesley-Miller on calculations for a class project. Norton named the alignment "MIThenge" by analogy to and created posters featuring the students' computations and a inspired by Harold "Doc" to publicize the next occurrence, leading to the first organized viewing in 1976. Subsequent refinements, including corrections by Ken Olum in 1997, have ensured accurate predictions through 2100. During MIThenge, crowds typically gather at the west end of Building 8 on the third floor or in adjacent stairwells to witness the streaming through the full corridor length, with and being popular activities to capture the striking visual effect. These gatherings promote among students, faculty, and staff, often featuring organized receptions with refreshments and hot drinks hosted by groups like MIT's MindHandHeart initiative. For example, the 2023 November event included multiple viewing sessions followed by snacks and a closing reception, drawing significant attendance even in suboptimal weather. The November 2025 event, planned for November 10–12, was canceled due to . Exact timings for each MIThenge are determined by computing the sun's relative to the corridor's fixed 245.81-degree orientation from , accounting for slight annual shifts caused by Earth's 23.44-degree and elliptical orbit around the sun. These calculations distinguish between "low pass," "mid pass," and "high pass" alignments, with the mid-pass day offering the optimal visual experience. Updated predictions are shared via MIT's dedicated MIThenge website to guide observers.

Seasonal Solar Alignments

Due to MIT's location at approximately 42.36°N , the sun's annual path results in its crossing the Infinite Corridor's east-west axis twice yearly, on dates adjacent to the period. This alignment occurs because the corridor's bearing, roughly 90° east-west with a precise westward of about 245.81°, matches the sun's position at sunset during these times. The phenomenon, known as MIThenge, briefly illuminates the entire 251-meter length of the corridor from the eastern end. The full cycle of illuminations includes brief full traversals of in mid-November at sunset and late at sunset, lasting about 2 minutes under clear conditions when the sun's aligns precisely with the corridor's axis. Around these peak dates, partial alignments occur over several days, with the sun's lower or crossing the axis, resulting in incomplete but notable illuminations of the reflective floor and walls. For 2025, calculations predict optimal full alignments on (high pass) and (high pass), with partial views on adjacent days like November 10–11 and January 28 and 30. These predictions rely on solar declination and data, accounting for the sun's 0.5° and effects, derived from standard astronomical software and observations. The mechanics involve the sun's reaching values where its sunset equals the corridor's 245.81° orientation, a configuration unique to mid-latitudes like Boston's. No complex derivations are needed beyond tables from sources like the U.S. Naval Observatory, which provide precise times based on the observer's coordinates and the corridor's measured extent. Partial alignments in the cycle, such as lower-limb passes, extend visibility but limit full illumination due to the sun's partial occlusion by the horizon or building edges. These solar events enhance natural within the corridor, temporarily reducing reliance on artificial sources during late afternoon hours. The corridor's fixed ensures alignment stability for decades, with astronomical predictability maintaining consistent dates; minor shifts in observation times by 2050 could arise from long-term , though less than 1 minute annually. Popular MIThenge celebrations highlight these and .

References

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  58. https://www.latlong.net/place/massachusetts-institute-of-technology-ma-usa-27482.html
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