Local Landmarks:

Outdoor, summer-time fighting practice takes place on the lawn behind Kresge Auditorium (Building W16) at MIT (there are tennis courts and a huge soccer field on the far side of the parking lot). Kresge is a modern, glass and steel, dome-shaped building set back from Mass. Ave. The MIT Student Center (Building W20) is next door directly on Mass. Ave.

Other landmarks: On Mass. Ave. there is a large crosswalk and a long set of stairs going up to the main entrance of Building 7 (a traditional, college-like building with a green dome. This building, and the ones it connects to, is sometimes referred to as 'The Infinite Corridor' or Buildings 7, 3, 10, etc.). This is across the street from Kresge.

From South of Boston:

Take your best route to Mass Ave. This is accessible from 93N near South Boston. Continue for 2-3 miles and cross over the Charles. Starting from the Cambridge side of the Charles River, the first set of lights is Amherst Street. Take this left for about 200 yards to a parking lot at the end. (Note: There is no right turn possible at this intersection. The next intersection is the crosswalk mentioned above.)

You can park there after 5pm, if you can manage to get a spot. Don't park in reserved spaces or outside the marked lines. They tow, even after hours. The next intersection on Mass. Ave. is Vassar Street. If you turn left, there is an MIT garage, where I believe you can park free after 5pm. There are also spaces along the street. Some people park along Memorial Drive.

From North of Boston:

From 93S take the exit for Storrow Drive, but don't take the hard left onto Storrow Drive at the end of the off ramp. Instead, stay in the middle lane (but bear right) and then bear left at the next light. Go under the concrete subway bridge and turn right onto Rte. 28 in front of the Museum of Science .

Take the left right after the Museum of Science. This is Edwin Land Blvd. (he started Polaroid) and turns into Memorial Drive. Drive past the Galleria Mall (on your right), and the Sonesta and Lotus buildings.

Go under a bridge with signs for Kendall Square (this is called the salt and pepper bridge because of the turrets), then continue past some MIT buildings on your right. The river is on your left (you'll see the Mass. Ave. Bridge ahead on your left). You'll see a fork coming up on the left with a truck clearance warning -- don't take the left fork -- get in the right lane and stay to the right with the buildings.

Take the right onto Mass. Ave. Immediately get into left lane and take the first left at a small set of lights for Amherst Street. If you go too far, you'll cross the big intersection with the large steps on your right for the Main Building. (This is the cross walk mentioned above.)

You may want to look at a street atlas first....