Founded in 1636, Harvard has shaped presidents, leaders, and thinkers for nearly 400 years.

A School Older Than America

Did you know Harvard is older than America itself?

In 1636, America wasn’t even an independent country yet. No cars. No electric lights. No TV. Most places were just small villages in wilderness. But some people thought: we need a school where young people learn to think and lead.

That’s how Harvard University started. It was in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Just nine students. One teacher. One building. Smaller than your class.

The school is named after John Harvard. He was a young minister. He gave the school his books and all his money. Sadly, he died just two years later. People named the university after him to say thank you.

Today, Harvard is almost 390 years old. It’s America’s oldest university. And one of the most famous in the world.

People Who Walked Out of Here

Some of the most amazing people in the world came from Harvard.

Eight U.S. Presidents studied at Harvard. More than any other university. John F. Kennedy studied here and became the 35th President. Barack Obama went to Harvard Law School and became America’s first African American President.

But here’s what makes Harvard really special: some of its students changed the world without even graduating.

Do you like Star Wars? Natalie Portman played Queen Padmé. She studied psychology at Harvard. While other actors went to movie premieres, she was studying for exams. That’s Harvard.

Tommy Lee Jones studied at Harvard too. His roommate? Al Gore, who became Vice President. One went to Hollywood. One became a world leader. They shared a dorm room.

Bill Gates was at Harvard when he realized something. Personal computers were going to change everything. He couldn’t wait to graduate. He left and started Microsoft.

Mark Zuckerberg built Facebook in his Harvard dorm room. It started as a simple college directory. Now it connects billions of people.

And here’s the most incredible part: over 160 Nobel Prize winners have connections to Harvard. More than any university on Earth.

A Magic Castle with Secret Tunnels

Walking into Harvard feels like stepping into another time.

The oldest building, Massachusetts Hall, was built in 1720. George Washington slept there. Stone walls. Pointed roofs. Ivy climbing up the sides. It looks like a magic school.

At the center is Harvard Yard. Huge old trees. Students sitting on grass reading, talking, thinking. In autumn, the leaves turn red and gold. It looks like a painting.

But Harvard has a secret: almost 5 kilometers of tunnels under the ground. These tunnels carry hot steam to heat all the buildings. They connect everything together.

For decades, students have snuck into these tunnels. It’s an adventure. And there’s a tradition: students paint pictures on the tunnel walls. Some paintings are only half done. They’re waiting for the next students to finish them.

The Statue of Three Lies

In the middle of Harvard Yard stands a famous statue.

It’s John Harvard, and everyone touches its foot for good luck. Millions of people have rubbed it. The toe is shiny and bright now. Completely different from the rest.

But students have a joke: it’s “The Statue of Three Lies.”

The statue says: “John Harvard, Founder, 1638.” Sounds right? But all three things are wrong.

First lie: John Harvard wasn’t the founder. He just gave money and books. Many people founded Harvard together.

Second lie: Harvard was founded in 1636, not 1638. The year is wrong.

Third lie: That’s not even John Harvard’s face. Nobody knows what he looked like. So the artist found a handsome student to model. The world’s most famous statue has the wrong face.

The Place That Made Surgery Stop Hurting

Harvard doctors made discoveries that changed medicine forever.

Imagine this: long ago, when people needed surgery, they were awake. No anesthesia. They felt everything. It was terrifying. Harvard doctors discovered anesthesia. It lets patients sleep during surgery. No pain. This changed medicine all over the world.

In 1954, Harvard doctors did the first successful kidney transplant. Before this, if your organs failed, there was no hope. This surgery opened a door. Hundreds of thousands of people have lived because of organ transplants.

Harvard doctors also helped create medicine for childhood leukemia. This is blood cancer. Before, children with leukemia had almost no chance. Now, because of these medicines, most kids can be cured.

Did You Know?

  • Harvard’s motto is the Latin word “Veritas.” It means “Truth.” The university believes seeking truth is the most important thing.
  • Harvard has over 70 libraries with more than 17 million books. That’s more than any other university. If you read one book every day, it would take nearly 10,000 years to finish them all.
  • Harvard has over 450 clubs. You can design your own schedule. Study astronomy and music together. Mix computer science and philosophy. Whatever combination you want.

Think About It!

  • Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg both left Harvard to start companies. And they both succeeded. Do you have to finish college to be successful? Why or why not?
  • Everything written on Harvard’s famous statue is wrong, but it became the most famous university statue in the world. Do you think “mistakes” can sometimes make something more interesting?
  • Harvard doctors invented anesthesia and organ transplants. They saved millions of lives. If you could invent something to help people, what would it be?