The campus of Rice University is one of the most beautiful spots in Houston thanks to the Mediterranean-influenced designs of Boston architects Cram, Goodhue & Ferguson, who were responsible for the university's master plan and the earliest buildings on the campus. Not only did the architects introduce large-scale site planning to Houston, they also combined a variety of Mediterranean architectural styles to create an architecture unique to Rice.

Our tour visits the historic heart of the campus and also includes some of Rice's newest buildings, tracing the evolution of the original campus architecture. Along the way, we discuss the history of the university; the life story and murder of its founder, William Marsh Rice; and the evolution of Cram, Goodhue & Ferguson's campus plan.

Please note this is an exterior architecture tour only. The tour will not go inside any buildings. There are no public restrooms along the tour route.

TICKETS

Tickets will go on sale at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, June 11, near the Founders Court visitor parking lot, accessible via Rice University Entrance 1 at Main and Sunset (click here to see a campus map). Admission is $10 for the general public ($7 for Preservation Houston members and students with valid ID). Those who walk, ride a bike or use public transit to get to the tour will receive a $2 discount. Children 11 years old and under are admitted free. Tickets may be charged to Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover. The last tour group will leave just after 6 p.m. Advance reservations are not required for this tour.

For more information, visit our Architecture Walks page.