Innovation Trail — Kendall Square Walking Tour for Newbies + Natives

Want to learn more about the scientists, inventors, and entrepreneurs who made Cambridge one of the most innovative places in the world? Join us November 6th at 2:30 PM for a special Friday afternoon tour of The Innovation Trail, hosted by Scott Kirsner of WBUR + MassLive. Tix are "donate what you can."

We'll visit several indoor spaces to stay warm, play bingo as we go (there will be prizes), and talk about:

• The true history of NASA in Kendall Square

• Why our tour route was once known as "Confectioner's Row" (and yes, there will be candy tasting as part of this tour)

• The culture of pranking or "hacks" at MIT

• How an MIT lab helped win World War II

• The first "long distance" phone call, from Boston to Cambridge

• How MIT almost got acquired by Harvard

• Cambridge's major contributions to the Human Genome Project

• How Google wound up being a major employer in Cambridge

• And a whole lot more.

We'll start at the MIT Museum in Kendall Square, just above the Kendall Square T station. (And there's a cafe next door, Ripple, if you need a cup of coffee or tea!) We'll conclude near Central Square and Toscanini's Ice Cream.

If you're new to Boston this fall... or if you're a native but you want to learn more about your city, this tour is for you! The tour will run 90 minutes.

We're proud that our walking tour earned a "Best of Boston" award from Boston Magazine in 2023.

You can donate any amount to participate in this tour to support The Innovation Trail's mission: telling the story of past pioneers and breakthroughs, and getting future generations excited about careers in STEM. (Our typical ticket prices are $25 for adults and $15 for students.)