From colonial roots to city secrets
Inventions, awards, and Hollywood fame
Campus traditions and quirky lore
YOUR GOAL
Master of The secret tunnels and Hollywood stars of Columbia
sonia Columbia's Subway Secret
Beneath the busy platform, King's College is in stone (yeah, it's hidden in the stone!)
sonia An illustrated diagram shows the secret underground tunnel network beneath Columbia University.
sonia A whimsical watercolor illustration depicts Buell Hall on the Columbia University campus
sonia Place campus landmarks on the mini map to discover surprising Columbia University fun facts.
Columbia's royal crown: The university's official emblem still features a king's crown, a direct nod to its original 1754 name, King's College.
An artificial underground passage, especially one built through a hill or under a building. An intricate network of underground tunnels has connected the university's Morningside Heights buildings since 1897.
What original purpose did Columbia's extensive underground tunnel network serve before being used by students?
What historic Revolutionary War battle was fought in 1776 on the ground where Columbia University stands today?
Which is the only surviving building from the Bloomingdale Insane Asylum on Columbia's campus?
Which famous aviator admitted to exploring Columbia's secret underground tunnels as a student in 1920?
How many students made up the very first graduating class of Columbia (then King's College)?