The older buildings have higher ceilings than the newer ones and were built with the basement halfway out of the ground. Because of this, some of the buildings are connected via stairs in the halls, and the floor numbers don't always match.

---

4	---	-	---	5
3	---	-	---	4
2	-  *	/	---	3
1	---	/	---	2
			---	1
B	---		---	B
			---	SB
bldg 7			bldg 9

At the star is part of the Rotch Library; you can't go from 7 to 9 there. Originally you could, and the stairs in building 9 are still there. At the bottom on the wall is a painted Wile E Coyote.

---

5	---
4	---	-	---	5
3	---	-	---	4
2	---	/	---	3
			---	2
1	---	\	---	1
B	---	-	---	B
bldg 10			bldg 13

---

			---	8
			---	7
			---	6
4	---	-	---	5
3	---	-	---	4
2R	---	/	---	3
1R	---	/ \	--- ---	2F 1F
B	---	\	---	B
bldg 8			bldg 16

The bold floor numbers are stops on elevator 16-3 (49-P-2043), which is mainly for wheelchairs going between 8 and 16 (but can be used by anyone). Other than the basement connection, the stairs between the floors are set up like a normal stairwell on the side; they just don't go more than half a floor except for 1F to 2F. In the basement there is a bypass ramp around the stairs; this leaves building 8 just before the stairs and returns to building 16 after the main hall towards building 56 and east campus.

---

3	---	/ \	---   ---	4   3
bldg 24			bldg 34

The bold floor numbers are stops on the wheelchair lift (49-W-1624). Other floors exist on both buildings but these are the only ones that connect, and 34-4 only connects to several classrooms, not the main 34-4 hall. Also note that Building 12 only has floors 0 and 1, and so to get from 34 to the infinite corridor indoors it is probably best to go via 26/16/8.

---

Please email me at [email protected] with any additions or corrections.
Return to MIT building oddities