Moving Day Photos

A Beautiful Mind, a 3-dimensional brain made out of plywood, was the creation of a team from the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, the McGovern Institute for Brain Research, and the Picower Center for Learning and Memory. The team won the competition’s Da Vinci award for expression of creativity and wonder.

Photo: Jake Belcher

Participants transport StrandBeaver, a sculpture based on an open-source miniature Strandbeest design, to the parade start line. The team was led by MIT senior and mechanical engineer Julia Canning.

Photo: Jake Belcher

Parade Grand Marshal Oliver Smoot ’62 and Peter Miller ’62

Photo: Casey Atkins

The Reif Raft and the Bucentaur, a re-creation of the Venetian barge on which the MIT charter was carried across the river in 1916, made a splash on Moving Day.

Photo: Andy Ryan

Salute the Smoot Brigade! Led by architecture student Abigail Anderson, members are exactly 1 Smoot—or 5 feet, 7 inches—tall.

Photo: Andy Ryan

Ray Magliozzi ’73, cohost of NPR’s popular show Car Talk, was transported across the bridge in a reproduction of the chariot from the hit TV show Lost in Space.

Photo: Casey Atkins

Oliver Smoot ’62 reenacts the famous nightwork of 1958: establishment of the “smoot” unit of measure.

Photo: Andy Ryan

“No Innovation without Fabrication”, one of the 2.007 robot competition game tables (piloted by the Pappalardo Undergraduate Teaching Lab), made its way across the Charles. The MechE team won the Tech Pioneer Award for most innovative entry.

Photo: Casey Atkins

MIT Provost and competition judge Marty Schmidt hailed fellow alumni as they marched across the bridge.

Photo: Andy Ryan

Students employ a custom “smoot” measuring tape, one of the day’s surprises.

Photo: Andy Ryan

Two five-year-old preschool buddies whose parents work at MIT and MIT Lincoln Laboratory entered the Beaver Kits competition for kids.
A pair of bicycles connected by a helium balloon arch represented the multitude of friendships that bridge the distance between Cambridge and Lexington.

Photo: Andy Ryan

Large crowds enjoyed the procession and competition

Photo: Andy Ryan

The “One if by land, 007 if by sea getaway raft” team members rappelled from the bridge and made their escape back to Cambridge.

Photo: Andy Ryan

A cadre of alumni 400 strong participated in the procession.

Photo: Andy Ryan

Creation of the MIT Dome Raft was led by students in the MIT Sloan School of Management. In true MIT cross-disciplinary style, team members called on friends in mechanical engineering to devise their entry.

Photo: Dominick Reuter

A young spectator enjoys the parade.

Photo: Casey Atkins

MIT President Reif and Cambridge Mayor Denise Simmons spoke at the presentation of Crossing the Charles awards.

Photo: Andy Ryan

Killian Court was the site of a spectacular pageant, which included computer art on the Building 10 facade. Photo by Dominick Reuter

Photo: Jake Belcher

The Pageant began with a parade of drummers and student rowers, paying homage to MIT’s crossing of the Charles River in 1916.

Photo: Dominick Reuter

Tim the Beaver was in festive spirit.

Photo: Casey Atkins

Mens and Manus were joined by a talking robot.

Photo: Dominick Reuter

Mens and Manus—and the Pageant audience—debated which is more important: theory or practice?

Photo: Dominick Reuter

Mocha Moves, MIT's hip-hop dance team, performed for the audience.

Photo: Dominick Reuter

MIT Bhangra presented folk dance from Punjab.

Photo: Dominick Reuter

Mocha Moves and MIT Bhangra united on stage for an energetic dance mashup.

Photo: Casey Atkins

Some of MIT’s most renowned alumni and faculty appeared as bobbleheads and fought as champions of either mens or manus.

Photo: Casey Atkins

Photo: Dominick Reuter

Mind, hand, and heart have made MIT what it is today.

Photo: Dominick Reuter

President Reif joined Mens and Manus on stage for a selfie.

Photo: Casey Atkins

NASA Astronaut Tim Kopra FaceTimed from the International Space Station.

Photo: Dominick Reuter

The pageant finale included a collaborative performance with student dancers, the renowned dance troupe Pilobolus, the Eviyan Quartet, and LED umbrellas from MIT CSAIL. A dramatic fireworks display concluded the once-in-a-century event in Killian Court.

Photo: Dominick Reuter

Photo: Dominick Reuter

Photo: Dominick Reuter

Photo: Dominick Reuter

Photo: Jake Belcher

Kresge Oval was the site of the 90s and modern music party on May 7.

_{Photo: Jake Belcher}

Crowds of students enjoyed the party.

_{Photo: Jake Belcher}

Crowds of students enjoyed the party.

_{Photo: Jake Belcher}

Crowds of students enjoyed the party.

_{Photo: Jake Belcher}

Photo: Jake Belcher

Photo: Jake Belcher

Photo: Jake Belcher

Photo: Jake Belcher

Photo: Jake Belcher

Photo: Jake Belcher

Photo: Jake Belcher

Photo: Jake Belcher

Photo: Jake Belcher

Photo: Jake Belcher

Photo: Jake Belcher

Photo: Jake Belcher

Photo: Jake Belcher

Photo: Jake Belcher

Photo: Jake Belcher

Photo: Jake Belcher

Photo: Jake Belcher

Walker Memorial was the site of one of the four themed danced parties on May 7. The crowd enjoyed a night of live swing and jazz music.

_{Photo: Casey Atkins}

Guests danced the night away to the music of Boston Jazz Orchestra.

_{Photo: Casey Atkins}

Guests danced the night away to the music of Boston Jazz Orchestra.

_{Photo: Casey Atkins}

McDermott Court was the site of the 50s- and 60s-themed party.

_{Photo: Dominick Reuter}

The band performed 50s and 60s favorites.

_{Photo: Dominick Reuter}

Party guests danced the night away at the 50s- and 60s-themed party.

_{Photo: Dominick Reuter}

Guests enjoyed diner-inspired food, including chocolate cream pie, at the 50s- and 60s-themed dance party.

_{Photo: Dominick Reuter}

North Court was the place to groove on May 7—the tent was the site of the 70s- and 80s-themed dance party.

_{Photo: Dominick Reuter}

Crowds enjoyed the 70s- and 80s-themed party.

_{Photo: Dominick Reuter}

Retro-themed cookies were just a few of the treats available at the 70s- and 80s-themed party.

_{Photo: Dominick Reuter}

Guests enjoyed the retro-themed props at the 70s- and 80s-themed party.

_{Photo: Dominick Reuter}

Guests of all ages enjoyed the retro games tent on the Saxon Tennis Courts.

_{Photo: Casey Atkins}

Guest enjoyed playing retro games throughout the evening.

_{Photo: Casey Atkins}

Guests enjoyed playing retro games throughout the evening.

_{Photo: Casey Atkins}