Porcellian Club

The Porcellian Club stands in a building at 1324 Massachusetts Avenue with a reception area, a bar, and a billiards room on multiple floors. The exterior shows Colonial Revival features with brickwork and symmetrical windows.

The organization was founded in 1791 by thirty Massachusetts students who organized pig roasts as an alternative to Harvard University dining hall meals. The current clubhouse was built later and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Members wear golden pig emblems on their watch chains and follow the motto 'Dum vivimus vivamus'. The clubhouse maintains traditions that have evolved over more than two centuries.

Access is limited to members, with only the ground floor area potentially open to guests. The building sits in Harvard Square, within walking distance of the main campus areas.

The club donated the McKean Gate to Harvard Yard in 1901 and incorporated its boar emblem into this main entrance structure. The gate is now one of the most recognizable entrances on campus.

Location: Cambridge

Inception: 18 century

Architectural style: Colonial Revival architecture

Part of: Harvard Square

GPS coordinates: 42.37293,-71.11781

Latest update: December 4, 2025 23:01