Directions to Swarthmore and the DuPont Science Building
1.) by car
Swarthmore College is located 11 miles southwest from the city of Philadelphia
in the borough of Swarthmore, Pennsylania. The college is just a 30 minute drive
from Philadelphia. New York and Washington, D.C. are about two hours away.
From the NORTH (New Jersey Turnpike or I-95)
Take the New Jersey Turnpike to Exit 3 and follow the signs to the Walt Whitman
Bridge. Take I-95 South, pass Philadelphia International Airport and continue
to exit 7, I-476 North/Plymouth Meeting. Take I-476 North to Exit 3, Media/Swarthmore.
At bottom of exit ramp, follow sign for Swarthmore by turning right onto Baltimore
Pike. (See below for ". . . the rest of the way.")
From the SOUTH (I-95)
Follow I-95 North to Exit 7 (in Pennsylvania), I-476 North/Plymouth Meeting.
Take I-476 to Exit 3, Media/Swarthmore. At the botom of the exit ramp, follow
the sign for Swarthmore by turning right onto Baltimore Pike. (See below for
". . . the rest of the way.")
From the EAST (via the Pennsylvania Turnpike)
From Exit 25A, Norristown, follow signs for I-476 South. Stay on I-476 approximately
17 miles to Exit 3, Media/Swarthmore. At the bottom of the exit ramp, follow
the signs to Swarthmore by turning left onto Baltimore Pike. (See below for
". . . the rest of the way.")
From the WEST (via the Pennsylvania Turnpike)
From Exit 24, Valley Forge, Take I-76 East, Schuykill Expressway, about 2 miles
to I-476 South. Take I-476 approzimately 17 miles to Exit 3, Media/Swarthmore.
At the bottom of the exit ramp, follow the signs to Swarthmore by turning left
onto Baltimore Pike. (See below for ". . . the rest of the way.")
From the AIRPORT
Take I-95 South. Continue to exit 7, I-476 North/Plymouth Meeting. Take I-476
North to Exit 3, Media/Swarthmore. At bottom of exit ramp, follow sign for Swarthmore
by turning right onto Baltimore Pike. (See below for ". . . the rest of
the way.")
"... the rest of the way to DuPont Science Building"
Stay in right lane and in less than 1/4 mile turn right onto Route 320 South
(watch turns on Route 320). Proceed through first light and in two blocks turn
right on Elm Ave. Take your second left onto Whittier Place and watch out for
vicious speed bumps.
The last building on the right before the parking lot is Whitter 3-5, temporary home of the Math Department, but don't go there. Your goal is the big building at the end of the street on your right. (This is DuPont, but those with previous experience won't recognize it from this side). Park in the parking lot which is your next right.
Through the parking lot entrance to DuPont:
Go to the small door facing the parking lot that says "Chemistry Deliveries"
and follow signs to Room 199: take the next left and the next right. Room 199
is on your left just before the next set of doors.
2. By train
Get off the R3 Local at the hallowed Swarthmore stop and follow the walk up to and through (or by Parrish, the large 19th. C. Quaker-style building at the top of the hill) as in days of yore. Head toward DuPont, now almost unrecognizable, but Martin (Bio) and Beardsley are pretty much the same.
Behind Parrish and on the right is Beardsley Hall, big and boxy. Look for a path veering off to the left at an angle; this leads to a paved plaza at the arcade entrance to the Science Center. Enter the Science Center through the right-hand door under the arcade; you'll be at room 199. Folks that like interactive maps and nostalgia can go to http://sciencecenter.swarthmore.edu/CurrentDesign/menu.html/. Your goal is just about right under the small observatory dome in the large building complex at the far right, in front of the stylish water tower.
3. By plane (without car)
The well-to-do can take a taxi to Swarthmore, following driving directions above. More humble folk can take the train to Philadelphia, getting off at University City Station, where they take the R3 Local to Swarthmore and follow directions above.
Links:
Regional map and Campus map (use Back button on your browser to return here)