Buttery
The Berkeley Buttery functions as the late-night snack bar for Berkeley College, staffed by student aides. Its menu often includes chicken nuggets, quesadillas, mozzarella sticks, grilled cheese, and an assortment of other delicious snacks perfect for study sessions.
Situated in the basement of Berkeley South Court, the Buttery opens its doors on Sunday-Thursday evenings from 10:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. Students are invited to enjoy food, socialize, and partake in the numerous games available in South Court, including ping-pong, pool, and foosball. This space has a 75-person maximum capacity limit.
Reservation requests must be sent to adriana.rivera@yale.edu
Multi-Purpose Room
The Multi-Purpose Room offers Berkeley students the chance to escape from the rigors of academic life and relieve stress through physical activity.
The space may be used by Berkeley students if not otherwise reserved. The court is always reserved for spontaneous Berkeley basketball after 9:00 p.m. Use of this space is scheduled through the Head of College’s Office and may only be arranged for Berkeley events by Berkeley students or Berkeley student groups. This space has a 75 person maximum capacity limit.
Reservation requests must be sent to adriana.rivera@yale.edu
Dining Hall
The Joseph G. Fogg III Dining Hall is arguably the most coveted on campus. Berkeley College takes pride in its foundational role in the Yale Sustainable Food Project, which garnered national recognition for transforming Yale’s food service. Embracing the ethos of Chez Panisse’s Alice Waters, the dining hall’s menu features exclusively sustainable and, whenever possible, organic ingredients. The project, under the stewardship of former Head of College John Rogers, has flourished to such an extent that its practices have been adopted by other residential college dining halls. For further information, please visit the Yale Sustainable Food Project website.
Berkeley’s dining hall serves as the college’s communal hub. Throughout the academic year, Berkeleyites express their college spirit through a variety of events, collaboratively orchestrated by the Berkeley College Office and the dining hall personnel. From the First-year Dinner to the Holiday Banquet, the Berkeley Birthday Dinner, and the Senior Dinner, college members savor the numerous occasions for fine dining and lively social interaction within the dining hall.
The dining hall boasts a Tudor-style design complete with hammerbeam trusses and leaded glass separating the Hall from the Common Room. The walls are adorned with portraits of past Berkeley College Heads.
(Photo by Volkan Doda ‘12)
Music Room
Located in the basement of North Court (directly below entryway H), the Samuel Hemingway Music Room - named after the second Head of College of Berkeley - is equipped with a Steinway grand piano, a music stand, and chairs. All Berkeley students are welcome and encouraged to use this beautiful space. Access requires submission of an access request form.
How to Reserve:
Once the access request form has been approved, you will receive confirmation via email.
To book the Music Room after access form approval, email bkcollegeaides@gmail.com with your requested date(s) and time(s). An aide will respond with confirmation of the availability and book the room for you.
Availability: 9:00 a.m.–11:00 p.m.
Time limits:
- Individuals: up to 1 hour per day, 3 hours per week
- Groups: Should have two or more Berkeleyites (who are active members) and have received permission from the Head of College office. Groups may reserve the space for holding auditions, up to 10 hours/week during the first two weeks of each semester, or with special permission by the Head of College office.
Student Kitchen
Looking to flex your cooking skills? Keen to dazzle your friends with a homemade meal? Or perhaps you want to surprise your roommate with a birthday cake? Discover the Berkeley Student Kitchen, nestled behind the buttery kitchen. This kitchen is open to all Berkeley students eager to whip up their own dishes and can be reserved through the Berkeley College Office.
How to Reserve
- Visit the Berkeley College Office during business hours or email bkcollegeaides@gmail.com to confirm your intended date/time of use is available.
- Complete the Student Kitchen Request Form
- Requests must be submitted at least 24 hours in advance.
- Requests should be submitted during regular business hours Monday- Friday 8:30am-4:30pm. Requests received over the weekend will be answered on the Monday following.
- After your reservation, you will receive instructions for key pickup via email.
After using the kitchen, all users must complete the Kitchen Check-Out Form
Access & Key Information
- The kitchen is generally locked and accessed with a key from the Head of College’s Office.
- A $20 refundable key deposit is required at key pickup.
- Lost or damaged keys result in forfeiture of the deposit.
Kitchen Rules
Cleanliness
- All dishes must be washed and surfaces cleaned after use.
- If the kitchen is left dirty, kitchen privileges may be revoked.
Food Storage
- Any food left in the refrigerator or freezer must be labeled with your name and date.
- Perishable items left for more than two weeks will be discarded.
Respect for the Space
- Please treat the kitchen as a shared community resource.
- Failure to follow these rules may result in loss of future reservation privileges.
Should you require any item that you feel is essential for the kitchen (such as utensils or small appliances), do not hesitate to reach out to Adriana Rivera (adriana.rivera@yale.edu) with your request. We are committed to procuring these items promptly.
Berkeley Gym
The Berkeley Gym, situated in the basement sections B and C, stands as one of Yale’s finest residential college weight rooms. All Berkeley students are granted swipe access using their standard ID card, with the facility open 24/7. Additionally, there is an auxiliary gym in North Court; keys for this gym are available at the Berkeley College Office and may be retained throughout the academic year. Inquiries and requests pertaining to the weight room should be directed to the Head of College’s Office.
Berkeley Lazarus Library
The George and Shelly Lazarus Library, situated in South Court, forms the scholarly core of Berkeley College. Whether students seek a tranquil reading spot or a silent study area, the Lazarus Library meets the need. It boasts a superbly curated selection of novels and reference books, alongside a variety of current periodicals such as The New Yorker for browsing. The library is a hub of student activity throughout the day and into the evening.
Below the Berkeley Library lies the Berkeley Reading Room, which contains the rest of Berkeley’s extensive literary collection and stands as the preferred destination for those wishing to absorb knowledge in a serene environment. It offers an unparalleled quiet space for study and contemplation on campus.
Both facilities are open 24/7 and accessible with a student ID. While books are available for unrestricted use on-site, removal requires authorization from the Head of College’s Office.
Swiss Room
The Swiss Room, a sixteenth-century transplant from Switzerland, is situated just above the balcony in the Dining Hall. Cozy and inviting, this exquisite all-wood room brims with history and ambiance. Due to its invaluable nature, it is reserved solely for preservation purposes by Berkeley Fellows.
Seminar Room(s)
Charles A. Walker Seminar Room, next to the Reading Room, offers a beautiful setting for Fellows to teach classes or for student groups to gather. It has been refurbished to honor the legacy of the past Master, Charles A. Walker.
North Court Seminar Room, situated near the Barn, is available for reservation through the College Office for meetings or video conferences.
Common Rooms
Berkeley College has two common rooms that may be used for studying, watching a movie or simply relaxing.
Charles Seymour Common Room overlooks the south courtyard and is located adjacent to the Dining Hall. The Common Room is always bustling with students and features a grand piano.
Thomas Mendenhall Common Room in North Court faces William L. Harkness Hall, and it is conveniently located next to the Bass Library entrance. A peaceful place to relax and unwind and is always open to Berkeley Students. The Mendenhall Room is also home to the Berkeley College Commonplace Society. This space is not available for reservations.
Tunnel
The Tunnel connects North Court and South Court, linking the two grand courts of Berkeley. The Berkeley tunnel’s murals continue to amaze and delight Berkeleyites and non-Berkeleyites alike. What may not be well-known is the story behind the initials “RLC ‘91.” The refer to Rebecca Louise Crane ‘91, who was the artist of the entire procession of knights, ladies, and horses on the northwest side of the tunnel. Her classmates enthusiastically collaborated with her, resulting in a variety of whimsical paintings, including a portrait of Master Robin Winks with the Pink Panther, a life-size painting of a Berkeley student (dressed in jeans) leaning by a painted partially open door at the corner of the wall from South to North (down the corridor from Master Winks’ portrait), and a cartoon of Bart Simpson. As astounding as the murals are, equally astounding is the fact that the constructions crews took great care to preserve them in their entirety during the renovation of the College in 1998. Berkeley students may continue to create or restore murals with permission from the Berkeley College Office.
Art Gallery
Located off the Berkeley Buttery, this small gallery provides high visibility for students’ artwork.
The Berkeley College Art Gallery serves as a cultural hub within Berkeley, it is a cozy visual art space showcasing a variety of artworks from Berkeley student artists. An intimate space that encourages reflection and artistic appreciation among the Berkeley community, the Art Gallery features rotating exhibitions and provides opportunities for students to engage directly with artists. The space is designed not only as a functional space for exhibitions and events but a cozy location to relax and study too.
The Berkeley Art Gallery is available for use by Berkeley students only. For more information and permission for gallery use, please contact Adriana Rivera (adriana.rivera@yale.edu)
The Barn
The Barn houses Berkeley College’s complimentary computer cluster, accessible on a first-come, first-served basis. This area serves as a collaborative learning environment, equipped with numerous whiteboard tables for student use.
Roost
The Roost at Berkeley is a wellness sanctuary available 24/7 for de-stressing. Enter the Roost Right Wing to enjoy the massage chairs, or spread out a yoga mat to harmonize your mind, body, and spirit. Alternatively, you may choose to nestle into a bean bag chair and immerse yourself in a book from the Berkeley Book Exchange shelf, situated just outside the Roost, or partake in a puzzle or board game in the Roost Left Wing. As a sanctuary free from screens and stress, homework is discouraged – this area is intended for relaxation and rejuvenation.
Coop
Berkeley’s outdoor wellness space, “The Coop,” is a charming sanctuary nestled in south court beside entryway F. Access “The Coop” via the garden gate adjacent to the Kroon Garden (a fruit and herb haven meticulously cared for by our South Court resident Fellow, Camille Thomasson). Unwind in a swing egg chair and savor the tranquility of the garden devoted to relaxation.