Tours

“Come immerse yourself in design thinking.”
  • If you’re interested in exploring the d.school, please join us for a tour! You’ll learn more about who we are, what we do, and how we think.
  • We host public tours nearly every Friday starting at noon during the academic year (with a more limited schedule during the summer). The tours run about an hour – with plenty of time for questions & answers – and are hosted by d.school students and alums who are excited to share their experiences with using the methodology in the field. We are not able to offer tours at alternative times.
  • We do ask that you please limit your group to ten or fewer. Thanks for your understanding!
  • If you can’t make it to a regularly scheduled tour, you are welcome to come by and see our space on your own! Our doors are open M-F, 9-5,  and we do have materials to guide your exploration.

Register for a d.school tour here!

Tours run from 12:00-1:00pm on the following dates:

  • Friday, August 14
  • Friday, August 28
  • Friday, October 2
  • Friday, October 16
  • Friday, October 30
  • Friday, November 6  Tour Canceled
  • Friday, November 13
  • Friday, November 20
  • Friday, December 4
  • Friday, January 22
  • Friday, January 29
  • Friday, February 5
  • Friday, February 19
  • Friday, March 4
  • Friday, March 11
Tours

FAQs

“We get this all the time.”

How can I visit the d.school?

Please join us for a tour of the d.school! You’ll learn about who we are, what we do, and how we think. During the academic calendar (September through June) we host tours nearly every Friday from 12:00 – 1:00 PM, including plenty of time for questions & answers. The tours are hosted by current d.school students as well as alums who are experts in design thinking and are excited to share their experiences using the methodology in the field. During the summer months we host tours on a modified schedule. Please check here for more information.

Can I take classes at the d.school?

Currently, the d.school offers classes to enrolled Stanford graduate students. Please see our course listings for current offerings. The Stanford Design Program offers a graduate degree in design thinking; students from the Design Program frequently participate in d.school courses. We also run short workshops for executives periodically during the year.

How do I apply to the d.school?

Students who are interested in a masters degree in design should apply to the Stanford Design Program. Students interested in taking multidisciplinary d.school classes at the institute should apply to any graduate program—whether it be a PhD program in Computer Science, an MBA program, the Stanford Design Program, or any other graduate course of study—and augment their chosen degree program with our course offerings. The d.school itself does not directly admit students nor grant degrees, but does offer courses from world-class faculty in design thinking. Click here for more information about the types of students you’ll find in the d.school.

I’m a member of the press, how can I get more information about the d.school?

You can find more information on our fact sheet, downloadable here. It also has contact information for Debbe Stern, who handles public relations for the d.school.

Can I observe a class at the d.school?

Please contact the teaching team of the class you’re interested in—they’ll let you know about their policy on visitors. Check the list of current courses here.

How can I get a job at the d.school?

Our job postings—when we have positions available—are listed on jobs.stanford.edu.

How can I become a d.school Fellow?

The d.fellowship open application period is typically announced in early spring. You can follow our current fellows’ progress and learn more about the program on this page.

 

FAQs

Getting to our building

Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford

Campus can be a tricky place for visitors. Our mailing address and the address you’d want to use if you’re mapping us are different. Check out the directions below. The visitor parking lot accepts credit cards and cash, but it does occasionally fill up.

Our street address (and the best address for online mapping tools, including google maps):

Thomas F. Peterson Engineering Laboratory/Building 550
550 Panama Mall
Stanford, CA 94305

Telephone: (650) 736-1025
Fax: (650) 736-1526
Email: info@dschool.stanford.edu

If you ever find yourself lost on campus, you can use this searchable campus map to help guide your way. Any of the following search terms will direct you to the right place: Peterson Laboratory, Hasso Plattner Institute of Design and d.school.

General Visitor Directions and Parking

From Highway 101 North & South or El Camino Real

Take the Embarcadero Road exit west toward Stanford. At El Camino Real, Embarcadero becomes Galvez Street as it enters the university. Stay in the left lane on Galvez and at the stop sign turn left onto Campus Drive. Continue on Campus Drive until you reach Mayfield Ave (about 1 mile). Turn right onto Mayfield Ave. After a forced left turn there is a large parking lot off of Mayfield on the right side. (Parking is $1.50 per hour from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and credit cards, bills and coins are accepted.) If you park as far from Mayfield Ave. as you can, you will be in closer proximity to our building.

Once parked, walk north towards Tresidder Union which can be recognized by its outdoor tables. Walk with the Tresidder Union on your left side and you will see the Old Union directly in front of you. Take a left to walk between Tresidder Union and Old Union, and then a right onto Duena Street, keeping Old Union on your right. At the next intersection with Panama Mall, make a left onto Panama. The d.school is two buildings down. On several doors, you’ll see “Thomas F. Peterson Engineering Laboratory.” You’ve arrived!

From Highway 280 North & South

Exit at Alpine Road. Take Alpine Road east toward Palo Alto. Turn right at the first light onto Junipero Serra Blvd. Turn left at the first light onto Campus Drive West. Take the second right onto Santa Teresa St. After two blocks, take a right onto Lomita Rd. Drive one block and turn left onto Mayfield Ave. There is a large parking lot off of Mayfield on the left side. (Parking is $1.50 per hour from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and credit cards, bills and coins are accepted.) If you park as far from Mayfield Ave. as you can, you will be in closer proximity to our building.

Once parked, walk north towards Tresidder Union which can be recognized by its outdoor tables. Walk with the Tresidder Union on your left side and you will see the Old Union directly in front of you. Take a left to walk between Tresidder Union and Old Union, and then a right onto Duena Street, keeping Old Union on your right. At the next intersection, Panama Mall, make a left onto Panama. The d.school is two buildings down. On several doors, you’ll see “Thomas F. Peterson Engineering Laboratory.” You’ve arrived!



Walking from the visitor parking lot to the d.school

Getting to our building

Contact Us

“Here's how to connect.”

The best way to reach us is by email:

info@dschool.stanford.edu

Our mailing address:

Hasso Plattner Institute of Design
416 Escondido Mall
Building 550, Room 169
Stanford, CA 94305-3086

The main telephone line:

+1 (650) 736-1025. For general information, directions, or to leave us a message. (Messages are checked periodically. The best way to get in touch is via email.)

Contact Us