Worcester, WPI's Home City
Worcester, with a population of 170,000 (plus 30,000 college students) is New England's third-largest city. Known for its outstanding educational and cultural institutions, the city is home to the Colleges of Worcester Consortium, which consists of 14 colleges and universities, including the College of the Holy Cross, Clark University and the University of Massachusetts Medical School, which has the fastest growing research program in the nation.
The Worcester Art Museum, the second largest in New England, and the world-renowned American Antiquarian Society are both adjacent to WPI. Also nearby are the historic Higgins Armory Museum, Worcester Historical Museum and the EcoTarium. The city is home to resident theater companies, a symphony orchestra, several excellent choruses and the nation's oldest musical festival. Residents enjoy concerts performed by internationally recognized artists in the beautifully restored Mechanics Hall, one of the finest concert halls in the United States, and the DCU Centre, a 15,000-seat arena and conference center that hosts a variety of entertainment events and conferences.
Incorporated in 1722, the city has long been a center for innovation. At the time of WPI's founding it was a bustling manufacturing center making a host of products for a growing nation. Today it is a major center for research, manufacturing and education in medicine and the life sciences, with a host of renowned educational and research institutions and more than 60 life science corporations.
The city is within a hour's drive of Boston and Providence; and 75 minutes from Hartford. It is close to many historical sites, cultural centers and recreational facilities, including Boston's Freedom Trail, Old Sturbridge Village (a living museum depicting 1830 rural village life), the beaches of Cape Cod and Maine, and several major metropolitan areas featuring world-class museums, concert halls and professional sports teams. A bit farther are the White and Green mountains to the north and the Berkshires to the west.
More information about Worcester and its citizens can be found at these web sites:
