Campus Tour
You're invited to explore our campus, where each space combines beauty and purpose as part of our mission to educate girls of adventurous intellect.
Our Campus
Three Buildings, One Campus
Located on the Upper East Side, Brearley's campus consists of three buildings: our historic schoolhouse at 610 East 83rd Street, which holds our Middle and Upper School students; 590 East 83rd Street, which is for our Lower School students; and our Field House just a few blocks away on East 87th Street.
East 83rd Street
This newly constructed 12-story building is the centerpiece of Brearley’s Lower School. In addition to the Lower School classrooms, library and cafeteria, the building offers leading-edge science labs, a regulation-sized gymnasium, a spacious lobby with integrated learning landscape, and a large multiuse performance hall distinguished for its acoustic design. The building was designed with a focus on sustainable initiatives, as its daylight harvesting and state-of-the-art HVAC uses significantly less energy, fossil fuels and water.
East 83rd Street
Our historic schoolhouse serves as the anchor to Brearley’s foundation and the focal point of our campus. In addition to housing the Middle and Upper School classrooms, this building features a brand-new library, a stately theater, a newly renovated gymnasium, and the “Caf,” where our students socialize and eat sustainable meals.
Planned renovations to the building will create a new studio art center on the building's top two floors, which will allow for updates to our ceramics studio, light and dark rooms and digital arts capabilities. Complete redesigns of the cafeteria, lobby and classroom floors are also scheduled for an overhaul; each division will be housed along three contiguous floors, creating a school within a school.
Used daily by both Middle and Upper School teams for practices and games, our 87th Street Field House is the centerpiece of Brearley’s athletics program. A brand-new turf roof offers additional spectator seating, as goals for lacrosse and soccer have been installed. Within the building, recent improvements to the gym include a state-of-the-art scoreboard, new Brearley-red wall mats and refurbished flooring, which bears the image of Bev the Beaver, our school mascot.
On the East End, in the Center of Everything
Located on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, the Brearley campus takes great advantage of the neighborhood’s world-class facilities and public spaces. Students regularly use the fields at Asphalt Green and Randall's Island for sports games and practices, while the Second Avenue subway makes our school convenient and accessible to all corners of the city. The neighboring Carl Schurz Park offers the entire Brearley community a space to take leisurely walks on the water, explore local playgrounds, and simply relax while watching the boats sail by on the East River.
Lower School
Academics
Lower School Classrooms
In kindergarten, students spend most of their time in homerooms with a consistent set of teachers, learning everything from reading to math to science, and with plenty of time dedicated to both work and play. Students in Classes I-IV start their exploration of our additional amazing facilities as they gain responsibility and independence, but always have their classroom to return to as a familiar home base.
A School Within a School
Our Lower School classrooms are located on three contiguous floors in our 590 building, with an interior spiral staircase connecting students from Class I to Class IV. Thanks to this communal space, Lower School students of all ages have the opportunity to interact and learn from each other, rather than being siloed by grade.
Small Students, Big Ideas
While our students may be small, their imaginations are enormous. Our dedicated maker space provides ample opportunities for Lower School students to explore, create and discover. Our students love getting their hands dirty (think flour, sugar, eggs and milk), creating something yummy while simultaneously learning all about science!
Arts
Visual Arts Classroom
Brearley students learn about line, form, dimension and color starting in kindergarten. Through lessons in tools and techniques, younger students are encouraged to explore their imaginations with assignments focused on nature and patterns. As students progress, they learn to code and use digital tools such as Photoshop in a curriculum that dovetails with their studies in other disciplines, such as ancient Greek and Egyptian history.
Music Room
By singing, playing instruments and moving their bodies, Lower School students begin their music education with a focus on contrasts, such as high and low, loud and soft, beat and rhythm. Once in Class III, all students are given their own instruments, which many continue to play throughout their Brearley careers.
Performance Hall
Even at an early age, our students have the opportunity to perform in our magnificent hall during regular concerts like our holiday and Last Day concerts, as well during the after-school program called Beaver Den. Beginning in Class I, students taking private music lessons appear in concerts throughout the year and our after-school program including choral instruction offers even more opportunities for performing.
Phys Ed
590 Gym
Lower School students take physical education classes on the ninth floor of our 590 building. Here, they learn about sport-specific skills and gameplay. Students can join teams starting in Class V, and with a no-cut policy in Middle School, anyone who wants to join a team can participate.
Dance Studio
Students in Lower School begin to learn different techniques, including ballet and modern dance, culminating in a Class IV student-developed dance performance.
Library
The Uris Lower School Library
Located on the first floor of our 590 building, our Lower School library is a wonderful and cozy spot for our students to begin their lifelong love of books.
Reading Area
Students begin their literary journey by having books read to them, learning how to care for books and learning how libraries work. As they grow, they begin to understand how to do research, including using the internet and reference materials. Students then use these newly acquired skills in their classes.
Bibliophiles
Brearley girls just love a good book! Students no matter the age are encouraged to find time to read for fun.
Community
Lobby/Spanish Steps
From the moment students first walk through the doors of 590, they are immediately struck by the light and airiness of the space. Our "Spanish Steps" beckon them to sit, hang out with friends or ascend to the second-floor Common Room for a bite to eat. This space allows our Lower School students to transition from the hustle and bustle of the world outside to our schoolhouse for a day of purpose and learning.
Common Room/Cafeteria
Perfect for Lower School lunch, Parents’ Association meetings or a gathering spot for our after-school program called Beaver Den, the Common Room serves a variety of functions for our community. With its high ceilings and flexible furniture layout, this space is always a hub of activity. All Lower School students participate in our gracious-dining program which helps them become more responsible by caring for the dining experience of their classmates.
Roof/Playdeck
With panoramic views of the neighborhood, our spacious playdeck gives Lower School students a safe and engaging environment in which to play and run.
Green Spaces
Students learn all about sustainability and plants in our roof garden. They study the life cycle of plants and how climate and weather impacts their growth.
Climbing Wall
Budding rappelers can practice their bouldering on our indoor climbing wall.
Middle School
Academics
Class V Homerooms
As Class V students transition to Middle School, their primary focus remains in the homeroom, where they have the same teacher for English, history and geography and as an overall advisor for the year.
Middle School Classrooms
Starting in Class VI, students move out of their homerooms and go from classroom to classroom to be taught their various subjects by faculty based in academic departments. These cross-divisional teachers work with students throughout the Middle and Upper School, providing them invaluable perspective as they mature and grow.
610 Science Rooms
In Middle School, students alternate focusing on biological, earth and physical sciences in dedicated classrooms. Their classrooms also double as laboratories, spaces designed specifically for hands-on learning experiences such as kinetic energy experiments and dissections of animal digestive and circulator systems.
Arts
Art Classrooms
Middle School students get to utilize all of the Art Department’s resources, entering a fuller exploration of media including ceramics, photography, woodworking, printmaking and drawing.
Music Classrooms
Music practice rooms are nestled among the Middle School's classrooms and it is not uncommon to hear the sounds of pianos or flutes float throughout the halls as students diligently practice their instruments. In Middle School, the music curriculum expands to include music theory, singing and group instrumental instruction.
610 Assembly Hall Theater Performances
Theatrical performances in the 610 Assembly Hall play an important part in the life of a Middle School student. In Class V, students participate in adaptations of Shakespeare plays; in Class VI, they present a play dramatizing stories from the English curriculum; and in Class VII, students create and perform in an original production as part of their music and drama curriculum. There are plenty of opportunities for budding thespians to exercise their dramatic chops.
Phys Ed
610 Gym
The newly remodeled gymnasium in the 610 building is the home of most physical education classes for the Middle School. Here, students develop sport-specific skills and improve overall coordination while being introduced to the joys and demands of competition. It is in Middle School that our students also have the opportunity to join athletic teams with our no-cut policy.
610 Dance Studio
With a dedicated studio space in the 610 building, students are given ample opportunity to express themselves through dance. Our Middle School dance curriculum explores different genres of movement, including salsa, swing and jazz, and the Middle School dance teams perform during Brearley's annual Evening of Dance.
590 Gym
Many of Brearley’s Middle School teams use the gymnasium in the 590 building for practice and games, such as volleyball and basketball. With a no-cut policy in the Middle School, anyone who wants to be part of a Brearley sports team can.
Library
New Middle and Upper School Library
Opened in the fall of 2023, the new Middle and Upper School library on the 10th floor of the 610 building is truly a literary haven for our students. Thoughtfully designed and nearly doubling the seating capacity of its predecessor, the open and airy reading room provides ample space for our Middle School students to read and study. Additional classrooms along the perimeter provide more space to study or students to collaborate with each other on projects.
The Porch
A dedicated area in the east end of the library houses collections of young adult fiction and other age-appropriate books specifically chosen for Middle School bibliophiles. Students just love to curl up in the window seats overlooking the East River while devouring a new book.
Learning to Use the Library as a Resource
The library at Brearley is not just a place to study or find a good book to read. Our librarians teach our Middle School students important skills such as how to do research using a library, how to use the internet to find reputable sources for their work, and media literacy.
Community
610 Entrance
Like generations before them, today's Middle School students start their day by passing through our historic copper doors and into the 610 lobby. There they are greeted by faculty and friends as they proceed up to the middle floors of our building to begin the day in their homerooms before heading off to class.
The Pier
Jutting out over the public walkway along the East River, the Pier is a unique play area for our Middle School students. Here, they can blow off some steam, get some fresh air or just hang out with friends.
The Cafeteria
The Caf—as it is affectionately known—is the highlight of any Brearley campus tour. Here our students nourish themselves with nutritious meals, served with sustainability in mind. The munster bagel is a huge favorite, along with chicken tenders, of course. Vegetarian and vegan options abound and our dining services staff is allergy-aware. Lunch in the Middle School is a wonderfully joyful time, full of constant laughter, good friends and delicious food.
The Common Room
The Common Room is an essential multipurpose space, used for division-wide meetings and select classes. It is also the primary location for parent meetings with administration leaders in the Middle School.
The Lodge
Housed in Brearley’s former library, the Lodge is our newest communal space. Here, Middle School students hold club meetings, collaborate on group projects or meet one-on-one with their teachers (what we call a float) to go over their work.
Upper School
Academics
Upper School Classrooms
Classroom discussions in Upper School are facilitated by seminar-style room layouts, with students facing one another rather than the front of the room. This arrangement promotes a more open and free-flowing conversation guided by our deft and expert faculty.
Science Labs
The opening of our 590 building, and its dedicated science labs, has expanded the possibilities of Brearley's science curriculum beyond what most high schools can provide. These specialized rooms allow for sophisticated hands-on experimentation, where students can undergo in-depth dissections, mix chemicals under a vent hood, and even grow their own tissue samples.
Arts
Art Classrooms
Upper School students have the opportunity to explore a variety of two- and three-dimensional media on our dedicated art floor, including drawing, painting, printmaking, ceramics and photography. Each year, students' work is put on display for the entire school at Brearley's annual art show.
610 Dance Studio
The dance studio in the 610 building is an incubator for the amazing performances put on by our varsity dance team. In addition, Brearley's highly anticipated annual Evening of Dance features works by both guest and student choreographers performed by our talented troupe of Upper School dancers.
610 Assembly Hall
Brearley's Assembly Hall, located on B-Deck in the 610 building, is the home for all Upper School theatrical productions, including Class V’s Shakespeare performances, and Class VII's original works.
B-Deck
For students who are more interested in working behind the scenes, Brearley offers a robust theater tech program. Students learn how to mount theatrical productions, create lighting schemes, and construct sets and costumes.
590 Performance Hall
The 590 Performance hall is Brearley's primary center for music and dance productions. With state-of-the-art acoustics and an adaptable floor that can rake downward or sit flush with the stage, this space is an amazing location to showcase the talents of our Upper School students.
Phys Ed
610 Gym/Weight Room
Tucked behind our newly renovated gymnasium, Brearley offers a new weight room for students, faculty and staff to use. Here, Upper School students learn how to design effective, engaging strength programs while preventing injuries.
Field House
Recently updated with a state-of-the-art sound system and new scoreboard, the Field House is a home to many of Brearley’s sports teams. Volleyball, basketball and badminton use the indoor gym, while the turfed roof deck hosts field hockey, soccer and lacrosse practice.
Randall's Island
Just a short walk away along the East River (or even shorter bus ride), Randall's Island is the practice space for most of Brearley's Upper School teams, including soccer, field hockey, softball and lacrosse. Randall's is also where we hold our annual Field Day in the spring, where a decades-old Red vs. White rivalry plays out with good-natured competitions like tug-of-war and kickball.
Asphalt Green
Our swim teams practice and hold swim meets at Asphalt Green's pool, and we use its turf field during our homecoming with Chapin each fall.
Library
New Middle and Upper School Library
Opened in the fall of 2023, our new Upper and Middle School library on the 10th floor of the 610 building is truly a haven for our students. Thoughtfully designed and nearly doubling the seating capacity of our old library, the open and airy reading room provides ample space for our Upper School students to read, study and do research. Extended hours allow for students to come after their sports or play practices (or other extracurricular activities).
Study Spaces and Places
Study carrels, tucked into the alcoves throughout the Upper School Library, harken back to the same style nooks in Brearley's original library. Tables in our primary reading room are appointed with green-shaded lamps, echoing those of the New York Public Library's main reading room.
Curling Up with a Good Book
For as long as Brearley has been on East 83rd Street, the library has had cozy window seats where students can curl up and read a good back and gaze upon the river scene below. Our renovated library has continued this tradition with flexible reading spaces along brand-new floor-to-ceiling windows.
Community
610 Lobby
Traversing through Brearley’s historic green doors at the end of the cul-de-sac on 83rd Street, our students walk up the soapstone steps worn in by thousands of Brearley girls for decades on their way to their classrooms.
The Cafeteria
Here at the Caf, our students nourish themselves with nutritious meals served by our amazingly friendly and helpful dining staff. While Upper School students eventually are allowed to leave the building to eat, very few would pass up our amazing menu, including ramen, samosas, and most popularly the Munster bagel.
The Lodge
Housed in what used to be our old library, the Lodge is our newest communal space. Here, Upper School students hold club meetings, work on group projects together in their free time or have a float—a one-on-one meeting—with their teachers to go over their work. It's also just a nice open space to hang out and study.
The Common Room
The Common Room is an essential multipurpose space at Brearley, used for division-wide meetings, classes, and parent meetings with administration leaders in the Upper School. It is also where the Upper School gathers for Friday Flower, a weekly tradition in which students' random acts of kindness and generosity are acknowledged by their peers with the presentation of a flower.