Duke History, at Your Fingertips

New self-guided tour available through Duke Explore app

A new walking tour app to find the history behind your Duke campus spots. Photos by Jacob Whatley and Chris Vilario, Class of 2025
A new walking tour app to find the history behind your Duke campus spots. Photos by Jacob Whatley and Chris Vilario, Class of 2025

What was the first facility to open on West Campus? Who were Bassett and Giles residence halls named for? Why is there an empty space on the front of Duke Chapel?

Learn the answers to these questions and many more through the new Duke Campus History Tour, which launched this month on the Duke Explore app. The tour was developed as part of Duke’s Centennial Celebration to provide a deeper understanding of Duke’s history for the Duke community—students, faculty, staff and alumni—as well as visitors to campus.

Download the app on your phone for an engaging, informative introduction to key moments and people in the history of Duke University and Trinity College. The experience offers three separate tours—West Campus (with 10 stops), East Campus (8 stops) and Athletics (4 stops). Users can select the tours that match their time and interests.

Listening to the walking tour outside of Duke Chapel Photos by Jacob Whatley and Chris Vilario, Class of 2025
Photos by Jacob Whatley and Chris Vilario, Class of 2025

Each stop or location provides a brief description, audio narration, photos and links to learn more.

For users walking around campus, the app uses geolocation technology to guide the tour and signal the approach to the next stop. Users can also enjoy the tour from anywhere.

To experience the tour on your phone, follow these steps:

  • Go to the App Store and download the free “Duke Explore” app.
  • Choose the Duke Campus History Tour option (at the top).
  • Choose a tour: West Campus, East Campus or Athletics
  • Click “Start Tour.”
  • Click “Next” to advance through the locations or “stops” on the tour.
  • Click the “unfolded map” icon at the bottom to see the locations on the map.

The tour app is supported by both Apple and Android platforms. The Duke Explore app also offers additional tours of Duke and Durham for the community to enjoy.