Princeton — Einstein's Hidden Secret

Your journey in Princeton begins in Palmer Square, the 1.5-hectare public square at the heart of the city. This nerve center, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987, is framed by nine historic buildings in Colonial Georgian style. At the center of this square stands the Nassau Inn, an inn opened in 1777 that hosted George Washington in 1777-1778. It is here, amidst the benches and fountain, that you receive your first riddle, a coded message that directs you to Fuld Hall, a kilometer away, on the campus of the Institute for Advanced Study. The path will lead you through the tree-lined avenues of this National Historic Landmark, where the spirit of American independence and scientific innovation meet.

You then reach Fuld Hall, the three-story brick building constructed in 1939 thanks to a donation from Felix Fuld. This location served as Albert Einstein's office from 1953 until his death in 1955. It was here that he worked on his unified field theory, sharing informal discussions with minds such as Kurt Gödel and J. Robert Oppenheimer in the common room. Your investigation then leads you to the Albert Einstein House, at 112 Mercer Street, about 800 meters away. This residence, where Einstein lived from 1935 to 1955, has been a National Historic Landmark since 1976. He wrote over 300 scientific papers and letters there, including his crucial correspondence on the atomic bomb. A commemorative plaque, installed in 1978 by the American Physical Society, invites you to decipher a hidden clue there.

Your route brings you back to the heart of Princeton, towards the majestic Nassau Hall. Built in 1756, this 55-meter-long, four-story building was the largest in North America at the time. It served as George Washington's temporary headquarters in January 1777, after being occupied by the Continental Army. It was also in its Provincial Congress Hall that New Jersey's independence was declared on July 2, 1776, a pivotal event for the Historic Princeton District. By solving the riddle associated with this site, you discover fragments of a letter from Einstein evoking the importance of freedom and knowledge, an echo of the revolutionary ideals that permeate the place.

The path then takes you to the Frick Chemistry Laboratory, a 10,000 m² Neo-Gothic building constructed between 1929 and 1931 by Henry Frick Jr. for Princeton University. Here, pioneering research in organic chemistry was conducted, contributing to Princeton's scientific prestige. Approximately 700 meters from Palmer Square, this laboratory is a key point on your Einstein Trail Princeton. As you cross the campus, you will pass by the Princeton University Chapel, consecrated in 1928, the largest university chapel in the USA, with a vault 22 meters high. Its 67-bell carillon and stained-glass windows from 1928-1932 are silent witnesses to the brilliant minds who walked these grounds. The link between science and contemplation is revealed through your progression.

Finally, your quest brings you back to the Nassau Inn, the central point of Palmer Square, where your adventure began. This historic inn, renovated in 1937 by Edgar Palmer, was the site of the first meeting of the Continental Congress after independence in 1776. Here, you assemble the final pieces of Einstein's secret. This thematic circuit in Princeton, which traverses the monuments of New Jersey and sites of national importance, will have taken you on a journey through history and science. From the American Revolution to the theories of relativity, you will have explored the New Jersey heritage in a new way, an interactive visit that will remain etched in your memories of Princeton.