Anonymous Hall is the physical home of the Guarini School of Graduate and Advanced Studies and reflects Dartmouth's long-standing and growing investment in graduate education and postdoctoral research and scholarship. Dartmouth awarded its first graduate degree in 1865, and advanced study has been part of the institution's academic life ever since.
The creation of the Guarini School marked a significant step forward in that history. Established in 2016 as Dartmouth's first new school in more than a century, it brought graduate students and postdoctoral scholars into a more unified and streamlined academic structure, which was designed to support students and postdocs, faculty research and mentorship, and collaboration across programs. Dartmouth returned to R1 research status in 2017 and was elected to the Association of American Universities in 2019, clear signals of a renewed institutional emphasis on research alongside its undergraduate mission.
Anonymous Hall was reimagined with that shift in mind. Formerly the Dana Biomedical Library, the building underwent a $28 million renovation and reopened in 2020 as a dedicated space for graduate students and postdocs. It includes offices, classrooms, meeting spaces, a café, and a rooftop terrace, along with a central commons for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. While other programs are housed in the building, the Guarini School serves as its anchor.
Located at the north end of campus, Anonymous Hall is surrounded by the undergraduate McLaughlin Residential Cluster, the Geisel School of Medicine, and the Life Sciences Center. The renovation preserved the original 1960s structure while introducing a new glass and terra cotta façade, improved accessibility, and sustainable features such as solar panels and triple-glazed windows. Anonymous Hall is LEED Gold certified.
The building was given its name by its lead donor, a Dartmouth alumnus, who chose to remain anonymous in recognition of the many individuals whose quiet generosity has shaped the institution over time.
Anonymous Hall does more than house the Guarini School. It gives graduate students and postdoctoral scholars a visible place to work, meet, and build community, and it reflects Dartmouth's continued investment in the people and ideas that drive its research mission forward.
