The Butler Boathouse is open Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays from 12:30 - 2pm starting Sept. 15 - weather permitting. 
The boathouse will be closed Friday, Sept. 26 and for Fall Break October 13 & 14.
The boathouse will close for the season October 24, 2025.
A light wind certification or approval from the Waterfront Director is required to take out sailboats. For safety regulations of water vessels to lifeguard staffing, all on-water experiences are operated on a first come, first serve basis.
Please be advised that there is no swimming permitted from the small beach or docks at the Butler Boathouse.
Thanks to the generosity of Alice Lehmann Butler '53 and her husband, John, the boathouse on Lake Waban in 2015 went through a comprehensive renovation to update and upgrade a facility used by Physical Education, Recreation, and Athletics. The original boathouse dates to 1963, and this was the first time the facility had a significant update. The building was completely renovated and made more accessible, creating a new main entry, "quarterdeck" class/meeting room, improved shop space, two restrooms, canoe/kayak room, and storage. The project also improved the north end of the site, addressing soil erosion and drainage issues. Alice Butler was an avid member of her dorm crew, and she and her husband are lifelong fitness enthusiasts. Their gift fully enabled a much-needed renovation to the structure, increasing campus-wide recreational opportunities and supporting other PERA initiatives as well.
Boating activities at Wellesley College take place at the Butler Boathouse on Lake Waban, providing access to canoes, paddle boats, sailboats, and kayaks. Students, faculty, staff, alumnae, and their guests are welcome to participate in Open Boathouse hours during the designated times. The Boathouse is also home to Wellesley's historic Dorm Crew and Class Crew classes.
Gallery: (7-3-2024) Butler Boathouse
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