The MIT hack becomes an institution

1875

MIT's tradition of the 'hack', an elaborate, anonymous and deliberately harmless prank, usually involving significant engineering, is documented from the 19th century onwards and is treated by the institute as part of its culture rather than as vandalism. The unwritten rules require that a hack be safe, non-destructive, reversible and, ideally, admired by its victims. The institute maintains an official gallery of them.