HOUSING AND MEALS
HOUSING | MEALS | COMMUTERS | COSTS | NEARBY ACTIVITIES
The 2026 Summer Institute will be held at Willamette University in Salem Oregon, site of our 2019 Summer Institute.
Join us in person and spend time with faculty and fellow students during meals, enjoy spontaneous conversations when on break and visit with each other in the dorm common areas.
The residence halls are traditional-style dorm rooms with shared bathrooms down the hall. Each bathroom will be designated as exclusively men or women. Each floor has a functioning kitchen.
The residences are a short 10-minute walk to the teachings and meditation sessions. They have laundry facilities and Wi-Fi and high-speed internet.
*The number of dorm rooms is limited, so register early to reserve yours!
HOUSING
A limited number dorm rooms are available. Registration will open in March. Register early to reserve your room!
All students will automatically be given a private room, though most will be equipped as doubles. When you register, you can request to share a double room with another student if, before you register you have already made an agreement with someone else to share. The rooms have closets, dressers and desks. The bathrooms are down the hall and will be assigned as men and women.
MEALS
The college’s food service provider is Bon Appétit. They take special care to offer students many different meal options with vegan and vegetarian selections always available. And with their “Farm to Fork” initiative, the college’s dining service strives to utilize locally sourced options from farmers around the Pacific Northwest whenever possible.
COMMUTERS
For those who are commuting to Willamette University, we hope you can join us for meals and enjoy getting to know fellow students and faculty. You can pay at the dining hall with a credit card whenever you are able to stay. Permits are required to park on campus. For information about parking contact eweiss@nitarthainstitute.org
COSTS
The costs are based on prices that have been set by Willamette University.
Your payment for meals and housing will be collected by Nitartha Institute when you register for the Summer Institute.
| Sessions | Single Room | Shared Room | Meals |
| 1 | $477 | $396 | $331 |
| 2 | $530 | $440 | $371 |
| 3 | $530 | $440 | $371 |
| 1 and 2 | $1007 | $836 | $702 |
| 2 and 3 | $1060 | $880 | $741 |
Housing costs vary from session-to-session since Sessions 2 and 3 include an extra night for arrival.
Meals include dinner on your arrival day and three meals/day during full program days.
(Your departure day does not include meals.)
THINGS TO DO AROUND WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY
Willamette University sits right by beautiful downtown Salem, the Oregon State Capitol, and several parks and museums, so you can do quite a bit without planning a strenuous outing.
During the day off after each session, Salem offers several peaceful and enjoyable options close to campus. Many are well suited for a relaxed outing, including parks, walking paths, museums, and downtown dining.
OUTDOOR WALKS & HIKES
RIVERFRONT PARK
Riverfront Park is a 26-acre park located along the Willamette River in Salem, Oregon. Features include the Riverfront Carousel, A. C. Gilbert’s Discovery Village, an amphitheatre, a splashpad, a dock housing the Willamette Queen, and the Eco-Earth Globe. Annual events in Salem are often held at Riverfront, such as the World Beat Festival, outdoor movies, and holiday tree lightings.
Click here for more information.
BUSH’S PASTURE PARK
Bush’s Pasture Park is a historic 90.5 acres of walking/running paths, wooded areas, and open meadows near downtown Salem. The park has many historical features and recreational amenities. Originally belonging to the Asahel Bush family before becoming a public park, the Bush family home now operates as a museum, contains perhaps the oldest conservatory this side of the Mississippi having been built in 1882, boasts a beautiful rose garden, has a small reservable gazebo, and an art center in the barn.
Click here for more information.
MINTO-BROWN ISLAND PARK
Minto-Brown Island Park spreads out over 1,200 acres of lush, open, and wooded areas. This makes Minto-Brown Island Park not only the biggest park in Salem, but also larger than Central Park in New York City. This park also serves as a waterfowl and wildlife sanctuary, which you can enjoy from the observation platforms along the sloughs. Blue herons, ospreys, squirrels, and rabbits are among the many different wetland creatures that call this park home.
Click here for more information.
MUSEUMS AND CULTURAL STOPS
HALLIE FORD MUSEUM OF ART
The only liberal arts college art museum in the Northwest, the museum is located near the Oregon State Capitol in the heart of Salem, Oregon. The museum is a leader in the research on the art of the Northwest, with one of the most significant collections of Northwest art and a history of important publications and exhibitions. The museum’s collections reflect the rich Pacific Northwest culture and explore the history of art around the world.
Click here for more information.
OREGON STATE CAPITOL GROUNDS
The park features not only cherry trees and other plants favored by Oregonians, but tells a little history as well. Stone plaques set in the mall sidewalks list the county seat and establishment date for each of Oregon’s counties. On the Willson Park side of the street, flags from every state in the union sit in a circle near the Moon Tree, a state heritage tree. The young Douglas-fir, just north of the flags along Court Street, was grown from a seed carried to the moon by Apollo 14 astronaut Stuart Roosa in 1971.
Click here for more information.
HISTORIC DOWNTOWN SALEM
Downtown Salem is a vibrant destination filled with unique shops, entertainment venues, and scenic walking and biking trails. Whether you’re exploring on foot or by bike, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Take a walking tour through Salem’s historic district and stop by one of the many conveniently located coffee shops along the way. Don’t miss Riverfront Park, where you can cross the pedestrian bridge to explore the beautiful trails at Minto-Brown Island Park and Wallace Marine Park.
Click here for more information.