MSRI Visitor Parking
The MSRI parking lot consists of the top two levels of the hill terrace parking. The lot is on the hill below the MSRI building off Centennial Drive. A gate code is required to enter this lot. Codes for the gate are distributed to members and workshop participants upon registration. For public special events, the gate may be opened for visitors; follow event instructions regarding parking access.
MSRI has a limited number of parking slots for members, staff, workshop participants and special events attendees. Due to the limited number of spaces, these parking spots tend to fill up quickly. Additional parking is available in the Terrace lots 1-3, for a fee (pay in front of Lawrence Hall of Science or follow PayByPhone signage instructions). The UC Berkeley Police department patrols all of the lots and will ticket vehicles that are not in compliance with parking restrictions.
If the MSRI parking becomes filled, guests are welcome to park in the UC Berkeley fee-based lots, or along Grizzly Peak Blvd (at your own risk).
Notification: From November 2022 through June 2024, access to MSRI/SLMath via Centennial Drive will be partially limited to one-lane traffic during the UC Berkeley Centennial Bridge project construction. High level information about the schedule may be found on the project website, and SLMath will alert visitors to specific dates of access interruptions as they are scheduled. Cars, shuttles, and bicycles will still be able to use this road throughout this time period, but some traffic delays may occur. The location of construction is between the UC Berkeley Botanical Garden and the Lawrence Hall of Science.
View all parking areas on Google Maps
Accessible Parking
There are three parking spaces directly in front of MSRI's Shiing Shen Chern Hall for any vehicles with Disabled Person Parking placards or plates, available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Reserved Parking
The parking spaces at the top of the driveway near the MSRI building are reserved for staff members and service providers. Please do not double park next to these spaces or along the cement wall.
UC Berkeley Fee-Based Parking (above Lawrence Hall of Science)
After you park in the Hill Terrace parking lots, take note of the parking space number, find a pay station and purchase your parking permit. The pay station is located near the traffic light in front of the Lawrence Hall of Science and it accepts quarters as well as $1, $5, and $10 bills. Guests can return to MSRI via the parking lot stairs, or on M-F, via the UCB Hill Shuttle service. * Please note that pandemic-related changes to the Lawrence Hall of Science schedule may change the availability of this parking area.
Silver Space Sciences Laboratory (SSL) / PayByPhone Parking
Parking in the lots surrounding the Space Science Labs is by UC Berkeley permit or PayByPhone only, enforced 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. UC Berkeley police enforce parking permits in these areas. PayByPhone information is located on signage in the parking lot
For visitors using the PayByPhone permit system to park in the Space Sciences Labs parking lot, please follow posted signage. The rate is 50 cents per hour, and payment can be made via credit card using the official smartphone app (PayByPhone), phone (1-800-234-7275), or web (paybyphone.com); cash transactions are not possible. The lot number for SSL is 9477. Credit cards accepted are Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover.
Due to limited cell phone reception in some parking areas, guests choosing to use PayByPhone may register using MSRI's wireless network once in the building (see signage in lobby), however you will need to know your vehicle's license plate number to do so. Please be sure to purchase the correct amount of hours for your visit, as parking enforcement is frequent.
