Decent gym - two stories with all the bells and whistles. I like running in the track behind the gym. It's quite clean and gets the job done when you need to get a workout in. You can only get in if you're Caltech affiliated or know someone who is. read more

So far, so good. My husband is an alumnus so he pays around $30 a month. I pay around $47 a month. It is a great deal for the price we pay. It has a basketball court, racquetball courts, tennis court, swimming pools, track, group classes, and etc. Beats any local gym! It is not supposed to be fancy. It gets the job done. Minus 1 star because they got rid of the towel service and it doesn't seem like it is coming back. Ever. read more

See all

What a great place and an amazing coaching staff. All athletic competitions are free and the level of play is very good. There is plenty of workout space and there are lots of options. read more

This is a great gym option if you are affiliated with Caltech or JPL. The membership is paid by month so you're not locked into any contract. The price is fantastic, $35 per month which beats any other nearby gyms. There are facilities and equipment for pretty much anything you need. My favorites are the open weight areas, the rock climbing wall, and the track field. The only downside is some indoor areas of the gym do not have AC. They're cooled by giant industrial fans. read more

See all

I've been employed at Caltech since 1995 and for the past 10 years I've been working out at this gym religiously (or scientifically should I say). They did away with the peptol-bismo colored towels, as stated by Paul M. and finally we have white towels to check out. I come here at least 6 times a week. Cardio is my main work out and they have plenty of cardio equipment to choose from. *Running Machines *Stairmasters *Elliptical Machines *Exercise Bikes *Rowing Machines They also have plenty of weight machines and free weights as well as indoor racquetball and squash courts. There is also yoga, zumba, and any assortment of classes to burn off your fat. Martial arts classes like karate are also available. read more

See all

I love the work out opportunities you have at this facility. They have a great gym where you can set up basketball time with some friends to get your cardio fix, and also a great gym right upstairs. They have great equipment that will satisfy your needs such as the latest running machines, weights, and all your other standard fitness equipment. If your in the area and you need a workout fix, and you know someone that works or goes to Caltech, take full advantage. Parking is either on campus or on a side street. read more

Yay! My first "first to review!" All you need to get into this place is $5 and a friend who works or attends Caltech. You get your money's worth too, because for the price you get to use the entire facility all day, including the pool, basketball courts, etc. Plus they have towel service. Big, ugly, peptol-bismol colored towels, but towel service nonetheless. That being said, this is Caltech, a university not normally associated with athletics. So don't expect state-of-the-art facilities like you would at, oh, say USC. And also don't expect to see a myriad of unmitigated hotness working out (also like you would at USC. Can you tell where I went to university?) Although even the Caltech water polo team is still a water polo team. Sigh. Wait, where was I? Oh, yes, mid-review. To continue, it's pretty cool to think that a current student probably INVENTED most of the gym equipment (or could, at the very least, reverse engineer it). And although the locker rooms look like they're from Warsaw circa 1956, they seem fairly clean and well kept. Um, not that I spend my time in the locker room waiting for the water polo team to finish practice. Whoever told you that is a liar. read more

I really wish I could give Caltech Gym a better rating, but maintenance problems need urgent attention. I'm a new member and expected the spa to work soon after I joined. I feel burned. The Spa remains permanently broken. Everyone at the Braun Gym wrings their hands on this issue, imploring customers to understand that its not THEIR problem the damn thing doesn't work. "Facilities" they say pointing towards the campus across California from the gym. They hold all the cards! They need to fix it! They don't respect continual pleadings! Apparently fixing a hot tub is something like launching an orbital telescope at Caltech: you need to get a budget from Congress, then have some meetings, then issue an RFQ, examine responsive bids, work out logistics, integration, operations, control, and then finally call a plumber (who is actually doing the work to fix the spa), talk about it some more, warn everyone that the campus has made up its mind about the repairs, talk about it some more, put crime scene tape around the broken-dug up pool - just to uglify it for awhile - drain it finally (mosquitos and all), wait for parts, return the wrong parts and wait for more parts, get around to fixing it a couple of dozen times, and then decide its too much to do and the budget is gone so they leave a dry hole with a bunch of half fixed junk laying around. "Oh well, if Congress gave us enough money...." etc. etc. I'm giving up asking, and I guess that's the plan. I'll just yelp until someone takes this seriously. For a school with such high tuition and with a NCAA Division 3 competitive aspirations, you'd think that this facility would get more of the maintenance budget or management attention. Shameful. You call yourselves semi-aquatic mammals with big teeth, whereas you are actually behaving like ground sloths stuck in tar. read more

I went to a basketball game at Caltech's Braun Athletic Center on 12/19/2015. It was my 1st time there (although I've been to Caltech before). The host Caltech Beavers lost to the visiting George Fox Bruins by a score of 75-59. Can't beat the price. Parking was free (parked on the street), program was free and entry to the game was free. Plus, I took photos. read more

See all

I am a paying member of the Caltech athletics club and was happy with the facilities. However, I am looking for another club when my membership ends. It seems that they started to sell out all facilities to anybody at any time. Swimming pool: an outside swim club rents one swimming pool for four days, Monday - Thursday, from 7-8:30 pm every week. Tennis courts: an outside club rents ALL tennis courts from 6:30-9:30 every Tuesday & Thursday. Even if they are done by 8pm, you can't play. Additionally, if your tennis partner doesn't have a membership, he has to pay $10 to play with you. Also, some Saturday/ Sundays are also booked by outside clubs. Basically, you never know who is going to reserve all courts at any given day/ time. Fitness classes: group fitness classes are oriented for beginners. My mom, who is 64, enjoys it but I have to go to another club for my classes. Many students that I know also go to other clubs in Pasadena for group fitness classes. The only good class is kickboxing. read more

This is a great gym. What makes it great? Is it the management. No. Is it what management has done to the decor? No. It's the people who work there! They are what make a trip to this gym worthwhile. Manny, Jim, Nikki, Kirsten, Carmen, Vince, Josh and Alex will put a bright spot in your day. It won't even matter that the racquetball courts have been filled with bikes and yoga classes! read more

Overall this is a great facility, especially for a college not known for their athletics. There is a wide variety of free weights and weight machines. For cardio they have a fair amount of machines for people to use. Inside Caltech also has a mini rock wall for people to climb, a squash/racquetball court and a multipurpose room. Towels tend to run low so bring your own. read more

This review is for their field area. I participated in a grass volleyball tournament a couple weeks ago here. The facilities were very clean and well kept. It is a beautiful campus and their athletic center is well maintained. read more

I enjoy coming here to work out because it is more relaxed (in terms of the people who go here) than other gyms I've been to. This gym loses a star because my I HATE when people don't wipe down machines after themselves. I watched a guy ride the rowing machine hard for 30 minutes with his bum grinding on the seat and he got up sweating profusely and walked right past the wipe station! I saw an old man riding a bike also sweating profusely bum grinding the seat and didn't wipe it down. Then minutes after he got up I watched a unsuspecting lady sit right down on that same seat they have wipe down stations but only a small fraction of gym goers use them. I think the staff needs to make better signage and/or reprimand people who leave their machines dirty. read more

This once Superb facility has lost its charm. Once upon a time I would have given it 4 to 5 stars, but it sadly has turned into a 1 star = Eek! Methinks not facility. Caltech has lost a superb outlet for its staff and faculty by forcing everyone into an over-expensive membership. The facility has undergone some good and some terrible changes. The weight room has improved beautifully. If you want to work out on an exercise machine, such as an elliptical or bicycle, you feel like you are in a hen's pen, closely clustered next to each other, forced to either look at a giant screen in front of you or try to divert your gaze downwards. Due to the proximity of your neighbor, on those machines, you might experience an occasional shower of sweat over you, or a strong whiff of body odor from the guy working out next to you. Mind you, same holds true for your BO and the poor guy working out next to you. There is a wonderful swimming facility. Great Pools! With lots of restrictions. It's like being in Kindergarten The pools nowadays are overheated! and have caused many a serious swimmer to move to another location. The gyms, including the weight room and exercise rooms are barely air-conditioned. To find a place to cool down, one might want to try the rest-rooms. Cold or even cool showers only exist during the first two minutes in the morning. No cold water, other than from the drinking fountain. Unfortunately, the management appears to have its own agenda and does not take suggestions, complaints, etc. into account. A once marvelous facility, now no longer of appeal. read more

I have memberships at a couple gyms around Pasadena and I always find myself at this gym. They have complementary towel service. Clean showers with lots of hot water and the pools are world class. Plus it is NEVER crowded. The equipment is clean and is always working. I honestly don't understand why anyone would complain about this place because it is beautiful. If you have the opportunity to be a member here you should consider it. Parking can be tricky but if you work on campus or come on the weekends or in the evenings it is always very doable. The facilities are amazing. read more