Prima Games eGuides Fallout 4 eGuide

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Fallout 4 eGuide MAP Zone 7: Neighborhood: Cambridge Primary Locations

[7.10] The Institute

  • Armaments and Ammo++
  • Bottlecaps+++
  • Collectible: Nuka Cherry (2)
  • Collectible: Nuka Cola Quantum
  • Collectible: Required Reading: Astoundingly Awesome Tales
  • Companion: X6-88
  • Faction: The Institute
  • Faction: Character (Leader): Father
  • Faction: Character: Shaun
  • Faction: Character: S9-23
  • Faction: Character: X6-88
  • Faction: Character: Madison Li
  • Faction: Character: Allie Filmore
  • Faction: Character: Nathan Filmore
  • Faction: Character: Quentin Filmore
  • Faction: Character: Lawrence Higgs
  • Faction: Character: Enrico Thompson
  • Faction: Character: Janet Thompson
  • Faction: Character: Alice Thompson
  • Faction: Character: Julia Thompson
  • Faction: Character: Newton Oberly
  • Faction: Character: Clayton Holdren
  • Faction: Character: Isaac Karlin
  • Faction: Character: Dean Volkert
  • Faction: Character: Brendan Volkert
  • Faction: Character: Max Loken
  • Faction: Character: Alan Binet
  • Faction: Character: Liam Binet
  • Faction: Character: Evan Watson
  • Faction: Character: Rosalind Orman
  • Faction: Character: Janet Thompson
  • Faction: Character: Justin Ayo
  • Faction: Character: Alana Secord
  • Health or Chems+++
  • Quest Visit: Institutionalized (Main)
  • Quest Start: The Nuclear Option (Main)
  • Quest Start: Synth Retention (the Institute)
  • Quest Start: The Battle of Bunker Hill (the Institute)
  • Quest Start: Mankind Redefined (the Institute)
  • Quest Start: Powering Up (the Institute)
  • Quest Start: End of the Line (the Institute)
  • Quest Start: Airship Down (the Institute)
  • Quest Start: Nuclear Family (the Institute)
  • Quest Start: Building a Better Crop (the Institute)
  • Quest Start: Plugging a Leak (the Institute)
  • Quest Start: A House Divided (the Institute)
  • Quest Start: Mass Fusion (the Institute)
  • Quest Start: Pinned (the Institute)
  • Quest Start: Pest Control (the Institute Radiant)
  • Quest Start: Hypothesis (the Institute Radiant)
  • Quest Start: Appropriation (the Institute Radiant)
  • Quest Start: Reclamation (the Institute Radiant)
  • Quest Start: Political Leanings (the Institute Radiant)
  • Quest Visit: From Within (Brotherhood of Steel)
  • Quest Visit: Outside the Wire (Brotherhood of Steel)
  • Quest Visit: Underground Undercover (the Railroad)
  • Quest Visit: Inside Job (the Minutemen)
  • Quest Visit: Miscellaneous (Freeform: Virgil’s Serum)
  • Services: Trader (Synth Food Vendor)
  • Services: Trader (Institute Requisition Vendor)
  • Unique Item: Experiment 18-A (Weapon)
  • Unique Item: Experimental Serum (Item)
  • Unique Item: Institute Beacon (Item)
  • Unique Item: Liam’s Glasses (Apparel)
  • Unique Item: Mark 2 Synth Helmet (Apparel)
  • Unique Item: Mark 2 Synth Chest Piece (Apparel)
  • Unique Item: Mark 3 Synth Chest Piece (Apparel)
  • Unique Item: Mark 3 Right Arm (Apparel)
  • Unique Item: Wazer Wifle (from Shaun, post Main Quest)

Hidden from surface dwellers and only accessible via teleportation, this is the utopian dream of Father and his scientist colleagues who populate the Institute.

Main Atrium and Concourse

The main concourse and atrium are the sleeping quarters for all Institute personnel, including your own quarters if you complete Institute Quest: Synth Retention. Otherwise, there’s a huge abundance of health and chems to scavenge, some gruel-like vittles to try, and some interesting armaments to purchase.

Institute Robotics

  • Armaments and Ammo
  • Character (Division Head): Alan Binet

Robotics works on synth production (with a factory floor of synth creation that’s impressive to watch), quality control, and software/hardware improvements.

Institute BioScience

  • Armaments and Ammo
  • Character (Division Head): Clayton Holdren
  • Danger: Turrets!
  • Health or Chems

BioScience cultivates and maintains existing gardens and the food supply through hydroponics. Research into genetically modified crops and nutrition also occurs. A small synth gorilla enclosure that emulates a jungle habitat exists here, as well as entrances to an abandoned FEV laboratory.

Institute Advanced Systems

  • Armaments and Ammo
  • Character (Division Head): Madison Li
  • Collectible: Holotape: Advanced Systems Notes

Advanced Systems works on applied physics (plasma weaponry and teleportation), as well as special projects currently classified. Access to the reactor is at this location but is currently off-limits until you undertake certain quests.

Institute Synth Retention Bureau

  • Armaments and Ammo+
  • Character (Division Head): Justin Ayo

Synth Retention (or SRB) supervises the coursers and their missions across the Commonwealth and repurposes any older Gen 1 and 2 synth models after interception on the surface.

Institute Sublevel 21-D

  • Danger: Explosive Barrels!
  • Danger: Oil!

A partly excavated tunnel and old storage area accessed via a maintenance elevator.

FEV Laboratory

  • Armaments and Ammo
  • Collectible: Experimental Serum
  • Collectible: Holotape: Brian Virgil Personal Log 0176
  • Danger: Tesla Arcs!
  • Danger: Tripwires!
  • Danger: Turrets!
  • Health or Chems

This is where Forced Evolutionary Viruses (FEV) were created and used on test subjects, forming the Super Mutants that roam the surface hellscape. This location doesn’t have quite the sheen of the main locations. Beware of Assaultrons. Look for the Experimental Serum in the incubation lab, as well as one of Virgil’s old Holotapes.

Old Robotics

This is where the earliest experimentations on synthetic life were carried out, and earlier generation synths still roam this area. The location is completely sealed off until Main Quest: The Nuclear Option is active. You may wish to access the terminal (unlocked) just before the lower level warehouse floor to activate an old Sentry Bot.

Institute Reactor

Originally a research project from the old Commonwealth Institute, the reactor was salvaged and improved upon, allowing the Institute to stop relying on siphoning power from above-ground sources almost entirely. This location is completely sealed off until Main Quest: The Nuclear Option or Institute Quest: Powering Up is active.

Public Works Maintenance Area

  • Armaments and Ammo: Trunk
  • Armor Part: Fusion Core
  • Crafting: Armor Workbench
  • Crafting: Chemistry Station
  • Crafting: Power Armor Station
  • Crafting: Weapons Workbench
  • Collectible: Nuka Cola Quantum
  • Danger: Oil!
  • Danger: Radiation (Mild)!
  • Faction: Feral Ghouls
  • Faction: Mole Rats
  • Faction: The Institute
  • Health and Chems
  • Quest Visit: The Nuclear Option (Minutemen)

This location isn’t accessed from the Institute itself; it is a medium-sized sewer complex under Cambridge that allows a cunning infiltration of the premises. Look for an underwater sewer pipe (Secondary Location 7.19) that’s south of Greenetech Genetics on the northwest side of the Charles River and access the entrance. There is a wall terminal (Advanced) accessing a steamer trunk and a keypad on the east wall.

You cannot explore further until the quest is active and you’ve input the key code.

The interior is a series of tunnels where a large Institute pipe runs. Follow this pipe to access the maintenance area, and a secondary pipe brings you out into the Institute Concourse, near the relay chamber. As there’s limited occasions to gather the available items, make your sweep during the quest.