Roof and tunnel hacking is the unauthorized exploration of roof and
utility tunnel spaces. The term carries a strong collegiate connotation, stemming from its use at
MIT, where the practice has a long history. It is a form of
urban exploration. Some participants use it as a means of carrying out
collegiate pranks, by hanging banners from high places or, in one notable example from
MIT, placing a life-size model police car on top of a university building. Others are interested in exploring inaccessible and seldom-seen places; that such exploration is unauthorized is often part of the thrill. Roofers, in particular, may be interested in the skyline views from the highest points on a campus.