The mission of the MIT Washington Office is to represent the Institute in Washington as one of the nation's premier academic institutions. The office was established in August 1991 and functions as part of the MIT President's office.

This office maintains a continuous flow of information between MIT and the federal government. The staff of the Washington Office is involved in the gathering and disseminating of information to the MIT campus concerning government activities and actions. The staff also makes MIT's resources available to federal officials, facilitating the sharing of these resources with Congress, the Administration, associated federal agencies, and other national organizations.