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Campus attractions
Arts | Nature | Science | Athletics | History | Wisconsin Union
Arts
Chazen Museum of Art
800 University Ave. (map)
9 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday-Friday
11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday
(closed Mondays and state holidays)
608-263-2246
Current exhibitions
One of the country’s leading university art museums, the Chazen houses a permanent collection of 16,000 works of art dating from 2300 B. C. to present day. Admission is free and the museum is open to the public every day except Monday. After browsing the 24,000-square-feet of gallery space, discover the art-related gifts in the Chazen Museum shop. Specialized tours are available with a reservation.
Art Department
6241 George L. Mosse Humanities Building (map)
608-262-1660
The Art Department is home to a variety of galleries featuring works by undergraduate, graduate, faculty, alumni and guest artists. Please visit the Art Department Web site for a full listing of galleries, events and visiting artists. All are open to the public.
Memorial Carillon
Observatory Drive, east of Charter St. (map)
608-265-9500
This 85-foot tower houses 56 bronze bells. Watch the carillonneur masterfully manipulate the instrument and listen to a sampling of music. Enjoy free concerts at 3 p.m. on Sundays during the academic year. Reservations are required for group tours.
School of Music
608-263-9485 (Concert Line)
Performance Calendar
The School of Music offers a full complement of music performances, including opera, by faculty, students and guest artists throughout the year. Many performances are free.
Wisconsin Union Theater (map)
608-262-2201
The Wisconsin Union Theater is a multipurpose performing arts facility offering a varied, quality program of professional dance, music, theater, film and cultural events. The Wisconsin Union Galleries produce a wide variety of exhibits by faculty and students as well as regional and national artists. The Union’s art collection consists of 1,300 pieces, most on public display throughout the Memorial Union and Union South. The students of the Wisconsin Union Directorate produce the Concert Series and Performance Series, Distinguished Lecture Series, music and entertainment programs, art exhibitions and several film series.
University Theatre
821 University Ave. (Box Office; map)
608-262-1500
University Theatre serves as the practical laboratory for UW-Madison’s Department of Theatre and Drama and presents a variety of performances throughout the year.
Dance Program (map)
608-262-1691
Performance Calendar
Founded in 1926, the Dance Program was the first in the country to offer a degree program. Students, faculty and guest artists present formal and informal concerts throughout the year.
Design Gallery
70 Human Ecology Building (map)
1300 Linden Dr
608-262-8815
As part of the School of Human Ecology's academic program, the Design Gallery provides a showplace for examples of contemporary design as well as traditional craft and utilitarian objects. Artists, designers, historians, anthropologists, and entrepreneurs participate in exhibitions exploring the human desire for invention and aesthetic satisfaction. Open Wed - Fri 11 am - 5:30 pm, Sat and Sun 12 - 5 pm during exhibitions; closed breaks & holidays.
For more information about arts at UW-Madison, visit the Arts on Campus Web site.
Nature
Arboretum
1207 Seminole Highway, between Lake Wingra and the West Beltline Highway
608-263-7888
Featuring the restored prairies, forest and wetlands of pre-settlement Wisconsin, the 1,260-acre Arboretum also houses flowering trees, shrubs and a world-famous lilac collection. Educational tours for groups and the public, science and nature-based classes for all ages and abilities, and a wide variety of volunteer opportunities for groups, families and individuals are available. Stop in to see the McKay Visitor Center, featuring an orientation theater, bookstore, library, art gallery and more, before beginning your exploration.
Allen Centennial Gardens
Corner of Observatory Drive and Babcock Drive (map)
608-262-8406
Created on the 2.5-acre site of a historic Victorian home that once served as a residence for university deans, the Allen Centennial Gardens have been called UW-Madison’s largest outdoor classroom. The 22 magnificent gardens are maintained by UW faculty, staff and students, and represent gardening styles from around the world. Primarily used as a teaching tool in horticulture, botany, entomology and plant pathology, the gardens are also popular among visitors who stroll the grounds and gardeners who come to ooh and aah.
Botanical Garden
Between Lathrop and Chamberlin halls (map)
608-262-2235
Eight hundred plant specimens from all over the world are arranged in evolutionary sequence and labeled by name for teaching and research at the Botanical Garden. A corner of the garden contains a fountain, lily-padded pond and a bench under an arbor of wisteria and honeysuckle. Guided garden and greenhouse tours are available with a reservation.
Howard M. Temin Lakeshore Path
The path is a favorite route to and from campus for walkers and bicyclists. Picnic Point, rated “one of the best places to kiss” by a Florida newspaper, is not just a romantic spot, but a haven for people looking for a quiet getaway. A narrow, heavily wooded finger of land that juts out about a mile into Lake Mendota, Picnic Point is easily accessible via a wide dirt path, and offers views of the campus and the state Capitol. There also are numerous picnic spots and a sand beach along the path. It connects to another 300 acres of natural areas along the lake for hikers, joggers and nature lovers. The path runs 1.6 miles along Lake Mendota, from Memorial Union west to the entrance of Picnic Point.
D.C. Smith Greenhouse
465 Babcock Drive (map)
608-262-3844
Completed in 1996, D.C. Smith Greenhouse was designed to meet scientific needs while providing aesthetic pleasure. The conservatory is an example of the relatively new discipline of interiorscaping and has won several architectural awards. Visit during winter months to enjoy the ornamental plants and the tropical environment.
Science
BioTrek: The Outreach Program of the Biotechnology Center
425 Henry Mall (map)
608-265-2420
Take a journey into the living sciences and increase your science savvy. The Biotechnology Center is a state-of-the-art research laboratory where visitors can participate in hands-on workshops, available by appointment only.
Geology Museum
1215 West Dayton St. (map)
608-262-2399
With its reconstructed dinosaurs, huge mastodon skeleton, colorful mineral samples, a six-foot-diameter rotating globe and a walk-through model of a Wisconsin limestone cave, the Geology Museum has long been a favorite of both kids and adults. Enjoy a self-guided tour and many fascinating exhibits. The museum is open for self-guided tours from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Saturdays. Call 608-262-1412 to make a reservation for a group tour.
Physics Museum
2130 Chamberlin Hall
1150 University Ave. (map)
608-262-2356
The L.R. Ingersoll Physics Museum is a public, hands-on physics museum located in room 2130 Chamberlin Hall. Exhibits primarily focus on demonstrating basic physical concepts, from mechanics to atomics, and historical instruments are on display. The museum is open to visitors from 8 a.m. until 4:15 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Insect Research Collection
346 Russell Labs
1630 Linden Drive (map)
608-262-0056
From enormous tropical African beetles to brilliant butterflies, the Insect Research Collection is a treasure trove for nature lovers. The collection contains about two million preserved insects, including huge cicadas from Africa and Malaysia. There are also live Madagascar hissing and death’s head cockroaches and a four-inch long Chilean rosehair tarantula. Tours are available by appointment for up to 10 people.
Dairy Cattle Center
1815 Linden Drive (map)
608-265-9500
Milk is an important product in Wisconsin. Many of the foods we enjoy every day originate from the dairy herds around the state. Watch and learn while the university’s research dairy heard is milked at 4:30 p.m. every day.
Space Place
2300 S. Park St. (off campus)
608-262-4779
This public education center provides hands-on activities, lively presentations and informative lectures by UW faculty and staff. Space Place is a great field-trip destination and offers regular public lectures and Saturday children’s workshops. Reservations are required for most activities.
Washburn Observatory
1401 Observatory Drive (map)
608-262-9274
[Please note: Washburn Observatory is closed for renovation, and is due to reopen in summer of 2009. The public is invited to UW Space Place, 2300 S. Park St., on the second and fourth Fridays each month from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. for rooftop viewing.] Atop Observatory hill sits the historic Washburn Observatory. Public observations are offered when skies are mostly clear on the first and third Wednesday evenings of the month. Sessions begin at 9 p.m. April through October and at 7:30 p.m. November through March.
Babcock Hall Dairy Plant and Store
1605 Linden Drive (map)
608-262-3045
A recent renovation has transformed the 50-year-old Babcock Dairy Store into a sparkling-new place to purchase and enjoy many kinds of eats and treats. Stop by the store to purchase the university’s cheese and famous ice cream in a multitude of flavors. An expanded sandwich bar is also available for those seeking something to accompany their sweet treats. Babcock ice cream is also sold at Memorial Union and Union South. Dairy plant operations can be viewed from an observation deck near the store. Babcock hours are 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Saturday (open until 5:30 p.m. on home football Saturdays).
For more information about science at UW-Madison, visit the Science on Campus Web site.
Athletics
Athletic Ticket Office
608-262-1440 or 800-GO-BADGERS
TDY: 608-262-1442
Ticket information
Seating Charts
Parking information
Kohl Center
601 West Dayton St. (map)
608-263-5645
Named for university benefactor Herb Kohl, UW-Madison graduate (1956), U.S. senator and owner of the Milwaukee Bucks professional basketball team, the Kohl Center opened in January 1998 as one of the country’s most highly regarded collegiate arenas. The $76 million facility seats 17,142 for basketball and 15,038 for hockey. Stop by the Kohl Center from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, to visit public areas of the building, or see more with a 45-minute guided tour, available to groups by appointment, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Drop-in tours are available at noon on Tuesday and Thursday.
UW Athletics Welcome Center
1440 Monroe St. (map)
608-262-1866
The Welcome Center, located in Kellner Hall (main level, near Gate 21), operates as the reception area and switchboard for UW Athletics, and provides answers to all UW Athletics-related questions, including directions to various buildings and offices; distibution of schedules, posters and brochures; and information on summer camps for various Badger sports.
For more information about athletics at UW-Madison, visit the UW Badgers Web site.
History
Bascom Hill Historic District (map)
608-265-9500
Within UW-Madison’s 933 acres sits the Bascom Hill Historic District. Explore the area on your own and discover the 12 bronze plaques that describe UW-Madison’s rich history. Guided tours of the district are available by appointment for groups of 10 or more.
College of Agricultural and Life Sciences
608-265-9500
Nineteen plaques mark the sites of some of the biggest scientific achievements of the past century. Enjoy the area on your own, or make an appointment for a guided tour if you have a group of 10 or more.
Lincoln Statue
The solemn bronze Lincoln that casts his gaze toward the state capitol was placed on Bascom Hill in 1909. It is the single duplicate of an original that was cast in 1906 by New York artist Adolph Alexander Weinman, intended for the town of Lincoln’s birth, Hodgenville, Kentucky. When it became known that a single replica of the statue was to be cast, Weinman received several substantial bids. Richard Lloyd Jones (a cousin of Frank Lloyd Wright), who had been involved with the restoration of the Lincoln birthplace, secured the replica for the university.
Red Gym
716 Langdon St. (map)
608-265-9500
Dedicated in 1894 by President Charles Adams as a structure “built to endure for all time,” the Red Gym was both a training facility for citizen militia and a student center for recreation, sports, and social and cultural events. In 1993, the building was named a National Historic Landmark. Today the carefully restored and historically preserved Red Gym serves a new, adaptive role as a student and visitor center. Stop by the Red Gym from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday though Friday, to visit public areas of the building on your own, or see more with a 30-minute guided tour, available by appointment.
To see a historical timeline, visit our History page.
The Wisconsin Union
Memorial Union
Located on Lake Mendota, this classic Italian Renaissance building has been considered the "heart and soul" of campus since it opened in 1928. Students, faculty, visitors, and guests converge in Memorial Union to eat, meet, or just relax. It offers a deli, two restaurants, meeting rooms, guest rooms, four art galleries, an information booth, and a gift shop that offers discount bus tickets for students and Union members. The building also contains a movie theater and a craft shop. The Union hosts live music several nights a week inside the Rathskeller or outside on the Terrace overlooking Lake Mendota. Internationally renowned artists routinely grace the stage of the Wisconsin Union Theater, and outdoor enthusiasts flock to the six clubs run by Hoofers, one of the nation's oldest and largest campus outdoor recreation organizations. Visit the Outdoor Rentals Office to rent canoes and other recreational equipment. The Union also offers Babcock ice cream for visitors to enjoy all year round.
Union South
Union South, located near Camp Randall Stadium, is a gathering place for students, faculty and staff on the southwest part of campus. Built in 1971 to help accommodate the burgeoning student population that had grown to more than 30,000, it's home to several restaurants and a deli that serves Babcock ice cream. Union South also has a retail store, guestrooms, Games Room with bowling alley and hosts numerous student events including films, music and lectures. Many students get their first taste of UW–Madison at Union South, as it hosts SOAR events as well as "Badger Bash," a football tailgate party held before each home game.