Campus culture and resources
Ours is one of the most well-tended wooded campuses in America, marked by distinctive limestone buildings updated for contemporary use. Cited by Thomas A. Gaines in his book The Campus as a Work of Art as one of the five most beautiful campuses in the U.S., it includes the Kirkwood Observatory, the greenhouses of the IU conservatory, and an arboretum. Wooded pathways meander alongside the small Campus River.
The Indiana Memorial Union is one of the largest student unions in the country, with a hotel and conference facilities, delicious dining, and a wealth of student activities.
In addition to the Herman B Wells Library, the campus hosts a dozen satellite libraries, the Lilly Library rare books and manuscripts archive, and the archives of the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction. Scientific labs, research facilities, and creative spaces are found throughout campus.
The Eskenazi Museum of Art includes remarkable works by Picasso, Braque, Davis, Rembrandt, Monet, Pollock, Rivera, as well as stunning ancient and non-Western collections. Both the School of Art, Architecture + Design and The Media School are part of the core central campus, located in historic buildings that have been recently redesigned for classroom use. The Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies draws scholars and speakers from around the world.
The Grunwald Gallery of Art, named after holocaust survivor and alumnus John A. Grunwald, houses contemporary works by both student and professional artists. The gallery frequently collaborates with artists, scientists, and scholars to produce exhibits that interpret visual art in a broader scientific or humanities context.