Campus Attractions

Visitors Guide

Choose Chicago

Chicago is our laboratory, our playground, and our muse. While visiting the Forum, we encourage you to spend some time exploring the city. To learn more about the city that feels like home, visit ChooseChicago.com and discover your “Chicago Style”.

Campus Attractions

Campus Attractions

The University of Chicago campus is known for its architectural highlights, unique traditions, notable alumni, famous dining locations, hole-in-the-wall cafes, and delightful food trucks. For campus highlights, download our campus guides or jump to:

Points of Interest Cafes and Food Trucks UChicago Events

Points of Interest

In addition to the Robie House by Frank Lloyd Wright, and the numerous art and history museums adjacent to campus (see below), the campus itself features a number of works by famous architects and beautiful hidden spots. For more in-depth information about the University’s historic architecture visit our UChicago Architecture site.

Campus Highlights

These institutions offer theatrical, musical, and other performances by Chicago-based or traveling groups, and are located conveniently on campus. Most of the University buildings can also be rented by student performances or student organization guest performances.

  • Bond Chapel. On the Main Quadrangles across from Cobb Hall. A quaint Gothic revival chapel and venue for reflection, performances, ceremonies, and worship.
  • Botany Pond57th Street at Hull Gate. A peaceful oasis near Hull Gate with a variety of species including goldfish, lily pads, and turtles.
  • Harper Memorial Library Reading Room1116 East 59th Street (3rd floor). Part of the University’s first library, this Gothic reading room is a favorite of students and visitors alike.
  • Main Quadrangles57th Street to 59th Street. The undeniable heart of campus is a botanic garden and the location of most undergraduate courses.
  • The Midway PlaisanceBetween 59th and 60th Streets. A mile long park dating from the World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893, now the site of intramural sports, sculpture, and an ice-skating rink.
  • Reynolds Club and University Seal. 5706 South University Avenue. The Reynolds Club is the center for student activities and the location of the University Seal.
  • Rockefeller Memorial Chapel5850 South Woodlawn Avenue. The tower of this Gothic chapel is the highest point on campus and home to the largest instrument ever built: the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial Carillon.
Arts and Culture

These institutions offer theatrical, musical, and other performances by Chicago-based or traveling groups, and are located conveniently on campus. Most of the University buildings can also be rented for student performances or student organization guest performances.

  • Court Theatre. 5535 South Ellis Avenue. A professional, award-winning theater affiliated with the University of Chicago, which puts on five plays a year.
  • DOC Films1212 East 59th Street. The longest continuously running student film society in the nation; screenings nightly.
  • International House1414 East 59th Street. Both a cultural center and student residence hall, which hosts a vibrant performing arts series.
  • Nuclear Energy Sculpture. Just north of Mansueto Library on Ellis Avenue. Henry Moore’s bronze sculpture commemorating the site of the world’s first controlled, self-sustaining nuclear reaction.
  • Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts915 East 60th Street. The vibrant hub for arts on campus, which houses a performance hall, café, theaters, a gallery, and exhibition space, as well as unbeatable views of campus.
  • The Richard and Mary L. Gray Center for Arts and Inquiry929 E. 60th St., Ste 112. A forum for experimental collaborations between artists and scholars, the center features a flexible 1000 square foot work space that can be configured as a studio, lab, or classroom, as well as an installation, exhibition and performance space.
Museums and Galleries

These Museums are affiliated with the University and located on campus grounds.

  • Arts Incubator. 301 East Garfield Boulevard. A space for exhibitions, performances, community-based arts projects, and artist residencies, as well as arts education programs.
  • Frank Lloyd Wright’s Robie House5757 South Woodlawn Avenue. A National Historic Landmark and one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie School style gems. See website for daily tour information.
  • Oriental Institute Museum1155 East 58th Street. A research institution and museum dedicated to the study of the ancient Near East and housing the greatest collection of Egyptian artifacts outside of Cairo.
  • The Renaissance Society5811 South Ellis Avenue. One of the oldest contemporary art museums in the country, presenting cutting edge exhibitions, performances, films, and talks.
  • Smart Museum of Art5550 South Greenwood Avenue. UChicago’s main art museum, featuring special exhibitions as well as a permanent collection that spans 5,000 years of artistic creation.
  • Special Collections Research Center Gallery1100 East 57th Street (inside of Regenstein Library). Home to the University’s rare books, manuscript collections, archives, and rotating exhibitions.
Libraries and Bookstores

The University campus is home to some of the worlds finest libraries and bookstores.

  • Joe and Rika Mansueto Library1100 East 57th Street. An all-glass reading room with a 3.5 million-book capacity in its underground robotic storage and retrieval system.
  • Joseph Regenstein Library1100 East 57th Street. The University’s main library, home to more than 11.9 million volumes.
  • Seminary Co-Op Bookstore5751 South Woodlawn Avenue. An independent bookstore and centerpiece of intellectual and cultural life in Hyde Park. 57th Street Books, another Seminary Co-Op location is at 57th Street and Kimbark Avenue.
  • University Bookstore970 East 58th Street. The official campus bookstore, which sells UChicago textbooks, dorm necessities, apparel, and gifts.

Bike Sharing

Many opportunities exist in Hyde Park and Chicago for anyone interested in biking. Chicago has more than 170 miles of on-street protected, buffered, and shared bike lanes.
Get Involved