Our Campus: History, Attractions, and Eats

In 1890, the University began with the idea of creating a place that unified great scholars through equal opportunity and year-round classes so that students could choose when to graduate. In 1910, the University adopted its famous arms with the phoenix emerging from flames, and its Latin motto, Crescat Scientia, Vita Excolatur (“Let knowledge grow from more to more; and so be human life enriched.”) "The Corem" with its focus on the classic texts and discussion, was established around 1929 by Robert Hutchins. He is also remembered for his emphasis on academics, and consequently, the abolishment of the football team in 1939. Read more about our history.

By the 1960s, the University had added a few modern buildings to its gothic campus including the Laird Bell Law Quadrangle (Law School) and the School of Social Science Administration (SSA). In 2012, the University completed the glass dome Mansueto Library, the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts, and has continued to work on building a number of physical and chemical engineering buildings. The two coveted admissions essay questions in 2012 and 2011 were "Where's Waldo?" and "Find X."

On July 1st, 2006, Robert J. Zimmer became the 13th (and current) President of the University of Chicago. He comes to UChicago with a background in administration, mathematics, and physics. During his tenure, President Zimmer oversaw the construction of several new buildings, development on 53rd Street, and the creation of the Institute of Politics. Read more about the President's Office. 

The Univesity of Chicago has acted as the catalyst for a number of discoveries and been a home to people who have served as pioneers their fields. Read more about discoveries and notable alumni.

• Nobel Laureate Enrico Fermi and his colleagues conducted the first controlled, self-sustaining, nuclear chain reaction on December 2, 1942, and initiated the modern nuclear age.
• James Watson, the Chicago alumnus who shared the 1962 Nobel Prize for discovering the structure of DNA, launched the Human Genome Project in 1990.
• Albert A. Michelson’s measurements of the speed of light made him in 1907 the first scientist from the United States to win the Nobel Prize.
• Nathaniel Kleitman identified REM sleep, the stage when most dreaming occurs.
• David Auburn won the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award for his play, Proof, in 2001.
• Bernard Sahlins founded the comedy troupe Second City.
• Robert B. Silvers co-founded The New York Review of Books.
• Michael Klingensmith is the CEO of Star Tribune Media Company.
• and many more.

Here are a few of our favorite traditions and annual events. Find more here.

• Scav Hunt. The annual spring Scavenger Hunt is a legend at the University of Chicago. Dorm-based and friend-base teams spend Wednesday after midnight until Sunday midnight wrecking havoc in their various rooms to create/find/obtain a list of 300+ items. Items, and sometimes even point values, are often written in puzzle form, for example in 2012, "There sure is a lot of sand in this cartridge. Why would anyone bury it in a desert? [7 points]" See more.
• Summer Breeze Carnival and Concert. Thousands of students come out to the quad-based carnival to enjoy games, bouncy castles, and a variety of foods, followed by an outdoor concert. Previous artists have included Ludacris, Andrew Bird, Matt & Kim, Ben Folds, Beastie Boys, and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. 
• Don't Step on the Seal! Rumor has it that if you step on the gold seal of our coat of arms on the floor of the Reynolds Club, you will not graduate in four years.
• Dollar Shake Days. Every Wednesday, students and faculty can be seen lining up outside the door of the Einstein Bagel Bros. in Reynolds Club to get a $1 milkshake.
• Kuvia/Kangeiko. Half the word for "happy times" in Icelandic and half the word for "calisthenics" in Japanese come together for a week of 5:00 am athletics with various Deans and advisors. Hundreds of students wake up for early morning athletics, and hundreds more join in for afternoon ice skating, or the Polar Bear Run, a near-naked run across the quads. Both events take place in the chilly 2nd to 3rd weeks of January. 
• Festival of the Arts. FOTA is a week-long festival for the creation and exhibition of student art in any area. It begins with a party and ends with a fashion show, featuring numerous on-site installations, galleries, workshops, and performances in between. Many students acquire University funding and work year-long to create projects.

Walking around campus, you are sure to have stopped and marveled at the Joe and Rika Mansueto Library by Helmut Jahn, completed 2012. The Library houses 3.5 million books, which are retrieved by robotic cranes, and its dome is made of 671 rectangular glass panels, none of which are the same size. This bright lobby is a quiet study space during the school year and a snow globe in the winter. Visit the website to find out more, and go on an underground tour, if you are already affiliated.

The Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts by Tod Williams and Billie Tsien, is an 11-story, 184,000 square-foot, multidisciplinary arts building for student and community events. The Logan Center is know for its 9th floor Performance Penthouse, ceiling-to-floor windowed rooms, overhead bridge, and hidden skylights. With different staircases on each floor, and open spaces mixed with secret spaces, Logan is a place to explore.

The Chicago Booth School of Business Charles M. Harper Center by Rafael Vinoly was designed with Wright's Robie House in mind. A modern version of Wright's prairie house style, Booth exhibits startling asymmetry and a six-story towering glass atrium. Booth features classrooms, offices, group workspaces, and two cafes. It is open to guests during the day on weekdays.

The Ratner Center by Cesar Pelli features an olympic-sized pool, a baseball court, a number of dance rooms and a design based on circularity and openness. This is best seen from the outside, looking towards the mast-like structure on the south of the building, or in the circular lobby at the very entrance. The lobby also features a hall of fame that houses various trophies and medals. An ID is required to enter the rest of the building.

Max Palevsky Residential Commons, one of the 12 residence halls on the UChicago campus, was designed by Richardo Legorreta, and named in honor of Max Palevsky, who founded Scientific Data Systems and wanted to improve residential life on campus. The Residential building features suites (4 students that share 2 bedrooms and 1.5 bathrooms), as well as many community areas. Its bright organge exterior with purple accents makes it hard to miss.

These Museums are affiliated with the University and located on campus grounds. Admission to each is free! Check their websites for special events.

• The Oriental Institute. This research organization and museum is devoted to the study of the ancient Near East. Founded in 1919 by James Henry Breasted, the Institute is an internationally recognized pioneer in the archaeology, philology, and history of early Near Eastern civilizations.
• The Renaissance Society. Chicago’s oldest contemporary art museum, the Renaissance Society maintains an international reputation as one of the finest resources for contemporary art. It also sponsors concerts, performances, film and video screenings, and talks by noted artists and critics.
• Smart Museum of Art. This museum features a collection that spans five millennia of fine art with strengths in European and American modern and contemporary works, East Asian art, and works on paper from all periods.

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.

• Rockefeller Memorial Chapel. This architectural masterpiece is a spectacular venue for concerts, theater, and lectures by internationally known speakers.
• The Court Theatre. This acclaimed professional theater features classical plays and musical theater productions.
• Logan Center for the Arts. The new multimedia arts building offers a number of spaces and resources for University affiliates, and programming for people of all ages and interests. One can visit the gallery for art by traveling, community, or University artists, catch a variety of musical and theatrical performances. The schedule is varied, so check the website. For students and faculty, the center offers a digital editing center, infinite screen, woodshop, black-box theatre, concert hall, and more.

DOC Films. This on-campus movie theater screens a wide variety of films, including independent and foreign films, classics, and recent box-office hits. The schedule is posted at the beginning of each quarter.

Known for its beautiful stained glass windows, Bond Chapel serves as a place of worship and venue for University of Chicago students, faculty, staff, and alumni/ae weddings, funerals, and other special events. Bond chapel is near the center of the main quads, see map. 

In the distant past, C-Bench was reserved for varsity athletes and their dates, but the bench is now welcome to all. If you stand in the center of the C-Bench facing the “1903” inscription, anything you say will be echoed back to you.

While the entire University campus is classified as a botanical garden, Botany Pond stands out. Aside from its beauty, Botany Pond is also celebrated for its biodiversity; ducks, fish, four different species of turtle, and the occasional tiff live together in the pond. There is a legend that if two students kiss on the bridge spanning Botany Pond, they are destined to marry each other. Each spring, students are frequently spotted, perched on the bridge with lips puckered.

• University Bookstore Cafe: Barnes and Noble, 58th and Ellis. Pick up coffee and a snack after you've gotten your books or UChicago gear. This blend of Starbucks and cafe is a treat.
• Au Bon Pain: Medical Center, 58th and Maryland. The classic French sandwich, soup, and dessert shop has two locations in the Medical Center, in Mitchell Lobby and Comer Children's Center.
• Everett Kolver Cafe: Booth Business School Harper Center 58th and Woodlawn. The Business School offers many food options from a drop-in corner store, to an a la carte fresh food cafe. Both are located on the first floor.
• Smart Museum Cafe: Smart Museum, 56th and Greenwood. Visit the Museum and get a refreshing drink, meal or pastry, catered by local restaurants.
• Einstein Bros. (C-Shop): Reynold's Club, 57th and University. This special Einstein Bros. serves the usual coffee and sandwiches as well as milkshakes (on Wednesdays). It is located next to Hutchinson Commons, the campus food court. Both C-Shop and Hutch are closed in the summer.
• Café Logan: Conveniently located with Logan Center for the Arts, this cafe serves gourmet sandwiches, cheeses, cultural cuisine, and specialty coffee to students and concert goers a like.
• Grounds of Being: Swift Hall Basement, Main Quadrangle. All prices here are rounded to the nearest quarter, so you never have to worry about extra tax or change. GoB features local foods as well as exotic snacks like Pocky or coconut water.

• Cobb Coffee Shop: Cobb Hall Basement, 5811 S Ellis Ave. With vinyl records, cheap coffee, student art, and food and drinks from local restaurants, Cobb is a welcoming workspace. Not open in the summer, or on weekends.
• Common Knowledge Cafe: Harper Library 3rd Floor, 5801 S Ellis Ave. Also known as Harper Cafe, this conveniently-located study spot serves food from local vendors and bakeries and offers a large selection of teas. TAs can often be found here, holding office hours. Not open in the summer.
• Hallowed Grounds: Reynolds 2nd Floor, 5706 S. University Ave. This large dark-wood space features multiple couches couches, pool tables, artwork, board games, and a variety of food and drinks. A microwave makes Hallowed Grounds a good place to buy or bring food. Open late during the school year.
• Ex Libris (ID Required): Regenstein library, 1st Floor, 1100 E 57th St. Ex Libris is a quiet study space in the Reg filled with shiny couches and modern chairs for lounging. It offers creative paninis, fruit, salad, sushi, a selection of teas, and the usual caffeinated beverages. Open during the summer.

• Jamba Juice: Ratner Athletics Center, Ellis and 55th St. Jamba Juice blends your choices of fruits and vegetables into smoothies. Great for after a workout or on a sunny day.
• Red Mango Yogurt & Smoothies: Bio Cafe, Biological Sciences Learning Center, 2nd floor, University and Drexel. Get your fill of frozen yogurt and hodgepodge toppings in the BSLC. The locatin also offers chilled meals and fresh, Chicago style hotdogs.
• Einstein Brothers: Reynold's Club, 5706 S University Ave. Bagels, lox, omelets, coffee, and special Wednesday $1 milkshakes! Get there early on Wednesdays because there is always a line.
• Qdoba Mexican Grill: Hutchinson Commons, 5706 S. University Ave. Opened Fall 2012, Qdoba is a fresh mexican grill, offering made-to-order burritos, tacos, and shell salads. Closed during the summer. 

• UchiNOMgo: UC's Food Truck Tracker: Don't know what you want to eat? Visit this Facebook page or Twitter to find out which food trucks are on campus today! Food trucks usually come around 10:30 or 11, and can often sell out by 12:30, so arrive early to get your picks! Most food trucks accept major credit cards, and all those that do picture the cards they accept at the order window. There are usually 6 or so different options, changing daily. Here are a just a FEW of the trucks that visit campus.
• Asian: Latitude20N, Get Curried Away, Bombay Wraps, Duck'n'Roll
• Roasts and Meats: The Roost Truck, Tamale Foodie, King Schnitzel, Two Italians, La Adelita, Three Js BBQ
• Sweets and Coffee: Sweet Ride, Beaver's Donuts and Coffee, Pecan and Charlie's