With its libraries, fountain and a campus routinely described as one of America’s most beautiful, the University of Washington is an urban oasis. Tour this 1861 institution, set on 634 acres (257 hectares) a few miles north of downtown Seattle.
The University of Washington is one of the West Coast’s oldest public universities. Today, it supports cutting-edge research and hosts an annual undergraduate research symposium, where more than 1,000 students showcase their work in front of the community. The UW, U-Dub as it’s affectionately known, includes numerous schools ranging from computer science to business to medicine. Learn about nearly 1,000 student organizations on campus, including roughly 70 sororities and fraternities.
Highlights of the University of Washington campus include the Suzzallo Library in Collegiate Gothic style. As you climb the Grand Staircase, notice the travertine treads trod by thousands of students. Check out the Bhutan Book, one of the world’s largest, protected by light-safe glass in the Grand Stair Hall.
Visit the Suzzallo Reading Room, a gorgeous, gilded room lined with oak bookcases and hand-carved friezes depicting natural plants of Washington. Look for the hand-painted world globes at each end of the reading room, inscribed with names of world explorers.
Sports fans enjoy visiting the University of Washington’s Husky Stadium, regularly voted one of the most scenic football stadiums in the nation. While here, explore the Husky Union Building, a gathering space for students, spread across six floors.
Walk through the Liberal Arts Quadrangle, a main campus gathering space. During a spring visit you’ll find Japanese flowering cherry trees. Include other top spots of Drumheller Fountain for its spectacular Mount Rainier view and the two Bronze Ws, popular campus photo stops. Snap more photos and appreciate the academic ambiance of the beautiful campus on Red Square, surrounded by Meany Hall Center for the Performing Arts, the Odegaard and Suzzallo libraries, the Henry Art Gallery and Kane Hall.
If you’re a prospective student or general visitor, register online for a tour of the University of Washington. Drive about 4 miles (6 kilometers) north of downtown Seattle to get here.
