Indiana University Bloomington Campus Tour
Architecture, history & things to do near Indiana University Bloomington (IU)
Why Walk Indiana University Bloomington Campus
Indiana University's Bloomington campus is consistently ranked among the most beautiful in the country, with Indiana limestone buildings set among 2,000 acres of mature hardwood forest. The Sample Gates, wrought-iron gates at the intersection of Indiana Avenue and Kirkwood, mark the campus's main entrance. The Indiana Memorial Union, one of the largest student union buildings in the world, anchors the central campus. The Jacobs School of Music, housed in the Musical Arts Center (a 1,460-seat opera house), is among the top music schools in the world. Dunn's Woods, a 20-acre old-growth forest, sits in the middle of campus. The Eskenazi Museum of Art, designed by I.M. Pei, reopened in 2019 after renovation.
About Indiana University Bloomington
Founded
1820
Type
Public flagship research university (the flagship campus of the Indiana University system)
Setting
College town of Bloomington, Indiana, about 50 miles south of Indianapolis. The 1,900+ acre campus is known for buildings made of locally quarried Indiana limestone and the wooded Dunn's Woods at its historic core.
Enrollment
Approximately 47,000 students (roughly 36,000 undergraduate and 11,000 graduate/professional), making it the largest campus in the IU system.
Mascot
No official mascot. IU is well known for having no live or costumed mascot; the teams are simply the Hoosiers.
Free Indiana University Bloomington Campus Tour with Roamee Pro
Roamee Pro offers a free Indiana University Bloomington campus tour with audio narration. Explore Sample Gates, Musical Arts Center, Eskenazi Museum of Art, plus hidden spots like Dunn's Woods and Beck Chapel, at your own pace without booking a group tour.
explore by interest
Must-See Spots at Indiana University Bloomington
- •Sample Gates — the iconic wrought-iron entrance gates on Kirkwood Avenue, the symbol of IU Bloomington
- •Musical Arts Center — a 1,460-seat opera house and home to the Jacobs School of Music, one of the world's premier music conservatories
- •Eskenazi Museum of Art — I.M. Pei's angular 1982 building housing an encyclopedic art collection, renovated and reopened in 2019
- •Indiana Memorial Union — one of the largest student unions in the world with a hotel, bowling alley, and multiple dining venues
Signature Architecture
- •Sample Gates — Limestone gateway at the Kirkwood Avenue entrance to Dunn's Woods, completed in 1987 and funded by Edson Sample in honor of his parents; the most photographed spot on campus.
- •Indiana Memorial Union (IMU) — Opened 1932; one of the largest student unions in the world, containing the Tudor Room and a hotel, with Dunn Meadow adjacent.
- •Showalter Fountain — Bronze fountain at the center of the Fine Arts Plaza, installed 1961, depicting the 'Birth of Venus'; the five splashing fish have long been a target of pranks.
- •Wells Library (Herman B Wells Library) — Brutalist concrete library opened 1969, named for longtime IU president Herman B Wells; one of the largest academic libraries in the U.S.
- •Eskenazi Museum of Art — Designed by I.M. Pei, opened 1982; angular geometric building housing a collection of about 45,000 objects, free to the public.
Hidden Corners of Indiana University Bloomington
- •Dunn's Woods — a 20-acre old-growth forest in the center of campus with walking paths and towering tulip poplars and oaks
- •Beck Chapel — a tiny 1956 limestone chapel tucked into the woods, seating just 80, one of the most intimate spaces on any campus
Notable Alumni
- •Hoagy Carmichael, songwriter ('Stardust'), who studied law at IU
- •Mark Cuban, entrepreneur and former Dallas Mavericks owner
- •Ernie Pyle, Pulitzer Prize-winning WWII correspondent (the journalism building is named for him)
- •Jane Pauley, broadcast journalist
- •Joshua Bell, violinist and Jacobs School of Music graduate
- •Kevin Kline, Academy Award-winning actor
Campus Traditions
- •Little 500, a bicycle race held each April since 1951, the inspiration for the 1979 film 'Breaking Away'
- •Sample Gates graduation lore, where students avoid walking through the gates until graduation
- •Hoosier Hysteria and basketball at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, home of five NCAA men's titles
- •Homecoming and Singing Hoosiers performances
Where to Eat Near Campus
- •Nick's English Hut on Kirkwood Avenue, open since 1927 and home of the 'Sink the Biz' game
- •The Trojan Horse on Kirkwood for Greek food
- •Mother Bear's Pizza, a longtime Bloomington pizza institution
- •Fourth Street ethnic restaurant row, with Tibetan, Turkish, Thai, and Indian options within a short walk of campus
- •Dining halls and food courts inside the Indiana Memorial Union
Did you know? Alfred Kinsey, the pioneering sex researcher, was an IU biology professor; the university still houses the Kinsey Institute, founded in 1947, with one of the largest collections of materials on human sexuality in the world.
Visiting Indiana University Bloomington
The Office of Admissions runs official campus visits from the Visitor Information Center; prospective students can register online for guided walking tours and information sessions. Self-guided tour maps are available online and the campus is open to walk. Visitor parking is available in the IMU parking garage and metered lots. Confirm parking and tour times via admissions.indiana.edu before arriving.
Walking Tip
The campus is hilly and wooded — paths wind through forests between buildings. Enter through the Sample Gates, walk through Dunn's Woods, and continue to the Musical Arts Center. Kirkwood Avenue has restaurants and shops.
Best Time to Visit
Fall (October) for spectacular hardwood foliage among the limestone buildings. Spring for dogwoods and redbuds. The Jacobs School stages operas during the academic year — check the performance schedule.
Start Your Indiana University Bloomington Campus Tour
Get a campus route with narrated stories —
personalized to your interests, ready in seconds
Your personal guide in 5 seconds