With 18 academic colleges and more than 300 degree courses, the University of Missouri is the crowning jewel of the state’s education system. Founded in the mid 19th century, the academic institute is today the largest university in Missouri, with more than 30,000 students. Stroll through the pleasant gardens of this airy campus, as you visit its historic buildings.
Embark on a walking tour of the university with an undergraduate student guide. Make your way through the historic Red Campus section of the university for its impressive brick buildings. Gaze up at the Francis Quadrangle, which comprises six tall pillars marking the center of the Red Campus. Relax on one of the many benches adorning the adjacent lawn.
Behind the columns stands the imposing 19th-century Jesse Hall, with its large dome that rises high from the building that supports it. Attend a concert in the auditorium, which seats 1,732 people. See the nearby redbrick Switzler Hall, the oldest educational building on campus, dating back to 1871. The Red Campus district has a total of 18 buildings.
For a change of scene, head to the neo-Gothic limestone structures of the White Campus. Gaze up at the impressive tower of the Memorial Union, built as a tribute to the fallen in World War I.
Get a sense of daily life at the Student Center and wander through the Mizzou Student Recreation Complex. The campus also doubles as a botanical garden, with colorful flowers and intriguing plants dotted around it.
Learn about some of the fascinating features and historic moments of the university, which set up one of the world’s first journalism schools in 1908. It also has one of the most powerful university research reactors in the world. The university is known by locals as Mizzou.
The University of Missouri is in Columbia in the heart of Missouri. Drive to Parking and Transportation Services for a permit. While in the area, visit other attractions, including the Grindstone Nature Area, the A.L. Gustin Golf Course and Stephens Lake Park.