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Tours

1. West Campus Virtual Tour

   Explore the oldest parts of campus with our student tour guides.

   Stops

   1. Welcome to JMU - West Campus Tour

      Holland Yates Hall (formerly Madison Hall) is the home of JMU’s Office of Admissions. This is where you can learn more about the university during your time on campus.
      
      Holland Yates Hall was built as part of the original Rockingham Memorial Hospital, which JMU purchased in 2004 and renovated into the home of Admissions, the Center for Global Engagement, the Graduate School, the Offices of Access and Inclusion and the Madison Accelerator Laboratory. It is attached via a skybridge to the Student Success Center, which originally housed the main portion of the regional hospital.

       

      Today you can visit Holland Yates Hall to attend information sessions, speak to an admissions counselor, pick up admissions materials and see a few galleries and displays about life at JMU.

       

      If you have any questions about JMU or the application process, don’t hesitate to contact the Office of Admissions!

       

      Web: jmu.edu/admissions

      Email: admissions@jmu.edu

      Phone: 540-568-5681

   2. Duke Hall Tour Stop

      Duke Hall is the home of the School of Art, Design and Art History, which is part of the College of Visual and Performing Arts. The building was named in honor of Dr. Samuel Page Duke, the second president of James Madison University.

      
      

      More than 50 talented faculty and staff serve approximately 600 students majoring in art, design or art history. These majors include architectural design, art history, art education, studio art, graphic design and industrial design. The school’s programs are fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. The school has a strong commitment to general education and serves a broad population of the JMU student community in achieving an understanding of the significance of artistic expression in diverse cultures within a complex, contemporary global society. Every JMU student has the opportunity to explore the arts in their general education course selection.

      
      

      For more about the School of Art, Design and Art History, visit jmu.edu/artandarthistory

   3. Forbes Center for the Performing Arts Tour Stop

      The Forbes Center for the Performing Arts opened in 2010. This state-of-the-art building houses the School of Theatre and Dance and the School of Music - both are within the College of Visual and Performing Arts.

       

      The Forbes Center includes 175,000 square feet of classroom, performance, rehearsal, and office spaces. Inside are five acoustically excellent performance spaces:

      • Mainstage Theatre, seating 450

      • Concert Hall, seating 600

      • Recital Hall, seating 196

      • Studio Theatre, seating 200

      • Dance Theatre, seats 200

      The Forbes Center will captivate your spirit with its soaring floor-to-ceiling glass lobbies, comfortable seating and upgraded audience amenities. Park for free just steps away from the entrance and be seated in minutes, ready to enjoy extraordinary dance, theater and music performances by critically acclaimed guest artists and JMU's award-winning faculty members, students and alumni. Engage in pre- and post-show dialogues with visiting composers, choreographers, world-renowned guest artists and distinguished faculty and students.

       

      For more about the College of Visual and Performing Arts, visit jmu.edu/arts

   4. The Quad Tour Stop

      JMU’s Quad is the No. 1 most Instagrammed location in all of Virginia and is recognized by the National Register of Historic Places. The buildings around the Quad span the history of JMU, with some built at the founding of JMU in 1908 all the way through the Forbes Center, which was completed in 2010.

       

      The iconic James Madison University Quad looks very much as the designers—first president Julian Burruss and architect Charles Robinson—intended when they designed the campus for the State Normal and Industrial School for Women at Harrisonburg in 1908. An expanse of aesthetically pleasing lawn surrounded by symmetrically arranged buildings was meant to convey an atmosphere of dignified order, while the enclosed layout would promote the idea that young women enrolled in the Normal School would be protected from the influences of the outside world.

       

      The Greco-Roman details of the buildings represented democratic and scholarly ideals, and the blue limestone from which they were built was a testament to the school’s self-sufficiency and resourcefulness, as it was quarried directly from the building site. Once the Quad’s limestone was depleted, similar stone was imported for the construction of later buildings to maintain the school’s august congruency. The Quad was also designed to enable efficient travel between campus buildings.

       

      The Quad still serves all the purposes assigned to it throughout its history. Its carefully manicured lawns represent JMU’s respected reputation, its cobbled paths facilitate easy movement between campus buildings, and its grassy, open spaces offer a place for socializing and relaxing.

       

      It’s easy to see why this is a perfect spot to relax on a beautiful day, throw a snowball with friends, read a book, or take that final graduation photo.

   5. James Madison Statue Tour Stop

      The 2002 James Madison Day convocation brought big news to campus. JMU President Linwood H. Rose announced a presidential residency on campus in the form of a bronze statue of James Madison, the fourth president of the United States. During Madison Day, when the university lauded its best and brightest scholars and celebrated James Madison's 251st birthday, Rose said, "On this occasion we honor the man whose name this university bears." He announced that JMU would acquire a life-sized bronze statue of James Madison, created by South Dakota sculptors Lee Leuning and Sherri Treeby. The two also sculpted a George Washington statue that, along with another cast of Madison, are part of a City of Presidents exhibit located near Mount Rushmore in Rapid City, South Dakota.

       

      Since his installation in 2002, the statue, fondly known as Little Jimmy, has been a popular photo op spot, and generations of new JMU freshmen, alumni and graduates have all posed with him to commemorate special occasions. Maybe your first picture with Little Jimmy will also serve as a reminder of your beginnings at JMU!
      
      For more about James Madison, visit jmu.edu/civic/madison.shtml

   6. Carrier Library (Under Construction) Tour Stop

      Carrier Library is under construction! To learn more, visit https://www.lib.jmu.edu/renovation/carrier/
      
      The Carrier Library of 2026 and beyond will enable Dukes and community members to learn from the past and create new futures. Whether exploring well-preserved local history materials or designing a virtual reality landscape, students and researchers will benefit from the spaces and services made possible by this renovation and expansion.
      
      Carrier Library is named for Dr. Ronald E. Carrier, JMU’s fourth president, and his wife, Edith J. Carrier. The original building was constructed in 1940 and named Madison Memorial Library. The library was renamed in honor of the Carriers in 1984.
      
      Carrier Library is one of two main libraries on campus with the other, Rose Library, being on the east side of campus.

      
      Carrier Library contains over 2 million books to choose from as well as over 11,000 journal subscriptions, and various technology spaces, including a Makery and electronic Media Library that not only contains materials, but special equipment that students can rent, including cameras, digital recorders and computers. During the school year, the library is typically open until midnight.
      
      There are multiple types of study spaces available for students in both libraries with many being available for reservation that include large whiteboard walls and big screen monitors for group work.

   7. D-Hall Tour Stop

      D-Hall is one of the larger dining facilities on campus and contains one of the two all-you-care-to-eat locations on campus. On the first floor, you’ll also find a few chain restaurants such as Chick-fil-A, Steak’n Shake, Qdoba and Freshens. On the second floor, you will find the all-you-care-to-eat area. This space includes a salad bar, make-your-own stir fry, a pizza station, and many more culinary options that change each day. The third floor also contains a banquet space and the administrative offices for JMU Dining Services.

       

      The open space outside D-Hall is called Warner Commons, named in honor of Dr. Mark Warner, a longtime vice president for student affairs. On nice days, this hub is filled with students making their way through campus or stopping to meet friends. The tables around the edge are available for student organizations to reserve so they can recruit new members, fundraise, hand out flyers for events, or just have fun.

       

      Above Warner Commons sits Hillcrest House. This building was originally built in 1914 as the home of the president of the college, a role it served until 1978. It is now home to JMU’s Honors College. The Honors College offers students a number of unique benefits, including an enriched curriculum, faculty mentorship, research and scholarship opportunities, special-designed study abroad experiences, dedicated Honors housing, priority class enrollment, and more, including access to Hillcrest House. For more information about the Honors College, visit jmu.edu/honors.

   8. Bookstore Tour Stop

      The JMU Bookstore is the official source of JMU apparel and spirit wear, as well as a great place to purchase your textbooks, school supplies, and tech - such as laptops and computer peripherals. The 28,100-square-foot bookstore was built in 2002, and replaced the previous location in the Union, multiplying available space for materials more than three times over.

      
      

      For more information about the bookstore and hours, visit jmu.edu/bookstore

      
      

      Next to the Bookstore, you’ll find the Godwin Transit Station. This is the hub for access to our amazing bus transportation system that can get you around campus quickly and even take you off campus to locations around Harrisonburg. On a rainy day, students can hop on a bus at many stops across campus to get to class. And if you’re looking for a way to get to the mall or another store in Harrisonburg, the HDPT also provides free transportation to students around the city as well.

   9. Bridgeforth Stadium Tour Stop

      Bridgeforth Stadium was built in 1975. It was initially named Madison Stadium, JMU Stadium, then finally Bridgeforth Stadium in honor of William E. Bridgeforth, former Board of Visitors Rector in 1990.

       

      In 2003, the field was named in honor of Zane Showker, former Board of Visitors member. The original stadium seated 5,200 fans. After the latest renovation in 2011, the seating capacity was raised to 24,877, with a record total attendance of 26,069 set in October of 2015 in a game against the University of Richmond.

       

      JMU students bleed purple and gold because school spirit is a big deal here. There are plenty more Division-1 sports for students to participate in or cheer on. For more information about JMU Athletics, visit jmusports.com.

   10. Hartman Hall Tour Stop

       Hartman Hall opened in fall 2020 and shortly thereafter, Zane Showker Hall completed renovations in summer 2021. The two buildings connect to form The College of Business Learning Complex. 

        

       The College of Business offers eight academic majors, six minors and two graduate programs. These majors are some of JMU’s most popular. Incoming students to JMU are not admitted to the Bachelor of Business Administration degree programs immediately. Instead, students take a B.B.A. Core of nine classes and meet the formal admissions criteria, which includes a minimum 2.7 GPA. Students will then be formally admitted to their major and allowed to enroll in the upper-level B.B.A. core, COB 300, a 12-credit-hour course which integrates finance, management, marketing and operations. This course program challenges students to produce a viable business plan. COB students receive many opportunities for hands-on learning, and graduates of the College of Business are employed around the world.

        

       For more information about the College of Business, visit jmu.edu/cob

   11. The Village Tour Stop

       The Village is one of five residential areas on campus that house both freshmen and upperclassmen. The other four are called Bluestone, Lakeside, Hillside and Skyline. All halls are co-educational by either floor or by wing.

       
       

       The Village houses around 40% of JMU freshmen. The residence halls in this area are all suite style. This means three bedrooms are connected by a living space in the middle, or “common room.” Outside the common room, there is a bathroom that is shared by everyone in two adjoining suites.

       
       

       Other residence hall styles on campus include:

       • Traditional hall style with double rooms along a hallway, and 20-24 hallmates sharing one large restroom.

       • Jack-and-Jill style with two double rooms on a hallway sharing a bathroom in between

       To learn more about the residence halls and to see floor plans and 3D tours of JMU’s residence halls, visit jmu.edu/orl.

   12. The Union Tour Stop

       The Union at James Madison contains the buildings previously known as Warren Hall, Taylor Hall and the Grafton-Stovall Theater.

        

       Warren Hall opened in 1971 as the Campus Center, where it housed a bank, offices and meeting rooms, student activities, the post office, a snack bar, bookstore and a ballroom. Taylor Hall was completed in 1993 to expand the Campus Center and included more meeting rooms and conference facilities. Grafton-Stovall Theatre was built in 1979 to provide an on-campus movie and lecture hall.

        

       While The Union encompasses multiple buildings across campus, this building is the center of all administrative functions, and a hub for most student activities throughout campus. Meetings, recruitment drives, conferences and student offices are a major function of the building. It also is home to Taylor Down Under, or TDU, which is a multi-use space for students. It includes a stage for small performances, pool tables and other recreation opportunities. Students also love the amount of comfy furniture found throughout the space for taking a break between classes.

        

       The Union still houses the University Post Office, where all on-campus students can get their mail. You’ll also find a branch of Commonwealth One Federal Credit Union, a ballroom and office space for student organizations.

   13. Health and Behavioral Studies Tour Stop

       Built in 2016, the Health and Behavioral Studies (HBS) Building is the hub for students enrolled in health-related courses. This space includes 13 research laboratories; 17 classrooms; 19 teaching laboratories; two large lecture halls; a speech, language, hearing clinic; a food production laboratory; and a patient simulation laboratory.

       
       

       The College of Health and Behavioral Studies encourages the exploration of our personal, social and institutional wellbeing, recognizing how urgently the scholarship of today must inform the practices of tomorrow. Programs in CHBS include Communication Sciences and Disorders, Dietetics, Health Sciences, Health Services Administration, Kinesiology, Nursing, Psychology and Social Work.

       
       

       For more information about the College of Health and Behavioral Studies, visit chbs.jmu.edu.

   14. Student Success Center Tour Stop

       The Student Success Center was originally Rockingham Memorial Hospital before JMU purchased the building in 2004, and subsequently renovated it for use by numerous offices on campus. The local hospital moved to a new location on Port Republic Road, not far from campus.

        

       The five-story building houses many different offices dedicated to student success including:

       • University Health Center

       • Counseling Center

       • Center for Multicultural Student Services

       • Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE)

       • Office of Disability Services

       • Learning Centers

       • Center for Entrepreneurship

       • University Career Center

       • Financial Aid and Scholarships

       • Office of the Registrar

       In addition to all of these student services, SSC also houses numerous study areas, including private rooms that can be booked for groups. There are also a few  dining options (including Dunkin’ Donuts) and computers and printers for student use.

        

       SSC is one of our most popular student spaces on campus. During a typical weekday, the first two floors are buzzing with students taking a break with friends, grabbing coffee, or studying for an upcoming exam. It is a great location for groups to meet, organizations to have impromptu meetings, or just to spend a few hours with friends.