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Tours

1. East Campus Virtual Tour

   Take a walk around the east side of campus.

   Stops

   1. Welcome to JMU - East Campus Tour

      Welcome to the east side of JMU’s campus! It’s all one campus, but we call this part East Campus because it’s on the eastern side of Interstate-81. Students often travel back and forth using the bridge in front of King Hall or the tunnel near UREC. For reference, it takes 15-20 minutes to walk from the Quad to this area of campus.

      
      

      As JMU grew, the campus expanded to the other side of the interstate in 1997 with the completion of King Hall, formerly known as the ISAT-CS Building. More buildings now surround King Hall, including new residence halls, dining facilities, athletic facilities and a second main library. Our Student Ambassadors are here to show you around those spaces.

      
      

      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. Rose Library Tour Stop

      Rose Library was constructed in 2008 and is one of two main libraries on JMU’s campus, housing materials for the sciences, technology, engineering, math, health and business. Rose Library is also home to a makery, the Center for Faculty Innovation, the Accessible Technology Lab, individual and group study spaces, and a computer lab with printers. This is yet another great place to study between classes or at the end of the day. Rose even has a 24-hour study lounge that is accessible with the swipe of your JAC Card. And if you need a coffee break, Starbucks is here on the first floor!

   3. Bioscience Building Tour Stop

      The Bioscience Building was built in 2012, and houses the biology department. Utilizing glass throughout the building as a way to illustrate the building’s theme, “Biology on Display,” the Bioscience Building features a three-story DNA mural and houses a greenhouse, an herbarium, a light microscopy facility, and the JMU Center for Genome and Metagenome Studies. As a primarily undergraduate institution, we’re proud to have these incredible resources accessible to STEM majors as they develop their knowledge and skills.

      
      

      Here at JMU, 98% of our classes are taught by professors, most of whom hold terminal degrees in their respective fields. Our professors are also very accessible for students – every professor holds office hours, and many work with students to conduct scholarly research in their fields of study.

   4. King Hall Tour Stop

      To celebrate JMU’s Centennial in 2008, Bruce and Lois (‘64) Forbes donated this larger-than-life statue of James Madison to the university. This statue was also created by artist Lee Leuning, who worked on the life-size statue of Jimmy near the Quad. You’ll notice this is a popular photo spot on campus with stunning views of the sunset every evening.

      
      

      Behind ‘Big Jimmy’ is King Hall, which is connected to the Engineering/Geosciences Building, as well as the Physics and Chemistry Building. Together, these three buildings form the longest academic building on the east coast. Inside these buildings, students from a wide variety of STEM majors attend classes and labs, meet with professors and advisors, and find time to hang out or study with friends in between.

      
      

      For more information about the College of Integrated Science and Engineering, visit jmu.edu/cise

      
      

      For more information about the College of Science and Mathematics, visit jmu.edu/csm

   5. University Recreation Center (UREC) Tour Stop

      The University Recreation Center, better known on campus as UREC, was built in the mid-1990s. A major renovation and addition to the facility was later completed in 2016.

      
      

      Clocking in at nearly 280,000 square feet, UREC is home to an adventure center, complete with climbing and bouldering walls; a fitness center dedicated to strength training, cardio workouts, and group exercise; an aquatics center with multiple pools, a sauna, and a wet/dry classroom; and the wellness center, which is home to a demonstration kitchen, multiple classroom and educational spaces, and even a meditation room.

      
      

      In addition to the main facility, UREC oversees guided outdoor adventure opportunities for students, providing options for hiking, paddleboarding, skiing, snowboarding and more. Most services and rentals are free for students, including group exercise classes and sports equipment. 

      
      

      If you’re looking for a way to play a sport or join a team, UREC also organizes JMU’s intramural and club sports programs. Intramural sports are open to all students and teams compete against other JMU students. Sport clubs compete with teams from other universities. Clubs often have dedicated practice times, seasons and dues. More than 2,000 JMU students participate in sport clubs each year.

      
      

      To learn more about everything UREC has to offer students, visit jmu.edu/urec

   6. Festival Lawn Tour Stop

      The Festival Student and Conference Center is a multipurpose facility that houses ballrooms, conference and meeting spaces, the Festival Food Court, lounges to study or relax in, and two museums: the Lisanby Museum, which displays art and cultural items from the Madison Art Collection, and the Mineral Museum.

      
      

      Outside Festival and across the lawn, the Spirit Rock is a community project overseen by the Madison Society, a group dedicated to upholding treasured JMU traditions. A favorite tradition is painting the Spirit Rock to advertise student clubs and orgs, cheer on our student-athletes, or just show off some school spirit.

      
      

      JMU is also home to more than 450 clubs and organizations, including everything from Greek life to pre-professional organizations to hobby and special-interest clubs. No matter what type of extracurricular activities you’re interested in discovering, JMU has something for you.

      
      

      To learn more about JMU clubs and organizations, visit jmu.edu/student-life/clubs-organizations.shtml

   7. Skyline Residence Halls Tour Stop

      The Skyline neighborhood is one of five main residential areas that house both freshmen and upperclassmen. The Skyline neighborhood is hall-style, which is the traditional style that probably comes to mind when you think of a college dorm: double rooms along a hallway with a shared hall bathroom. Another common style is found in The Village, which offers a suite-style arrangement: three double bedrooms off a common living room, and a bathroom shared with another suite. In addition to these two styles, you may find that some of our Bluestone residence halls, located on and near the Quad, are Jack-and-Jill style, which means two double bedrooms share a bathroom between them. All JMU residence halls are co-educational by either wing or floor.

      
      

      Within the residence halls, JMU offers a number of  Residential Learning Communities. Students in the Residential Learning Communities live in and take classes with small groups with other students who share common interests. Some of our Residential Learning Communities are geared toward students interested in the arts, STEM, teaching, leadership, and honors, but there are others that may also interest you!

      
      

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

   8. E-Hall Tour Stop

      One of two all-you-care-to-eat dining halls on campus, East Campus Dining Hall, better known as E-Hall, is a popular brunch, lunch and dinner spot here at JMU. Ask any student if they prefer E-Hall or D-Hall for brunch – you’ll get a glimpse into a friendly campus rivalry between the two.

      
      

      Both E-Hall and D-Hall offer some favorite JMU traditions, from peanut butter pie Wednesdays to buffalo mash Fridays, and cheesy or chicken nugget Thursdays, depending on which dining hall you go to.

      
      

      JMU is home to 25 dining halls, and we’ve ranked in the top 15 for campus dining nationally for the past several decades. If you don’t have time to sit down, JMU also has grab-and-go options for times when students need a quick bite to eat, as well as a variety of national chains, such as Panera, Chick-fil-A, Starbucks, and more.

      
      

      Check out all of our dining locations at jmu.campusdish.com/LocationsAndMenus

   9. Edith J. Carrier Arboretum

      A peaceful oasis on campus is the Edith Johnson Carrier Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, named in honor of the former first lady of JMU, is the only active, publicly-oriented arboretum on a Virginia state-supported university campus. This woodland sanctuary is a great place to contemplate the beauty of nature, enjoy a quiet walk, or soak up some sun while studying. The 125 acres of public urban garden and forested greenspace serve to preserve native plant species, provide research opportunities and promote knowledge of the botanical and natural world for people of all ages through various activities and events.
      
      Learn more about the Edith J. Carrier Arboretum: https://www.jmu.edu/arboretum/index.shtml

   10. Atlantic Union Bank Center Tour Stop

       The Atlantic Union Bank Center opened in November 2020 as the sparkling new home of the JMU men’s and women’s basketball programs, while also opening the door to a multitude of other events to benefit the campus and the local community. Students come to this 8,500-seat arena to cheer on their Dukes and also pack the house for concerts and shows, brought to campus by the University Program Board.

       
       

       One of JMU’s most treasured traditions is throwing purple and gold streamers when our football team scores a touchdown, but this tradition actually started with our men’s basketball games, when fans would throw rolls of toilet paper to celebrate the Dukes scoring their first basket! 

       
       

       School spirit is a big deal at JMU - which is why every Friday is Purple Friday. You can’t have too much purple in your wardrobe!