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Tours

1. Walk, Drive and Fly Tours

   • Campus Walking Tour

     Explore some key locations at NIU with our virtual campus walking tour. If you walk this route in person, plan to allow at least 1 to 1.5 hours.

     Stops

     1. Williston Hall

        This is where it all begins! Stop in this building to speak with a counselor in Undergraduate Admissions or the Transfer Center, visit the Graduate School, stop by Registration & Records or drop off transcripts. The Study Abroad and Educator Licensure and Preparation offices are also located here.

        Fun Fact - The mailboxes in Williston Hall at NIU appeared on the popular Instagram account @AccidentallyWesAnderson

     2. Swen Parson Hall

        Investing in a NIU education starts and ends at Swen Parson: it contains the Financial Aid Office, the Scholarship Office, the Student Employment Office, and the Bursar’s Office. It also houses the NIU College of Law.

     3. Altgeld Hall

        Dating back to when NIU first opened its doors in 1899, Altgeld Hall is the oldest building on campus. Altgeld contains a variety of offices including the President’s Office, as well as NIU Esports and one of NIU’s several art museums.

     4. Jack Arends Visual Arts Building

        Built in the space once occupied by NIU’s original football field, the Jack Arends Visual Arts Building contains School of Art and Design, Jack Olson Gallery, Gallery 214, and multiple studios for students to practice their craft. 

     5. Gilbert Hall

        Gilbert Hall maintains its traditional charm, but features modern amenities that students desire. Reserved for upper-classmen, Gilbert offers an all-you-care-to-eat dining hall and a fitness center.

     6. Wirtz Hall

        Centrally located on campus, Wirtz Hall is home to the College of Health and Human Sciences. The college boasts a wide variety of programs, and a competitive School of Nursing and Health Studies. 

         

     7. Anderson Hall

        Home to the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education (KNPE), Anderson Hall contains: a swimming pool, gyms, physical education labs, dance studios, classrooms, and outdoor tennis courts.

     8. Engineering Building

        From large industrial labs to a newly updated micro-electronics lab, the Engineering Building is home to many spaces where students in the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology can merge theory with practice. At the Engineering Building, we offer accredited programs in electrical engineering, industrial and systems engineering and mechanical engineering, as well as two new programs in biomedical engineering and mechatronics engineering. Just down the road at Still Gym is where the Engineering Technology classes and labs are housed. Students choose from the following ET emphases: industrial management and technology, manufacturing engineering technology, electrical engineering technology, or energy and environmental technology

     9. Barsema Hall

        Barsema Hall sets the standard for the learning environment of the 21st century offering a place for College of Business students to learn, study, meet or just relax.

     10. Latino Resource Center

         Several different courses are taught in the Latino Resource Center, which promotes the study of and appreciation for Latino culture.

     11. Peters Campus Life Building

         Peters Campus Life Building is where Huskies go if they want to visit the Academic Advising Center, University Honors Program, the CHANCE program, Center for Student Assistance, the Northern Star newspaper office, Counseling and Consultation Services or Career Services.

     12. Health Services/Police Department

         Where students can go for immunizations, check-ups, or other medical concerns. The Health Services building also contains a pharmacy and NIU Police and Public Safety provides service and protection to the campus community. 

          

     13. Asian American Resource Center

         The Asian American Resource Center, which can be accessed from the south entrance of the Health Services Building, provides a peer mentoring program and a “home away from home” for Asian American students and those interested in Asian culture.

     14. Holmes Student Center / MLK Commons

         This expansive 16-story structure holds the university bookstore, the Hotel at Holmes, various dining facilities and meeting spaces, and Ellington’s, a student-run restaurant experience. You’ll also find Orientation and First Year Programs.

     15. Neptune Hall

         NIU’s most centrally located residence hall, Neptune consists of three different residential areas, two dining facilities, and a cozy fireplace lounge.

     16. Residence Halls (west campus)

         If you're up for a little extra walking, take a stroll toward our residence halls on the west side of campus. New Hall features a cluster living lifestyle for groups of 12 students, a food court, a recreation area, and a gaming center. Grant and Stevenson Towers, and Northern View apartments provide additional housing options for over 3,500 NIU students who live in our residence halls each year. 

     17. Recreation Center

         The Rec Center offers students and staff an indoor track, weight and cardio machines, basketball and volleyball courts, tennis courts, and other activity spaces. Directly across the street is Evans Field House, which provides additional recreation facilities including: four multipurpose courts for basketball, volleyball, indoor soccer, and floor hockey; a jogging and walking track; and a cardio and strength training room. 

          

     18. Barsema Alumni Visitor Center

         Barsema Alumni Visitor Center (BAVC) is the starting point for many of our on campus tours and serves as the home to our NIU Alumni Association. Beyond the BAVC to the west is Huskie Stadium and a variety of other NIU athletics facilities.

     19. Graham & Gabel Halls

         These connected buildings are home to the College of Education, as well as dance studios, a swimming pool, and part of the Campus Child Care center.

          

     20. Liberal Arts academic buildings

         One of the tallest buildings on campus, Zulauf contains the main offices for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences—NIU’s largest college. Nearby DuSable, Reavis, Watson, Stevens and Cole Halls house classrooms and additional offices for College of Liberal Arts and Sciences programs. Cole Hall is also home to the Pick Museum of Anthropology.

          

     21. Stevens Building

         Recently renovated and reopened, the Stevens Building is home again to the School of Theatre and Dance and the Department of Anthropology. The building offers new performance and classroom spaces for Theatre and Dance, including Black Box Theater and Movement Lab. The Anthropology wing houses classrooms and labs for four sub-fields of study - archaeology, cultural, linguistic and physical anthropology.

     22. Founders Memorial Library

         Open late when school is in session, NIU’s main campus library holds about two million volumes, countless study areas, a computer lab, a coffee shop, and several internet stations. It also contains the University Archives and various specialized collections.

     23. Center for Black Studies

         This interdisciplinary unit offers credit courses, a minor in Black Studies, and various programming, event planning, and research opportunities for NIU students.

          

     24. Gender & Sexuality Resource Center (Arndt House)

         Supporting and empowering students, offering inclusive programs, and welcoming all students into its relaxing study areas—this is done at the Gender & Sexuality Resource Center.

     25. Davis/Faraday/LaTourette Halls

         Davis Hall is home to the Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences, the Department of Geography and Geographic and Atmospheric Sciences and the Davis Hall Observatory. Faraday Hall and LaTourette Hall houses the Departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Physics.