its own police force, food service, hospital, recreation facilities, botanical gardens, public artworks, power facilities, and an on-campus dairy plant. Bascom Hall[edit] Bascom Hall atop Basco

its own police force, food service, hospital, recreation facilities, botanical gardens, public artworks, power facilities, and an on-campus dairy plant. Bascom Hall[edit] Bascom Hall atop Basco

g...

g that housed the College of Agriculture was originally created in 1889 and was centered in South Hall on Bascom Hill until the fall of 1903 when the first classes were held in the brand new College of Agriculture and Life Sciences building, where it has remained since.[76] "The college has evolved and grown over the decades to reflect changes in the fabric of society and in the areas of knowledge that it studies. Practical studies related to crop and livestock production and farm life gradually delved deeper as scientists strove to understand the underlying biological processes. Today the college generates new knowledge about agriculture, natural resources management and protection, human health and nutrition, community development and related topics. Faculty and staff in 19 academic departments and a number of interdisciplinary programs carry out these lines of study.[75] "
Letters & Science Honors Program[edit]
The L&S Honors Program serves over 1300 students in the College of Letters and Science (the UW–Madison's liberal arts college) with an enriched undergraduate curriculum. In addition to its curriculum, the program offers professional advising services; research opportunities and funding; and numerous academic, social and service opportunities through the Honors Student Organization. The Honors Program also supports several student organizations, such as the University of Wisconsin–Madison Forensics Team.
Campus[edit]



North Hall, the first building on campus
Located in Madison, about a mile from the state capitol, the university is situated partially on an isthmus between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona. The main campus comprises 933 acres (378 ha) of land, while the entire campus, including research stations located throughout the state, is over 10,600 acres (4,290 ha) in area. The University of Wisconsin–Madison Arboretum, a demonstration area for native ecosystems, is located on the west side of Madison. The main campus includes many buildings designed or supervised by architects J.T.W. Jennings and Arthur Peabody. The hub of campus life is the Memorial Union.
The UW–Madison has its own police force, food service, hospital, recreation facilities, botanical gardens, public artworks, power facilities, and an on-campus dairy plant.
Bascom Hall[edit]


Bascom Hall atop Bascom Hill at the heart of the campus
As one of the icons on campus, Bascom Hall,[77] at the top of Bascom Hill, is often considered the "heart of the campus." Built in 1857, a decorative dome that once sat atop the structure was destroyed by fire. The structure has been added to several times over the years. The building currently houses the office of the chancellor and vice chancellors. Bascom Hall is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing building within the Bascom Hill Historic District.[78]
Music Hall[edit]


Music Hall
This Victorian Gothic building, built in 1878 and initially named Assembly Hall, was designed to house an 800-seat auditorium, a library, and a clock tower. Dedicated on March 2, 1880, the building originally held conventions, dances, and commencement ceremonies, along with its primary purpose of a library. After the library moved to a different building on campus, a portion of the hall was assigned to the School of Music in 1900. Shortly after renovations in the early 1900s, the building was officially named Music Hall in 1910. It remains an important music venue and is home to the university opera.[79] This building also is home to the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, with part of the building being used as office space and classrooms.
George L. Mosse Humanities Building[edit]
The George L. Mosse Humanities Building, located on Library Mall, was built in the late 1960s in the Brutalist style. Campus myth has it that the building (with its poor ventilation, narrow windows, inclined base, and cantilevered upper floors) was designed to be "riot-proof" in that it was inescapable by protestors and easily penetratable by a SWAT

Grainger Hall[edit] Grainger Business Hall and Conference center Home of the Wisconsin School of Business, Grainger Hall was built in 1993. In 2008 it underwent a major renovation and addition to assist the 12 MBA specialization programs that were housed there.[84] The addition occupies the cor

Grainger Hall[edit] Grainger Business Hall and Conference center Home of the Wisconsin School of Business, Grainger Hall was built in 1993. In 2008 it underwent a major renovation and addition to assist the 12 MBA specialization programs that were housed there.[84] The addition occupies the cor

 Team.[citation...

 Team.[citation needed] Its seven floors house the History, Art, and Music departments. The most recent Campus Master Plan calls for it to be demolished and replaced with two other buildings.
Van Hise Hall[edit]


Van Hise Hall seen from Linden street
Van Hise Hall is home to most of the languages departments of the university[80] and the upper floors house the offices of the University of Wisconsin System's president and its Board of Regents. The building is often humorously touted by campus tour guides as the birthplace of the Elven language spoken in the Lord of the Rings film trilogy.[81]
At 241 feet and 19 stories, Van Hise is the second-tallest building in Madison (after the State Capitol) and one of the tallest educational buildings in the world.[82] Because of its placement atop Bascom Hill it towers over the State Capitol as the building with the highest elevation in the city. Van Hise Hall was constructed in 1967 and its destruction is slated for sometime around 2025 as part of the university's campus master plan.[83]
Grainger Hall[edit]


Grainger Business Hall and Conference center
Home of the Wisconsin School of Business, Grainger Hall was built in 1993. In 2008 it underwent a major renovation and addition to assist the 12 MBA specialization programs that were housed there.[84] The addition occupies the corner of Park Street and University Avenue, projecting the school’s crest outward in a location that once housed a bank.[85]
Grainger Hall also houses an array of student-run organizations, both undergraduate and graduate. There are major-specific organizations as well as organizations that welcome all students. Several of the clubs are Madison chapters of nationwide organizations, others are honor societies that require a minimum grade point average, while some exist simply to network with other students.
The Wisconsin Union[edit]


The Memorial Union as seen from the Library Mall on the UW–Madison campus
The University of Wisconsin–Madison has two student unions. The older, Memorial Union, was built in 1928 to honor American World War I veterans. Also known as the Union or the Terrace, it has gained a reputation as one of the most beautiful student centers on a university campus. Located on the shore of Lake Mendota, it is a popular spot for socializing among both students and the public, who enjoy gazing at the lake and its sailboats. The union is known for the Rathskeller, a German pub adjacent to the lake terrace. Political debates and backgammon and sheepshead games over a beer on the terrace are common among students. The Rathskeller serves "Rathskeller Ale", a beer brewed expressly for the Terrace. Memorial Union was the first union at a public university to serve beer.[86]


Hoofer Badger Sloops on Lake Mendota behind Memorial Union
Memorial Union is home to many arts venues, including several art galleries, a movie theater, the Wisconsin Union Theater, and the Craftshop, which provides courses and facilities for arts and crafts activities. Students and Madison community members ali