5-Stop Walking Tour
Minerva - Embodying the Strong Foundation of a UAlbany-SUNY Education
Walk through the light, spacious atrium of UAlbany’s beautiful Science Library and meet Minerva, goddess of wisdom and enduring symbol of the University at Albany-SUNY. This seven-foot-tall statue has resided at the University since the late 1880s, and symbolizes the strong foundation of knowledge offered by the University. At first in UAlbany’s Willett Street building when UAlbany was known as the New York State Normal College, the beloved Minerva was rescued by a school janitor from a fire that destroyed the structure. It was later restored by a group of alumni and found its new home when the Uptown Campus was built in the late 1960s.
The Campus Center — at the Heart of UAlbany Life
Head to the Campus Center, the heart of campus life at UAlbany-SUNY. Serving students, faculty, professional staff, alumni, and guests, it is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. While you’re there, visit the University’s Barnes & Noble bookstore, open weekdays during the summer from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pick up a best-selling book or a UAlbany sweatshirt. Use the tear-off coupon for a 10 percent discount on any apparel and gifts imprinted with the UAlbany logo. Offer good for July and August.
Experience UAlbany-SUNY’s Modern Vision
Walk upstairs and stroll around the Academic Podium. Built in the 1960s, the UAlbany-SUNY Uptown Campus was designed by famed architect Edward Durell Stone, whose trademarks can be found on landmark modernist architecture around the globe. Stone’s broad world view is reflected today in the University’s academic programs, which include study abroad opportunities in more than 30 nations.
If you’re on the podium on any hour or half-hour, you’ll hear the sounds of the Carillon – that’s the cylindrical tower emerging from the Main Fountain. The Fountain is the site of UAlbany-SUNY’s nationally known Fountain Day, a celebration of school spirit and unity that each year ushers in springtime on campus. As you face the Main Fountain looking out from the Campus Center, the Main Library is to your left. The University’s libraries boast more than two million volumes and are ranked among the top 100 academic research libraries in North America.
A Regional Home for Culture and a Broad Worldview
From the Campus Center, across the Main Fountain to your right is the Performing Arts Center (PAC), a jewel in the crown of UAlbany. The PAC houses the departments of Theatre and Music, which combine with guest artists to present an astounding mix of music, dance, theater, lectures, and concerts . . . essentially something for everyone.
A hundred feet away from the PAC, visit the University Art Museum, one of the Northeast’s leading exhibitors of contemporary art. The museum’s interior, also designed by Stone, is an iconic example of late 20th Century modernism. It contains three galleries and more than 9,000 square feet of exhibition space to accommodate six to eight exhibitions by renowned artists each year. The museum’s summer hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
University Hall — Where a World of Opportunity Begins
Looking out between the College of Arts and Sciences building on your left and the Museum on your right, you’ll see the University’s newest structure and entry building, University Hall, opened in Fall 2006 and designed as "a sculpture" and counterpoint to Stone's unique architectural design of the Uptown Campus. Adorned externally with 3,500 glass panels and internally by a diverse array of artwork from University Art Museum collections, University Hall is also home to the Undergraduate Admissions Office. Stop by on the first floor to pick up an Admissions Viewbook or sign up to take a student-guided campus tour. Information sessions are weekdays at 10 a.m. and noon, and tours follow.
