IU's campus is home to many sights and landmarks. Here is a list of some of the most memorable places you can visit on campus for a picture or selfie.
1. Sample Gates
Perhaps one of the most iconic shots at IU, the Sample Gates serve as both a physical and symbolic entrance to campus at the crossway of Kirkwood and Indiana avenues on the west side of campus.
While the gates are now almost synonymous with IU, the gates are a relatively new addition to campus and at one point, that entry was not as welcoming. Edson Sample, who funded the gates in 1987 to honor his parents, said a one-way exit road was originally in front of Franklin Hall rather than the pathway and gates that are there now. Traffic signs reading “Do Not Enter” stood on either side of the road.
2. Showalter Fountain
"The Birth of Venus" at the Showalter Fountain is the centerpiece of the Fine Arts Square and one of IU’s best-known public art works. Designed by IU fine arts professor Robert Laurent, it depicts the Roman goddess Venus rising from the waves. Its origins begin in the 1950s, when then-IU President Herman B Wells first commissioned it and traveled to Italy where the bronze was cast in 1958.
Made possible by a gift from Grace Showalter, "The Birth of Venus" was dedicated Oct. 22, 1961.
The statue has also been at the center of numerous pranks and vandalism.
All five fish disappeared when IU won the NCAA basketball championship in 1987, according to a report by the Indianapolis News. They were soon recovered, according to an IDS report. A fish had also been taken when IU won the NCAA championship in 1976.
3. Rose Well House
One of the oldest structures on campus, the Rose Well House has also served as a major source of water and a romantic fixture since its completion in 1908.
The Rose Well House is a place where couples can be found late at night. According to IU Archives, a woman was not considered a "true coed" until she kissed her romantic partner there at the last stroke of midnight. Back in those days women studying at IU had a curfew of 11 p.m., which made this romantic getaway a risky move.
4. The Light Totem at the Eskenazi Art Museum
One of the first things new students might end up doing during First Year Experience and Orientation is visiting the light wall at the Eskenazi Museum of Art. Taking a picture under multicolored, changing light display is a common activity for freshmen.
5. The Jordan Hall Greenhouse
Right next to the IU Biology Department building is a hidden gem, the Jordan Hall Greenhouse. The greenhouse allows students, faculty, staff and visitors to take a stroll through green gardens, flowers and exotic plants. It is a thriving greenhouse of unusual, exotic plants from every corner of the world.
6. IU Arboretum
The IU Arboretum is a relaxing place to hang out in the midst of campus with dozens of trees and greenery all around. A gazebo overlooks numerous paths as well as a pond. Originally home to IU's Tenth Street Stadium and the Little 500 bicycle race, the current site of the Arboretum is near the Herman B Wells Library and the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation.
7. Beck Chapel
Located near the heart of campus by the Indiana Memorial Union and Ballantine Hall, Beck Chapel is a quiet oasis of peace for many students in the midst of finals.
Completed in 1956, Beck Chapel blends different styles of religious architecture and symbols from different religious traditions.
Beck Chapel can be reserved for weddings, memorial services and other events of a religious nature. It is open to the public for prayer and meditation every day, unless it is reserved for a private event.
8. South Lounge at the Indiana Memorial Union (quiet room)
If you're walking by the Starbucks inside the Union, you might see a large room adjacent full of sleeping and studying students. That's the South Lounge. Throughout the week, students in the room keep noise to a minimum so people can catch up on much-needed sleep on the couches or study for that finance exam they have in two hours.
The room also boasts an impressive set of windows facing out to campus, which provides excellent lighting for both study and selfies.
9. Any red clock tower
Around IU there are a number of red clock towers, most noticeably near the Neal Marshall Black Culture Center and Woodburn Hall. The Ohio-based Verdin Company installed the clocks more than a decade ago and since then they have become iconic landmarks around IU.
10. Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall
In a basketball-crazed state like Indiana, there could be no more iconic place to have your selfie taken than in front of the famed arena. Home to the IU men's and women's teams, the arena underwent a renovation three years ago to keep it looking picture-perfect for decades to come.
11. Dunn's Woods
Dunn's Woods is a beautiful wooded area on IU's campus. In 2016, new lights were installed throughout the area after students had complained for years, saying it was difficult to see who was coming down the paths at night. Now, the area is lit throughout the night and offers a scenic path through the Old Crescent part of campus.
12. Jordan River
Jordan River is a creek which winds its way through campus. Originally the small creek was known as "Spanker's Branch," but it was formally renamed to "Jordan River" in 1994 to honor David Starr Jordan, a former IU president.
13. Frank E. McKinney Jr. Fountain
The yellow fountain just outside the Jacobs School of Music Simon Music Center is beautiful when on full blast. Home to many a practicing student, the shaded benches near the fountain offer a nice reprieve from studies and work.
14. Statues of Herman B Wells and Hoagy Carmichael
The likeness of Herman B Wells sits cheerily on a bench near the former IU President’s original office, hand outstretched and palm down — the way Wells would have held it.
Harold “Tuck” Langland, a former IU-South Bend professor and the sculptor of the Wells statue, said the statue was revealed to an emotional audience in October 2000. It's a tradition among new students to shake Wells' hand, so as to receive good luck throughout their four years.
Another iconic image on campus is that of Hoagy Carmichael who can be found near the IU Auditorium and the School of Global and International Studies, as he plays his piano. Carmichael was born in Bloomington in 1899 and earned his bachelor's degree from IU. As a student at IU, he began to compose songs and perform regularly. Students can now share a bench with the famous composer.
15. The Conrad Prebys Amphitheater
IU President Herman B Wells had a vision when he was alive for an outdoor performance venue. That vision was realized in 2016 with the Conrad Prebys Amphitheater. It is located next to the Bryan House in the heart of the Bloomington campus.
The amphitheater includes more than 300 pieces of custom, machined and hand-carved limestone and has a seating capacity of around 275 people. Outdoor movies and performances occur throughout the school year and summer.
