With its limestone architecture and natural beauty, Indiana University’s Bloomington campus is one of the most beautiful colleges in the U.S. Take a stroll through these iconic spots, each a part of the backdrop of IU’s long tradition of excellence.
Sample Gates
At the intersection of Kirkwood and Indiana avenues, you’ll find one of IU’s most cherished landmarks—the Sample Gates. Serving as a photo-worthy entrance to campus, the Sample Gates were funded by Edson Sample, MS’71, in the mid-1980s. In addition to the gates, Sample also built a legacy at IU of outstanding professional service and generous philanthropy.
“Ed’s commitment to students by ensuring equity of support [through scholarships and financial aid] was truly his paramount objective,” says Curt Simic, BS’64, LHD’16, president emeritus of the IU Foundation.
Rose Well House
Continue through the Sample Gates, follow the brick path, and to your right you’ll find the Rose Well House. Built in 1908, it is one of the oldest structures on campus. The stone is from the Old College Building, which was built in 1855 on IU’s original campus in downtown Bloomington, an area now known as Seminary Square. The Well House is the center of a major piece of IU lore: A rite of passage for decades was to share a kiss at midnight in the Well House. This was an especially risky endeavor when women had an 11 p.m. campus curfew.
Through the years, the Well House has continued to be the scene of countless kisses, pinnings, and proposals, and now holds an updated legend: If you kiss your partner in the Rose Well House at the stroke of midnight, you will be together forever.
Indiana Memorial Union
From the Rose Well House, continue along the path and to your left is an entrance to the Indiana Memorial Union—one of the world’s largest student unions and a gathering place of future leaders for more than a century. In the 1920s, the Memorial Fund Drive raised funds for three buildings—one of which was the IMU—to honor members of the IU community who had served in the U.S. military during times of war.
One of the main features of the IMU is the Student Activities Tower, which houses offices for some of the more than 750 student organizations, spanning academic, philanthropic, religious, social, and professional groups.
To this day, the IMU is a must-see stop on all campus tours.
Dunn Cemetery
On the eastside of the IMU is the Dunn family cemetery. The Dunn family migrated from Kentucky to Bloomington and purchased a large parcel of farmland in the 1820s. Several generations lived on or near the farm until 1883, when IU purchased 20 acres for the construction of a new campus.
Dunn Cemetery remains an active burial ground, where only the descendants of the Dunn family can be buried and is managed by Stephen Hofer, BA’76, a descendant of the family.
Beck Chapel
Adjacent to Dunn Cemetery is Beck Chapel—a non-denominational chapel constructed with Indiana limestone and wood from the forests of southern Indiana.The chapelis a popular place for weddings and is open to the public for prayer and meditation every day unless reserved for a private event.
Chemistry Building
Across the street from Beck Chapel is the Chemistry Building. Take a close look at the windows—each one represents an element on the periodic table.
The building is home to the pioneering research that led to the development of fluoride toothpaste. In April 2024, the Department of Chemistry was honored with a National Historic Chemical Landmark designation for the creation of the formula.
Fine Arts Plaza
The Fine Arts Plaza is the heart of IU’s art scene, with Showalter Fountain and its Birth of Venus sculpture at its center. Students often gather on warm days to dip their feet in the fountain, and, at the end of their student days, to take graduation photos. The plaza is also home to the Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture, and Design and the IU Auditorium. The Lilly Library is located on the south side of the plaza and is home to an important collection of rare books and manuscripts.The library’s collection includes an original Gutenberg Bible and the world’s largest comic book collection, donated by Batman film producer Michael Uslan, BA’73, MS’75, JD’76.
Written By
Lacy Nowling Whitaker
Lacy, a Bloomington native, earned two degrees from IU Bloomington (BA'08, MA'14) and is the Director of Content with the IU Alumni Association.