The lovely Quad is home to some of the original campus buildings, many of them built in a Collegiate Gothic style reminiscent of New England. On sunny days, you can relax on the grass amid Frisbee throwers, sunbathers dodging seminars, earnest undergraduates discussing international affairs, and young love blossoming under the cherry trees.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Seattle attractions

1. Suzzallo Library

0.08 MILES

The architecturally minded will be interested in the University of Washington’s Suzzallo Library. Designed by Carl Gould in 1926, this bibliophile’s dream…

2. Central Plaza (Red Square)

0.1 MILES

The center of campus is more commonly referred to as Red Sq (because of its base of red brick rather than any Bolshevik inclinations). It’s not the…

3. University of Washington

0.11 MILES

Founded in 1861, Seattle's university is almost as old as the city itself and is highly ranked worldwide (the prestigious Times Higher Education magazine…

4. Rainier Vista

0.12 MILES

What other US university campus has a perfectly framed view of a glacier-drizzled, 14,410ft stratovolcano? This beautiful green corridor of lawns and…

5. Henry Art Gallery

0.18 MILES

Approaching 90 years of age, the Henry is Seattle's modern-art masterpiece. Set in a sophisticated space on the University of Washington campus, it…

6. Drumheller Fountain

0.2 MILES

Drumheller Fountain sits inside what was originally known as Geyser Basin (now ‘Frosh Pond’), one of the few remaining pieces left over from the 1909 expo…

7. Burke Museum

0.3 MILES

An interesting hybrid museum covering both natural history and indigenous cultures of the Pacific Rim. Inside you'll find, arguably, Washington's best…

8. Ravenna Park

0.84 MILES

Just north of the U District is Ravenna, a residential neighborhood that’s home to a lot of professors and university staff. At its heart is Ravenna Park,…