Per Veritatem Vis
Washington University in St. Louis
Brookings Hall was the administration building of the 1904 World's Fair, and Francis Field on campus was the main stadium of the 1904 Summer Olympics, the first held in the Western Hemisphere.
- 10Buildings
- 5Traditions
- 1900Oldest · Busch Hall
- 2006Newest · Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum
Campus map and Look Around
Tap a numbered pin to see that building from the street with Apple Look Around.
Planning the visit
- Fly intoSt. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL)
Lambert is about 23 km northwest of downtown St. Louis. MetroLink's Red Line stops at both airport terminals.
- Getting aroundWalking / Campus Circulator / MetroLink
A free Campus Circulator shuttle loops the Danforth Campus, and MetroLink Blue Line trains stop at Skinker station beside it.
- Colors and teams
The school colors are red and green, and the teams are the Bears, with a mascot named Forest the bear.
10 buildings to stamp
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Photo: Endersan, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Brookings Hall
Danforth Campus, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130
Cope and Stewardson designed this Collegiate Gothic gateway, built from 1900 to 1902 as the centerpiece of the new campus. It served as the administration building of the 1904 World's Fair and is still the university's administrative center.
- Built
- 1902
- Architect
- Cope and Stewardson (James P. Jamieson)
- Style
- Collegiate Gothic
- Today
- University Administration
-
Graham Chapel
Danforth Campus, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130
Dedicated in 1909, this Collegiate Gothic chapel was modeled after King's College Chapel at Cambridge, though on a far smaller scale. It hosts concerts, plays and the university's Assembly Series lectures.
- Built
- 1909
- Architect
- Cope and Stewardson (James P. Jamieson)
- Style
- Collegiate Gothic
- Today
- Chapel and Lecture Hall
-
Busch Hall
Danforth Campus, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130
Named for Anheuser-Busch co-founder Adolphus Busch, this was the first building begun on the campus, with its cornerstone laid in 1900. It was the chemistry building until 1950 and now houses humanities departments.
- Built
- 1900
- Architect
- Cope and Stewardson
- Style
- Collegiate Gothic
- Today
- Humanities Building
-
Ridgley Hall
Danforth Campus, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130
The university's first library until the early 1960s, Ridgley displayed Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee gifts during the 1904 World's Fair. Its old reading room is now the ornate Holmes Lounge.
- Built
- 1901
- Architect
- Cope and Stewardson
- Style
- Collegiate Gothic
- Today
- Language Departments and Lounge
-
Eads Hall
Danforth Campus, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130
In 1922, physics professor Arthur Holly Compton ran experiments in this hall's basement showing that light behaves as particles, work that won him the 1927 Nobel Prize. During the 1904 World's Fair it was used by the Board of Lady Managers.
- Built
- 1902
- Architect
- Cope and Stewardson
- Style
- Collegiate Gothic
- Today
- Teaching and Writing Centers
-
Olin Library
Danforth Campus, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130
Dedicated in 1962 and renovated in 2003, Olin is the main library of the university and the largest library in Missouri. It holds a broadside of the Declaration of Independence printed before the signing.
- Built
- 1962
- Today
- University Library
-
Steinberg Hall
Danforth Campus, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130
Completed in 1960, this was the first commission of Fumihiko Maki, who later won the Pritzker Prize. It houses the Art and Architecture Library and the Department of Art History and Archaeology.
- Built
- 1960
- Architect
- Fumihiko Maki
- Today
- Art and Architecture Library
-
Photo: Shubinator, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum
1 Brookings Dr, St. Louis, MO 63130
Founded in 1881 as the oldest art museum west of the Mississippi, the museum moved into this Fumihiko Maki building in 2006. A 2019 renovation added a polished stainless steel facade and a sculpture garden.
- Built
- 2006
- Architect
- Fumihiko Maki
- Today
- Art Museum
-
Francis Olympic Field
Forsyth Blvd, St. Louis County, MO 63105
Built for the 1904 World's Fair, this stadium was the main venue of the 1904 Summer Olympics, and its permanent stands were an early use of reinforced concrete. It is still home to the Bears' football, soccer and track teams.
- Built
- 1904
- Architect
- Cope and Stewardson
- Style
- Reinforced Concrete Stadium
- Today
- University Stadium
-
Photo: LittleT889, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Francis Gymnasium
Forsyth Blvd, St. Louis County, MO 63105
Built in 1903, this gym was the main indoor venue of the 1904 Summer Olympics, hosting boxing and fencing. It has been used by the university's athletics department ever since.
- Built
- 1903
- Architect
- Cope and Stewardson
- Today
- Athletics Building
5 traditions to check off
Stamped! keeps these as a checklist, so you can tick each one off on the visit.
Don't Step on the Seal
Campus legend says that stepping on the university seal under Brookings Hall will keep you from graduating, though touching the Chancellor's Medallion breaks the curse. Find the seal and walk around it.
Declaration of Independence in Olin
Olin Library displays a broadside copy of the Declaration of Independence, printed before the document was signed to spread the news across the colonies. Stop by the exhibit to see it in person.
Lunch at Holmes Lounge
The old library reading room in Ridgley Hall is now Holmes Lounge, one of the most beautiful rooms on campus. Grab lunch there and take in the surroundings.
The Painted Underpass
The underpass linking the South 40 to the main campus is covered in painted announcements for campus events. Walk through to see the latest designs.
Assembly Series in Graham Chapel
Graham Chapel hosts the Assembly Series, the university's long-running lecture program, which has brought speakers such as Eleanor Roosevelt and Gloria Steinem to campus. Check the schedule and catch a talk.
History
Founded 1853
From Wikipedia
It comprises 10 schools and offers more than 150 undergraduate, 80 master's and professional, and 50 doctoral degree programs. As of 2024, Washington University enrolled 16,399 students representing all 50 U.S. states and more than 110 countries.
The app's quiz · 10 questions
How well do you know Washington University in St. Louis?
The same quiz as in Stamped!: name the landmark, its architect, its style or the year it was finished. Every round is different.
Know Washington University in St. Louis well?
Students and alumni know the traditions best. Suggest one we're missing, a building worth a stamp, or a fix. Every suggestion is checked against a source before it goes into the app.
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Stamp all 10 on your visit.
Tour Washington University in St. Louis in 3D before you go, add it to a college road trip and earn a passport stamp at every building. Free on iPhone and iPad.
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