"Hidden" Campus Gems
If you know where to look, you can find some amazing (and mostly free) things to see and do around the UCLA campus. Some of these are obvious, but some are probably unknown even to people who have been at UCLA for years. All are worth your time, so be sure to add them to your list of things to do.
- Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden -- Let's start with the one closest to the Law School--it's practically in our backyard (just keep going north past LuValle Commons)! It is considered "One of the most distinguished outdoor sculpture collections in the country." The garden covers 5 acres of North Campus and features works by Calder, Rodin, Noguchi, Matisse, Miro and more! If you are extra stressed, head out to the Sculpture Garden for a picnic lunch! (Tours are also available).
- Film & Television Archive (FATA) Screenings -- Just north of the Sculpture Garden, FATA holds regular screenings of their collection in the James Bridges Theater in Melnitz Hall. Tickets are normally $5 for students (and occasionally admission is free). Screenings are usually themed (e.g., Documentary Tuesdays) and often include a talk by someone associated with the film or with specialized knowledge about it. A perfect evening study break for students! Catch a film and then back to the library to get a couple more study hours in...
- Fowler Museum -- A fantastic museum right here on campus and admission is free! According to their Web site: "The Fowler's collections comprise more than 150,000 art and ethnographic and 600,000 archaeological objects representing prehistoric, historic, and contemporary cultures of Africa, Native and Latin America, and Asia and the Pacific." This museum is not to be missed! Check their event calendar for interesting upcoming events.
- Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden -- Located on the southern part of campus (just east of the Center for Health Sciences), this 7 acre garden includes plant specimens from all over the world. Admission is free and tours can be arranged for groups of eight or more. Another great way to spend your lunch time.
- Planetarium Show and Telescope Viewing -- Did you even know there was a planetarium on campus? Don't expect a Pink Floyd laser light show, but do expect informative talks on topics such as "Galaxies" and "Life in the Universe." On clear nights, you will have the opportunity to look through the telescope. The planetarium and telescope are located on the 8th floor of the Mathematical Sciences building and are part of the Astronomy and Astrophysics department. The shows are every Wednesday night during the Fall, Winter and Spring Quarters and the 2nd and 4th Wednesday in the summer (which means there is a show tomorrow night, 8/23, 8pm)! This is another freebie!
- Cultural Virtual Reality Lab -- I bet you didn't know about this one either! This is a little more difficult to explain, but the lab was developed to create authentic 3-D models of architecturally and culturally significant sites around the world. The thing to see here is the Visualization Portal in the Math Sciences Building. They offer periodic presentations of the lab's work and explain their VR process. It's super cool! This short movie will give you an idea of what it's about. Contact events@ats.ucla.edu for more information.
- UCLA Live -- In the not-so-free department, students get great discounts (up to 75%) on UCLA Live events in Royce Hall. This is really a great opportunity to see world class entertainment on a budget.
That's a start! There is much more out there and one way to find out about more great stuff on campus is check "Happenings" regularly or sign up for an RSS feed or podcast!