Nature & Culture

University of Illinois Arboretum

1800 South Lincoln Avenue| Urbana, IL 
arboretum@illinois.edu

The Illinois Arboretum provides free access to acres of groves, ponds, and gardens, maintained year-round by the College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences. The Arboretum is space dedicated to helping students, faculty, staff, and the community build wellness by connecting with nature right here on campus.

Japan House

2000 South Lincoln Avenue | Urbana, IL 
217.244.9934 | japanhouse@illinois.edu

Japan House, nestled within the Illinois Arboretum, aims to make the beauty of traditional Japanese arts and culture accessible to everyone. Visitors can enjoy traditional Japanese gardens, filled with green foliage, rustic stone, and water features that emphasize the natural landscape, creating a peaceful, tranquil environment. The gardens are free and open to everyone dawn to dusk, year-round. Information on classes, Tea Ceremony, outdoor meditation, and special events is available through the Japan House website.

Krannert Art Museum

500 E. Peabody Drive | Champaign, IL 
217-244-0516 | kam@illinois.edu

Krannert Art Museum (KAM) presents fine art from across the globe, vibrant exhibitions, and engaging programs to students, faculty, staff, and visitors throughout the year. KAM prioritizes wellbeing by cultivating space for quiet contemplation, engagement, and inspiration. The museum gardens, galleries, and special exhibitions are open to everyone, free of charge. A full calendar of art exhibitions, weekly yoga classes, music performances, creativity events, and other special events is available through the KAM website.

Krannert Center for the Performing Arts

500 S. Goodwin Avenue | Urbana, IL 
217-333-6280 | krannertcenter@illinois.edu

Krannert Center for the Performing Arts (KCPA) is dedicated to the advancement of education, research, and public engagement through the pursuit of excellence and innovation in the performing arts. Creativity is a core human characteristic and the arts hold uniquely transformative potential. Through its multiple and integrated roles as classroom, laboratory, and public square, Krannert Center serves as a touchstone for the exploration and expansion of human experience. KCPA occasionally will host performances and events free of charge. A full calendar of performances and events is available through the KCPA website.

Red Oak Rain Garden

Located on campus between Allen Hall and McKinley Health Center. uie-redoakraingarden@illinois.edu

Red Oak Rain Garden is a place to immerse yourself in natural beauty without having to leave campus. It’s welcoming for human and wildlife visitors and is a working garden, designed to soak up rainwater runoff by mimicking natural Illinois landscapes. Originally constructed in 2006 by faculty and students, the garden was renovated in 2019 and expanded by Illinois Extension, who now provides outreach and service-learning opportunities in the garden. It is open for all to explore, seven days a week.

Helpful Resources

Core Campus Resources

24 Hour Resources

After Hours Support

  • Emergency Dean After Hours Support for Health and Safety Emergencies for Students