Unknown spots that are actually amazing

1. Horticulture Park

Need a break from the bustle of campus? Horticulture Park — or Hort Park for short — is nestled between US 231 and State Street. It’s a great place to relax, enjoy the scenery, and acquaint yourself with more than 300 types of trees and plants. The 24-acre park got its start thanks to C. W. Beese, professor of engineering. He began a plant collection in the 1940s, later bequeathed to the park. R. B. Stewart also donated land for Hort Park. 

2. Stained Glass Woman

Built in 1934, Duhme Hall — then known as South Hall and the only women’s residence hall on campus — is part of the Windsor Halls complex. All those who enter through Duhme’s front door view a stained-glass depiction of the “little lady” who serves as the symbol of Windsor and represents friendship on the residence hall’s crest.

3. Vision 21 Conference Room

Located on the seventh floor of Beering Hall, the Vision 21 Conference Room offers a spectacular view of campus and the surrounding area. According to legend, John Purdue specified that no building on campus could be built taller than University Hall, so the room had to be given a different zip code. While it would be pretty cool for the room to have its own zip code, John Purdue never made this stipulation. Known more popularly among students as the Jedi Council Room, it’s worth checking out. Just make sure to keep the noise down for the professors whose offices are down the hall!

4. PMU South Tower Ballroom

Tucked away at the top of a staircase in the Purdue Memorial Union South Tower is a large ballroom with worn wood floors and a small stage with an aging upright piano. It’s one of few spaces on campus that allow visitors to step back in time. Over the years, the room has been home to a folk-music club in the ’60s, a square-dancing club in the ’70s, experimental theater performances, and variety acts staged by the Penthouse student nightclub in the ’50s. Today, the space is used by Night Train, a social swing dance club, and for yoga classes. 

5. Amelia Earhart’s Room in Duhme Hall

For generations, Amelia Earhart has remained a beloved figure in the Purdue community. President Edward Elliott (HDR E’47) brought her to West Lafayette in 1935 as a mentor for students. She stayed in Duhme Hall at times throughout the semester and shared meals and living space with the hall’s residents. Students still seek out her old room, Duhme 103, believing that her spirit, energy, and courage linger on in the room.

6. Purdue Entomological Research Collection (PERC)

Entomophobic? We recommend that you not visit Purdue’s “bug museum.” Officially known as the Purdue Entomological Research Collection, the museum includes approximately two million individual specimens and more than 140,000 different insect species.