Explore Rutgers New Brunswick

There's plenty to do at Rutgers New Brunswick, whether you're a student, an alum, or just visiting. Rutgers Gardens is a popular spot, with 180 acres of public gardens, including a rhododendron and azalea display garden, an ornamental tree collection, and a bamboo forest. The Rutgers Farm is another great outdoor spot, where you can see horses, cattle, goats, sheep, and pigs.

If you're into sports, you can show your spirit at a football game at SHI Stadium, or cheer on the Scarlet Knights basketball teams at the Rutgers Athletic Center (RAC). Rutgers also has its own public golf course, and four large recreation centres with pools, a climbing wall, and a roller hockey rink.

For art and history lovers, there's the Zimmerli Art Museum, one of the largest university-based museums in the country, and the Rutgers Geology Museum, where you can see a mastodon skeleton and other fossils. The historic Old Queens campus, designed by renowned architect John McComb Jr., is also worth a visit, as is the Kirkpatrick Chapel, a popular wedding venue for alumni.

If you're looking for entertainment, you can catch a performance at the Mason Gross Performing Arts Center or the New Brunswick Theatre District, or see a comedy show at Stress Factory.

And, of course, there's always the option to grab a drink or a bite to eat at one of the many bars and restaurants in the area, like Esquina Latina or Clydz.

Visit the Rutgers Gardens

Rutgers Gardens is the ideal place to visit if you're looking for a peaceful walk and some breathtaking views. Located off Ryders Lane, it is one of the few botanical gardens that does not charge an admission fee and is open all year round. The 180-acre public garden is a "living museum" with a large array of gardens and plant collections.

The botanical garden consists of designed gardens, plant collections, a student farm, a farmer's market, and natural habitats. The student farm is a great place to watch horses, cattle, goats, sheep, and pigs getting comfortable in the mud. Depending on the time of year, you may also spot some piglets and other baby animals. The Rutgers Farm Store, open 1-4 p.m. on Fridays, offers eggs and goat milk soap among its farm-fresh products.

The garden includes a rhododendron and azalea display garden, an ornamental tree collection, and a bamboo forest. There is also a lily pond where you can spot dragonflies and frogs. The vegetable garden and the plants that attract butterflies have been replaced by other plants in recent years.

The Rutgers Gardens is a great place to hike, with a variety of trails and scenic views. It is also a wonderful spot for a picnic, with plenty of trees providing shade and tranquillity.

The garden is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and is easily accessible via Log Cabin Road, which leads to the Visitor's Parking Lot.

Attend a sporting event

Rutgers University in New Brunswick is home to a variety of sports teams and events that are open to the public. Attending a sporting event is a great way to get involved with the university and show your school spirit.

One of the most popular sports at Rutgers is football. The university's football team, the Scarlet Knights, competes in the Big Ten conference against other top teams such as Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State. Undergraduates can take advantage of free mobile student tickets to cheer on their team at home games.

In addition to football, Rutgers offers a range of other intercollegiate sports that are free to attend. These include men's and women's basketball, wrestling, and men's lacrosse. Be sure to check the schedule and bring your friends to support your fellow students as they compete at the highest level.

If you're looking for a more intimate sporting event, consider checking out the Rutgers-Camden Scarlet Raptors. This NCAA Division III team competes in a variety of sports, showcasing the talents of student-athletes who excel both in competition and in the classroom. The Camden Athletic Complex, with its scenic backdrop, and the Athletic and Fitness Center are great locations to catch a game and show your support.

Whether you're a sports enthusiast or just looking to immerse yourself in the Rutgers community, attending a sporting event is a fantastic option. With a range of sports and teams to choose from, you can easily find an event that piques your interest and becomes a memorable part of your Rutgers experience.

Explore the Rutgers Ecological Preserve

The Rutgers Ecological Preserve is a 360- to 400-acre wooded area located between Busch and Livingston Campuses in Piscataway, New Jersey. It is a short distance from New Brunswick and is a great place to explore. The preserve is a living laboratory for Rutgers University, the state, and beyond, and a protected home for a variety of plant and animal species.

The Ecological Preserve is a quiet place to explore miles of trails and perhaps catch a glimpse of the wildlife that calls this place home. The forest is made up of oak, maple, cedar, elm, and hemlock trees. Keep your eyes peeled for white-tailed deer, salamanders, rabbits, groundhogs, foxes, birds, and even coyotes. The forest is also home to native and invasive species of plants, as well as a brook that meanders through the preserve on its way to the Raritan River.

The Rutgers Ecological Preserve offers extensive opportunities for students and the public alike. It is open to the public for recreation, used for teaching purposes, and for monitoring and research. There are a number of volunteer work days planned to continue the construction of an accessible trail that leads from the parking lot down towards Buell Brook. The trail winds through the woods to reduce the steepness of the slope and, when completed, should provide access for wheelchairs, walkers, and child strollers.

The Ecological Preserve is also used for a variety of research projects. For example, PhD student Morgan Mark is studying wildlife interactions such as scavenging that could facilitate disease transmission. The preserve is also used as a field site for both undergraduate and graduate students and faculty from Rutgers and other universities to study forest, meadow, and stream ecosystems.

Go stargazing

Rutgers University in New Brunswick has a lot to offer, from its historic Old Queens campus to its vibrant performing arts scene. But if you're looking for a unique experience, why not try stargazing?

The Robert A. Schommer Astronomical Observatory at Rutgers University regularly opens its doors to the public for stargazing. With its 20-inch optical telescope, the observatory offers a unique opportunity to observe the night sky in all its glory. The observatory is typically open for two hours, starting at 8:30 p.m. from October to March and about an hour after sunset from April to September. Members of the public can park in lots 53 or 53A, but an electronic permit is required.

The observatory's website provides a schedule of upcoming public nights, which typically occur on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month, weather permitting. On these nights, visitors can expect to see a variety of celestial objects, including planets, stars, galaxies, and nebulae. For example, on the second Thursday of August, visitors can observe Arcturus, M5, Antares, M13, Vega, Deneb, and the Moon, among other celestial objects.

In addition to the public nights at the observatory, Rutgers University also offers stargazing tours through its Occupational Health Department. These tours provide an opportunity to view celestial objects such as Jupiter and its moons, as well as a super close-up of the Moon. The tours are open to the public of all ages and offer a unique way to experience the night sky.

So, whether you're an astronomy enthusiast or just looking for a fun and unique activity, be sure to check out the stargazing opportunities at Rutgers University in New Brunswick. With its state-of-the-art observatory and expert guides, you're sure to have a memorable experience under the stars.

Check out the Zimmerli Art Museum

The Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum, popularly known as the Zimmerli Art Museum, is one of the largest university-based museums in the country. Located on the Voorhees Mall of the Rutgers University campus in New Brunswick, New Jersey, the museum is a must-visit destination for art enthusiasts and those looking to explore the rich cultural offerings of the university. With over 60,000 works in its collection, the Zimmerli Art Museum offers a diverse and comprehensive artistic experience.

The museum's collection spans a wide range of media and includes a survey of Western art from the fifteenth century to the present. One of the highlights of the museum is its American art collection, boasting more than 16,500 objects. This collection encompasses paintings, sculptures, works on paper (including prints, drawings, and photographs), and decorative arts. The earliest paintings in this collection date back to the late eighteenth century, reflecting America's artistic and cultural heritage with examples of portraiture, landscape, and narrative art. The modern and contemporary styles represented include abstract expressionism, pop art, and works exploring social and political issues.

The Zimmerli collection of European art is equally impressive, with close to 10,000 objects ranging from the Renaissance to the present. The collection's primary strength lies in its French nineteenth-century works on paper, notably prints and rare books. The museum also showcases a renowned collection of Japonisme—late-nineteenth-century works by European artists inspired by Japanese art and aesthetics.

The Russian and Soviet nonconformist art holdings are another significant aspect of the Zimmerli Art Museum. With over 22,000 objects, this collection provides a unique overview of Russian art from the fourteenth century to the present. The Dodge Collection, amassed by economics professor Norton Dodge, is the largest collection of Soviet Nonconformist Art in the United States. It includes more than 20,000 works by nearly 1,000 artists, showcasing a culture that defied the politically imposed conventions of Socialist Realism.

The Zimmerli Art Museum also features a distinct collection of original illustrations for children's literature, with nearly 4,000 works that document the book-making process. Additionally, the museum offers various educational and social programs, such as art classes, tours, artist talks, symposia, music programs, and workshops for visitors of all ages.

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