explore campus locations
Here are a few places to explore on your own:
Center for art and dance Tweet hall of music Theater Holland hall Reference Room boE uNDERCROFT The Lion’s Pause Greenhouse
CENTER FOR ART AND DANCE
Whether you’re imagining yourself as an art or dance major — or just curious about trying a few fine arts classes — everyone is welcome t in the Center for Art and Dance (known on-campus as CAD). This building is home to the college’s Art and Art History and Dance departments and two galleries: the Flaten Art Museum and the Groot Gallery. The Flaten Art Museum, run by a professional director, is home to rotating exhibitions and frequent visits by professional artists. The Groot Gallery features student work and is home to the annual juried show for student artists.
On the main floor, you’ll find the Jan Shoger Printmaking Studio, the John Maakestad Painting Studio, and the Dorothy Divers Drawing Studio. Via the two staircases or the elevator, you can access the top floor, which is home to the dance studios, and the lower floor, which is home to the ceramic studio, the Mac Gimse Foundry, and the wood sculptures studio, the digital media studio,photography classrooms, a darkroom, and installation rooms for students to feature their work in a more immersive setting—as well as studio space for students who work on semester-long comprehensive projects.
Don’t miss the ever-changing hidden staircase, which features painted murals updated each year by students!
Interested in checking out the Hall of Music? Travel through the main floor of CAD, past the connector space, and through the double doors.
TWEET hall of music
If you’re a future Ole musician, check out the practice rooms at the Tweet Hall of Music! Located just steps from Christiansen Hall of Music – and through the connector from the Center from Art and Dance – the Tweet Hall of Music is home to faculty studios, percussion studios, grand piano practice rooms, chamber music rehearsal spaces, the double reed room, and a Javanese gamelan. You may hear musicians rehearsing in the spaces, but if you come across an unoccupied room, take a peek: each space is designed for specific instrument’s acoustical requirements.
Theater Building
One of the only red brick structures on campus, the Theater Building is situated between Christiansen Hall of Music and Boe Memorial Chapel, facing the campus green It houses Kelsey Theater, a 320-seat proscenium theater, and Haugen Theater, a 100-seat flexible-space theater.. The former’s entrance is located at the front of the building, while the latter’s is on the northwest side of the building.
These theaters and the adjacent technical support areas are fully equipped to offer students the opportunity to experience the art of performance in some of the finest facilities in the upper Midwest.
The St. Olaf community and Northfield residents enjoy the department’s theater productions year-round. Similar to our other fine arts offerings, students are not required to major in theater to be involved in the department. There are also a number of student-led organizations to expand student involvement in the performing arts. St. Olaf students’ involvement with theater ranges from performance and stage management to production design. Facilities within the building include a library, classrooms, rehearsal spaces, computer labs, and construction studios (scenery, props, and costumes), all of which come together to produce an efficient and productive work area for students.
HOLLAND HALL
Holland Hall, modeled on the Mont-Saint-Michel monastery in France, stands as one of the most majestic and iconic buildings on St. Olaf College’s campus. Fans of Harry Potter often shout-out Holland Hall for its striking resemblance to Hogwarts– can you see it?! Thanks to a $13 million renovation in 2017, the interior of Holland is just as beautiful as its exterior, combining classic architecture with adaptable learning spaces filled with modern teaching technologies.
The updated Holland Hall houses the Economics, History, Philosophy, Political Science, Social Work and Family Studies, and Sociology and Anthropology departments.
Highlights at Holland Hall include:
- A light-filled interior with expanded views of campus and the surrounding countryside.
- Windows engineered for energy efficiency, with certain components custom-built to match the original design.
- An ADA floor lift, making the 5th and 6th floors accessible.
- New study spaces, including lounge areas, rooms for group work, and quiet study spots.
- New classrooms, including seminar rooms, a computer lab, and an undergraduate research lab. Many classrooms now match the initial 1924 floor plans.
Visiting students and families are welcome to explore Holland Hall’s main level – and if you have time, check out the 6th floor study space for some stunning views of Old Main and the east side of campus.
Reference Room
(Located in Rolvaag Memorial Library)
Shh! One of the silent study spaces on campus, the Reference Room is known for its stunning windows and light-filled space, in addition to the focused silence many Oles crave for studying. You’ll visit Rolvaag Memorial Library on your tour, but if you don’t get the chance to see the Reference Room, be sure to circle back to check it out. Access the Reference Room straight through the main entrance doors and enter the last door on the right, where you’ll veer left upon entrance and walk straight through to the space.
Don’t worry – the Reference Room isn’t always so reserved. Rumor has it that events are occasionally hosted here, including Silent Disco parties!
Boe undercroft
(Located in the lower level of Boe Memorial Chapel)
Located beneath Boe Memorial Chapel, the Boe Undercroft is a relaxed gathering space for students. Oles often meet to enjoy “Breakfast Before Boe,” hosted by College Ministry, before 10:30 a.m. Sunday services. The College Ministry offices are located adjacent to the gathering space, welcoming students to connect with our College Pastors, Associate Chaplain for Muslim Life, and Associate Chaplain for Jewish Life.
St. Olaf is affiliated with the ELCA Lutheran church and offers daily chapel services in addition to Sunday worship during the school year. Student attendance is entirely optional! Whether or not you choose to make chapel services part of your St. Olaf life, you can hang out and enjoy the space under Boe.
The Lion’s Pause
(Located in the lower level of Buntrock Commons)
What space is all about student life? The Pause! You’ll pass the Pause on your campus tour as you navigate through Buntrock Commons – it’s found on the lower floor, across the Crossroads from the Bookstore. St. Olaf students are in charge of the Pause: they manage the business, the operations, and the venue, with oversight from the Office of Student Activities.
The Pause is home to several spaces for student life and connection: the Den, a space for studying and sharing a meal; the C-Store, where students can pick up snacks and various items; and the lounge area, where students play pool and watch TV together. The Pause Kitchen serves food and beverages until late-night, and is located right outside of the Mane Stage. The Mane Stage is modeled after the iconic venue First Avenue in Minneapolis, and hosts music and entertainment nearly every night throughout the school year.
During the day, the Pause may be relatively quiet, but it *roars* with life in the evenings. Take time to explore this area and picture yourself rocking out at a Halloween concert or Battle of the Bands, laughing at a touring comedian, hosting a fundraising event, or even putting toppings on a legendary Pause Pizza.
Greenhouse
(Located on the 4th floor of Regents Hall of Natural Sciences)
Are you visiting during one of our colder months? If so, you’ll definitely want to check out one of our students’ favorite spots — the greenhouse and greenroof in Regents Hall of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. You’ll see parts of Regents on your tour, but if you head up to the 4th floor via the elevators or any of the staircases, the greenhouse and greenroof are located just off of the atrium.
Fun fact: the greenroof was designed by a St. Olaf environmental studies class when the building was constructed in 2008. Water for the greenhouse comes from a 3000 gallon cistern that collects rainwater from the central atrium roof of Regents.
The greenhouse contains 300+ species of plants, and has ample space for student and class experiments. It is composed of five growing spaces, of which two larger rooms support the general teaching collection, and one smaller room houses cacti and succulents. Two rooms are dedicated to student and class projects and are used for a variety of purposes. A headhouse provides space for pots, planting medium, and other supplies. Water for the greenhouse comes from a 3000 gallon cistern that collects rainwater from the central atrium roof of Regents. Student workers play a large role maintaining and caring for the plants in the greenhouse. If you have an interest in caring for plants, maybe you’re a future steward of the greenhouse!
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