Things to do on Central Campus

The University of Michigan - Ann Arbor has three major campuses: Central, North, and South Campus. Central Campus is the busiest and the most compact campus because part of it is located in downtown Ann Arbor with all the main streets such as State Street and E. Liberty Street. The other part includes many academic buildings and residential halls. There are a lot of “hidden gems” on Central Campus and I am going to introduce some of my favourite places to go to whether by myself or with friends. 

Kerrytown

The Kerrytown market and shops are only 5-10 minutes away from North Quad residence hall. It is a distinctive neighborhood with local produce and vintage shops. If you live off-campus on Central Campus and want to get groceries from local farms and businesses, the Kerrytown market is definitely one of your first choices. It offers international food and great personal service to satisfy all your needs about food. Also, if you are an art person, Kerrytown is also known for its art exhibits and special designs from local artists. It is a wonderful place to hang out with your friends.

University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA)

You should always be proud as a University of Michigan student because it has one of the finest university art museums in the country - UMMA. The University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA) holds collections representing 150 years of art collecting. It is a distinctive building on South State Street and located right next to the Diag. The UMMA is free and open for walk-in visits. A lot of its galleries and collections have limited durations so you should definitely check it out with your friends a couple times a year for new art themes.

Nichols Arboretum (Arb)

On Central Campus, you will always hear University of Michigan students referring to a special place called the “Arb”. The Arb has a lot of special things for you to discover, including a 3.5 mile hiking trail, a garden with exotic plants and flowers, and the Huron River that flows across Ann Arbor. It offers free admission and opens every day from sunrise to sunset to the public. Since the Arb is one of the only natural landscapes on Central Campus, it is very popular among students. I highly recommend you to visit the Arb if you want to take a walk outside or simply enjoy the blooming flowers!

Written by Jasmine Jia

Summer Orientation Peer Advisor

Undergraduate Student

China