The Memorial Union may be a place where you will find yourself spending a lot of time, whether it be studying, eating, attending events or listening to some sweet tunes in the Maintenance Shop. Here is your guide to the Union:

The Zodiac

Perhaps the most well-known marker on campus is the zodiac that greets visitors to the Memorial Union from the north entrance. It is a long-running tradition for students to walk around the zodiac avoiding any contact whatsoever. It is believed that if a student walks across the zodiac they will fail their next test.

Gold Star Hall

As students enter the north entrance of the Memorial Union they are surrounded by the names of ISU students who have died in previous wars including World War I, World War II, Vietnam and Korean Wars, and more recently, names of students who died in the Iraq war.

University Book Store

As incoming freshmen, one of the first stops on your tour will be the University Book Store. More than just a key place for those much-needed textbooks, UBS supplies students, fans and community members with a plethora of Cyclone gear, not to mention art supplies, posters and office necessities.

Main desk

More than just a welcome station for patrons, the main desk on the second floor of the Memorial Union is home for hotel registration and ticket purchases alike.

Guests in need of a place to stay, are able to take advantage of the hotel’s great location and comfortable, European-style rooms. Hotel rooms are located on the fourth, fifth and sixth floors of the Memorial Union and provide 24-hour staff availability.

In addition to room registration, the main desk is often frequented by anxious students eager to purchase tickets for a concert by their favorite artist who may be performing in the Maintenance Shop. But don’t wait until the last minute, ticket purchases are only available until 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and until the show starts on performance nights.

Underground and the Workspace

Maybe live music isn’t quite what you had in mind for a weekend activity. Don’t worry. The Memorial Union provides students with the opportunity for inexpensive, close proximity bowling and billiards as well as art studios and creative environments.

The Underground area of the Memorial Union has eight bowling lanes and numerous billiards tables. Also present in the Underground are black light effects and a student-designed mural of Central Campus.

The Workspace, which houses many art classes each year, is located in the basement of the Memorial Union and provides students with photography studios, pottery wheels and furnaces and other areas to work on art pieces.

Maintenance Shop

With performers such as Muddy Waters, guitar legend Leo Kottke, modern rockers Smashing Pumpkins and up-and-coming soulful singer Jon McLaughlin gracing the stage, it’s no surprise the Maintenance Shop is still going strong since its opening in 1974.

Not only is this intimate music venue great to catch an energetic performance, but many campus organizations take full advantage of the space for theater productions, fundraisers and group gatherings. Don’t get the wrong idea. There’s more to the place than just a music outlet for music junkies. During the day the Maintenance Shop provides students, faculty and staff a quiet place to have lunch, take a study break or cram for an upcoming exam.

Food Court

You can only take so much of dining service meals and once you’ve taken all you can of the walking tacos or green bean casserole you’ll be searching for something new. The first floor, or ground level, of the Memorial Union is home to the MU Food Court. With food outlets such as Subway, Panda Express and Tomassito’s Italian Caf‚, students have numerous possibilities to fill their empty stomachs. In addition, this level of the Memorial Union also contains Onion’s Store and the MU Cafe.

Additional facilities

U.S. Postal Station, parking ramp, office space, meeting rooms, study lounges, computer lab, vending and offices for GSB, Greek Affairs, SUB and Study Abroad.

–Source: www.mu.iastate.edu