Below you’ll find information about typical activities during on-campus Grandparents University sessions. Field trip selection will begin on May 1 at 9 a.m. CDT. Field trips are first-come, first-served.

Get to know the UW’s Art Department and take a deep dive into the work they do with a tour of the art facilities and interactive demonstrations.

Physical Activity Level: Medium

Tour Babcock Dairy’s observation deck and learn about how ice cream and cheese are made at UW–Madison. Following the tour, participants will enjoy an ice cream and cheese tasting in the Babcock Dairy Store.

Physical Activity Level: Medium

The Bakke (bah-kee) Center features spaces dedicated to supporting wellbeing services (such as the Wolf Teaching kitchen, restorative studios, and rooms for massage therapy, peer wellness coaching, and meditation), as well as a 25-yard recreational pool, eight multipurpose courts, Sub-Zero Ice Center, a climbing and bouldering wall, sports simulators, multipurpose studios, an indoor jogging track, a rooftop fitness area, and over 29,000 square feet of fitness space.

Physical Activity Level: High

Note: This field trip is only offered during Session II.

Madison wouldn’t be Madison without its beautiful lakes. In this activity, you’ll have an opportunity to explore some of the 132 billion gallons of water in Lake Mendota. The Bucky Boat offers a chance to learn about our lakes and the surrounding area. While waiting to ride the boat, explore Alumni Park and One Alumni Place on a guided tour prior to the boat ride. Weather Permitting

Physical Activity Level: Medium to High

Note: Participants will meet in One Alumni Place to sign a waiver

See Badger sports championship trophies and memorabilia in the Bud Selig Hall of Champions. Relax for a moment in one of Camp Randall's luxury suites, the Buckingham Club seats, and Varsity Club seats with a panoramic view of the field. Be a witness to Badger football history, and get a “behind the scenes” look at the Forward Center football weight room.

Physical Activity Level: High

Note: This activity is only offered during Sessions I and III.

Explore some of the most iconic places on campus by trolley with current UW students as your guides. You will learn about the history of campus and have opportunities to stop and take photos along the way.

Physical Activity Level: Medium

Enjoy some of the 25,000 works of art that cover diverse historical periods, cultures, and geographic regions.

Physical Activity Level: Medium

Note: This field trip is only offered during Sessions II and III.

Tour the Dairy Cattle Center and have an udder-ly great time. On this tour, you will get to see the facility as well as meet some of the 84 milking cows who call this facility home.

Physical Activity Level: Medium

The First Nations Cultural Landscape Tour is an award-winning, place-based walking tour that welcomes you to learn about the First Nations of Wisconsin and the more than 14,000 years of human history in the area known as Teejop (Four Lakes) and Madison. You will visit UW–Madison campus buildings, historical markers, and archaeological sites to discuss historic and contemporary relationships with First Nations.

Physical Activity Level: High

Tour the Skop Lab to see "Genetic Reflections," a public science art installation designed to highlight genetic research on campus and encourage visitors to interact and support science, including the use of microscopes to view human cancer and stem cells. Then, visit the Brunkard Lab to see what is currently growing as well as a demonstration of plant molecular genetics and their impact on one another.

Physical Activity Level: Medium

The Hamel Music Center opened in fall 2019 as the new performance and rehearsal space for the UW’s Mead Witter School of Music. The zigzag concrete exterior wall is a decorative curtain that conceals soundproof structural walls. The large performance space in the new Hamel Center is the 660-seat Mead Witter Foundation Concert Hall. The red circles on the wall are acoustical coffers, which absorb and reflect sound to enhance the musical experience.

Physical Activity Level: Medium

Visit the Morgridge Institute for Research at the Discovery Building to explore stem cell research. Get hands-on experience with stem cell handling and use the lab’s specialized tools. Participants will work with cell culture techniques to simulate a stem cell passage in our teaching lab, showcasing how cells are prepared and applied in real-world scientific advancements.

Physical Activity Level: Medium

Grandparents and grandchildren will take part in a mock trial. Grandchildren will serve on the jury, and the trial will be led by the UW Law School’s dean, Dan Tokaji.

Physical Activity Level: Low

Note: This field trip is only offered during Session II.

The Kohl Center, opened in 1998, is the home for the UW men’s and women’s basketball teams and the men’s hockey team. Since opening, the building has been held up as one of the finest on-campus facilities in collegiate athletics. From computers to lounge areas to audio/video systems, the Kohl Center provides everything under one roof. In addition to the competition floor, the Kohl Center houses state-of-the-art practice facilities, the Fetzer Academic Center, athletic training and rehabilitation facilities, strength and conditioning training areas, newly remodeled locker rooms, and coaching staff offices.

Physical Activity Level: Medium

Note: This activity is only offered during Sessions I and III.

The Leonard R. Ingersoll Wonders of Physics Museum was conceived by Professor Snow and Professor Ingersoll in 1917 and was fully established in 1918 when the construction of Sterling Hall was completed. The establishment of this museum, known at the time as the Historical Museum, made it one of the first of its kind in the country that focused on physics. Following Professor Ingersoll’s death in 1958, the physics department renamed the museum to Leonard R. Ingersoll Physics Museum to honor his dedication to the success of the museum. In 2024, the name was updated to the L. R. Ingersoll Wonders of Physics Museum. All exhibits are designed by the faculty and staff, then constructed by the departmental shops, staff, and students to give the visitor a hands-on experience of the physics concept and to put physics in the fingertips of the young.

Physical Activity Level: Medium

Memorial Library, opened in 1953, has more than 3 million books and 78 miles of shelving, making it the largest library in Wisconsin. On this tour of a major campus library, learn about just a few of the interesting (and unexpected!) resources available through the UW Libraries.

Physical Activity Level: Medium

Note: This field trip is only offered during Session III.

Check out the state-of-the-art recreational facility that is home to 30,000 square feet of fitness space, including eight courts, five studios, a 50-meter pool and diving well, and more.

Physical Activity Level: High

Note: This field trip is only offered during Session II.

Embark on a walking tour of the school and get a sneak peek into select portions of the veterinary medical teaching hospital.

Physical Activity Level: Medium

Note: This field trip is only offered during Session II.

Take a trip through historic Vilas Hall and University Theatre. Explore the many dressing rooms, costume shops, construction areas, and stages. University Theatre is inside Vilas Hall and took many years to complete in the 1970s. The result of the long construction period is an eclectic building with many twists, turns, and surprises.

Physical Activity Level: High

With its reconstructed dinosaurs, huge mastodon skeleton, colorful mineral samples, six-foot-diameter rotating globe, and walk-through model of a Wisconsin limestone cave, the Geology Museum has long been a favorite of both kids and adults.

Physical Activity Level: Low

Take a guided tour of the police department. Participants will be able to interact with UWPD specialty units, including the Mounted Unit (horses), Therapy Dog Program, K9 Unit, Motorcycle Unit, Bike Unit, and Drone Unit.

Physical Activity Level: Medium

Note: This field trip is only offered during Session III.

Tour the historic Washburn Observatory, one of the most important astronomical observatories west of the Appalachians when it was built in 1877. If the weather is favorable, participants may have the opportunity to take part in some solar observing.

Physical Activity Level: Medium