University of California

The state legislature chartered the University of California in 1868 as the founding campus of the state university system and established it five years later on a rising plain of oak trees split by Strawberry Creek. Frederick Law Olmsted, who designed New York City's Central Park, proposed the first campus plan. University architects over the years have included Bernard Maybeck as well as Julia Morgan, who designed Hearst Castle at San Simeon. The central campus occupies 178 acres, bound by Bancroft Way to the south, Hearst Avenue to the north, Oxford Street to the west, and Gayley Road to the east. With more than 30,000 students and a full-time faculty of 1,400, the university, known simply as "Cal," is one of the leading intellectual centers in the United States and a major site for scientific research.

The Berkeley Visitor Information Center (University Hall, Room 101, 2200 University Ave., at Oxford St. 510/642-5215. Weekdays 8:30-4:30) is the starting point for the free, student-guided tours of the campus, which last 1 1/2 hours and start at 10 on weekdays. (Weekend tours depart from Sather Tower, below.)

Student-guided campus tours leave from Sather Tower, the campus landmark popularly known as the Campanile, at 10 on Saturday and 1 on Sunday. The 307-foot structure, modeled on St. Mark's Tower in Venice and completed in 1914, can be seen for miles. The carillon is played daily at 7:50 AM, noon, and 6 PM and for an extended 45-minute concert Sunday at 2. Take the elevator up 175 feet; then walk another 38 steps to the observation deck for a view of the campus and a close-up look at the iron bells, each of which weighs up to 10,500 pounds. South of University Dr. $2. Weekdays 10-4, Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-1:30 and 3-5.

Sproul Plaza (Telegraph Ave. and Bancroft Way), just inside the U.C. Berkeley campus border on Bancroft Way, was the site of several free-speech and civil-rights protests in the 1960s. Today a lively panorama of political and social activists, musicians, and students show off Berkeley's flair for the bizarre. Preachers orate atop milk crates, amateur entertainers bang on makeshift drum sets, and protesters distribute leaflets about everything from marijuana to the Middle East. No matter what the combination, on weekdays when school is in swing, it always feels like a carnival. Walk through at noon for the liveliest show of student spirit.

The collection of the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology counts almost 4 million artifacts, of which fewer than 1% are on display at any time. The Native Californian Cultures gallery showcases items related to the native peoples of California. Changing exhibits may cover the archaeology of ancient America or spotlight the museum's especially strong ancient Egyptian holdings. Mood music enhances the experience. Kroeber Hall, Bancroft Way, at end of College Ave. 510/642-3682. hearstmuseum.berkeley.edu. Free; guided tour $5. Wed.-Sat. 10-4:30, Sun. noon-4.

The University of California, Berkeley Art Museum & Pacific Film Archive has an interesting collection of works that spans five centuries, with an emphasis on contemporary art. Changing exhibits line the spiral ramps and balcony galleries. Look for the museum's enormous orange-red statue of a man hammering, which can be seen from the outside when strolling by its floor-to-ceiling windows. Don't miss the museum's series of vibrant paintings by abstract expressionist Hans Hofmann in the main gallery. On the ground floor, the Pacific Film Archive has a library and hosts discussions and programs about historic and contemporary films, but the exhibition theater is across the street at 2575 Bancroft Way, near Bowditch Street. The downstairs galleries, which house rotating exhibits, are always free. The museum's raw foods café is famous, and you can also find some cooked options, too. 2626 Bancroft Way, entrance to theater at 2575 Bancroft Way between College and Telegraph. 510/642-0808; 510/642-1124 film-program information. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu. $8. Wed. and Fri.-Sun. 11-5, Thurs. 11-7.

Thanks, to Berkeley's temperate climate, about 13,500 species of plants from all over the world flourish in the 34-acre University of California Botanical Garden. Free garden tours are given Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday at 1:30. Benches and shady picnic tables make this a relaxing place to take in breathtaking views. 200 Centennial Dr. 510/643-2755. botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu. $5, free 1st Thurs. of month. Memorial Day-Labor Day, Mon. and Tues. 9-5, Wed.-Sun. 9-8; rest of yr, daily 9-5. Closed 1st Tues. of month.

At the fortresslike Lawrence Hall of Science, a dazzling hands-on science center, kids can look at insects under microscopes, solve crimes using chemical forensics, and explore the physics of baseball. On weekends there are special lectures, demonstrations, and planetarium shows. The museum runs a popular (and free) stargazing program, which is held on the first and third Saturday of each month, weather permitting. (Call for times.) Centennial Dr. near Grizzly Peak Blvd. 510/642-5132. www.lawrencehallofscience.org. $9.50. Daily 10-5.