Discover Local: NCSU Campus Part 1

NSCU Campus | 2 W Broughton Dr, Raleigh, NC 27695 (off Hillsborough St, located Behind D. H. Hill Jr. Library)

Hours:
Open all day, every day

Best time to visit?
The Brickyard, the Free Expression Tunnel, and the rest of NC State’s campus is less crowded on the weekends, during the holidays, over the summer, and in the evening.

Overview:
Whatever the weather may be, my kids love going to explore North Carolina State University’s campus! In fact, there are so many things for kids to see and do, that we are going to divide up our NCSU explorations in to multiple posts to make sure that we hit as many of the highlights as we can!  

The Brickyard The Brickyard at NCSU is a fun gathering place for students to grab a bite and hang out in between classes. The expansive, red and white crisscrossed-brick space is also a perfect spot for kids to run and play. My kids love to ride their scooters around campus, especially around The Brickyard. There’s a natural area with a circular path for them to ride around, where the cylindrical Harrelson Hall once stood. I like to sit on the steps in front of the food court or by the library, where I have a bird’s eye view to watch my little ones ride their scooters to their heart’s content.

Parabolic Reflectors My kids love to visit these red concrete "chairs" to whisper to one another across the green space--it’s like magic!  We always refer to these as the "whispering chairs" or the "sound chairs", but the official title is "parabolic reflectors". You can find them on the east side of The Brickyard. Simply have one person sit in the middle of each of the chairs and talk in a normal voice. The parabolic reflectors will amplify and focus the sound waves so that each person can hear the other one easily, even at a far distance away!

Free Expression Tunnel Another fantastical place to explore is the Free Expression Tunnel, located just to the south of the Brickyard. Simply head down the steps behind Dabney Hall, (beside the green space of the Williams Courtyard) to get to the tunnel. The tunnel runs under the railroad tracks. If you’re lucky, you can catch a train going by while you have a snack on one of the porch swings in the courtyard. Anyone is allowed to decorate the walls, the ceilings, the floor, and even the lights in the Free Expression Tunnel. My kids had such fun looking at all the graffiti everywhere! They could not believe that everything in sight was painted! Every time we go, we see something new and they never get tired of going to see what’s painted. The tunnel is a neat place to get unique pictures of your little ones. And if you are feeling adventurous, you can bring your spray paint and add to the existing artwork!

The campus at NC State is the perfect place to explore and for kids to burn off some energy. There are lots of corners of campus to visit, so pick an area and find some hidden treasures!! Check back soon for more fun spots to explore at NSCU!

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