Vanderbilt University, founded in 1873 by Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, occupies a 330-acre wooded campus immediately west of downtown — a national arboretum in its own right, with more than 300 species of mature trees scattered through the quads. The original campus buildings around Library Lawn are Collegiate Gothic in style; later additions include the modernist Sarratt Student Center and the strong Vanderbilt University Fine Arts Gallery.
A small map at the Kirkland Hall quad guides visitors on a self-guided arboretum walk. The campus is open to the public, with cafes and the gallery (free admission) inside. The Vanderbilt Bell Tower rings the hours; Memorial Gymnasium is a college-basketball landmark.