Memorial Union is an Italianate Renaissance Revival-style complex built in 1926-28 at the University of Wisconsin–Madison on the south shore of Lake Mendota as a social and recreational gathering place for all students, designed partly to break down socioeconomic barriers. Before Memorial Union, the UW had no union; at its opening in 1928, then-President Glenn Frank said, "The Union is a living room, which converts the university from a house of learning to a home of learning."

On the building's north side is the Terrace, a popular outdoor space overlooking the lake. The UW's Union has gained a reputation as one of the most beautiful student centers on a university campus.

In 2015, the Union was placed on the National Register of Historic Places, considered significant as an early American college union, which was ground-breaking in supporting ideas of Progressive Era education. It is also considered significant for its association with its first director Porter Butts, who guided the Union's development from 1928 to 1968,

Around 1900 a new idea began to filter over from England - a college student union - a place where students from all corners could come together for extracurricular recreation and socialization, somewhat under the guidance of the university. In 1904 President Van Hise pitched establishing a college union at the UW as a way to develop well-rounded men:

The project had developed under the name "Wisconsin Men's Union," and was planned to be an all-male facility. Women at the UW already had Lathrop Hall as a social center. But the new union offered far more, and female students had actually supported the project more than male students. In the initial plans for the union in 1926, a small Ladies' Parlor and a few bathrooms were reserved for women, but that was all. After discussions in 1927, women were given much more access to the union, and the full name was changed from "Wisconsin Men's Union" to "Wisconsin Memorial Union". Women were still excluded from the games room, Paul Bunyan Room, Tripp Commons and the Rathskeller, but those bastions of manliness would gradually fall, until women were admitted to even the Rathskeller in 1947. The cafeteria was renovated again in 1982, and again later in 2002, when it was renamed the Lakefront on Langdon.

In 2005, a referendum to build a new Union South and to renovate Memorial Union failed, but a new referendum in 2006 approved the project. Construction began in summer of 2012 and wrapped up in September 2017. These renovations included a redesign of the Terrace, a renovation of the Wisconsin Union Theater, the addition of new restaurants and study spaces, and the addition of the 1.3-acre Alumni Park, which opened in fall of 2017, and the addition of an underground loading dock, which also serves the adjacent Red Gym and Pyle Center. These improvements were performed in two phases.

  • Phase I lasted from 2012 to 2014, renovating the west wing. A chunk connecting the theater to the main building was demolished and rebuilt in order to allow for a new elevator and to address accessibility issues. The Hoofers area was rebuilt too, and a new hallway was built out to the lakeshore. The Craftshop was relocated to the lower level, the Play Circle theater was rebuilt as a black box theater, a new entrance was added, a new reception area, and a new Sunset Lounge was added in front of the theater entrance. The main theater was renamed Shannon Hall.
  • Phase II renovated the central core and east wings and terrace, as well as converting the parking lot into Alumni Park. A new underground loading dock was built under the park, allowing direct connection to the basement kitchens and storage areas. The loading dock also was built to serve the adjacent Red Gym and Pyle Center which eliminated the above-ground loading docks. The interior renovation included the dining areas, basement kitchen, Rathskeller, Great Hall, Main Lounge, and Tripp Commons.

: Most of the Union and Terrace closed in September 2015. The Rathskeller remained open until February but the serving area was closed. A temporary sandwich bar called the Subskeller was installed.

: Much of the terrace reopened in May 2016 for graduation weekend, and the first floor/basement opened the following December. The remaining areas reopened in September 2017.

National Register recognition

In 2015 the Union was added to the National Register of Historic Places, considered significant in these ways:

  • Memorial Union is considered significant at a national level in the American college union movement, because it was groundbreaking among American college unions in serving the whole university community, including faculty, alumni, and women. Edith Humphreys, in her analysis of American college unions, considers Memorial Union to be an early exemplar of the Community Recreation stage of unions - not just a debating society or a men's club, but supporting the welfare and development of the student's whole person with extra-curricular activities outside of class.

The modern facility

thumb|The Terrace

Outside the main building is the Memorial Union Terrace, a stone outdoor dining and recreation area on the shore of Lake Mendota. The Terrace was designed by Peabody's daughter, Charlotte. It is a popular spot among students and local residents for socializing because of the backdrop of the lake, with its view of sailboats, and the sound of live music, usually free to the public in the evening. The Wisconsin Union Directorate funds music on the Terrace four nights a week in the summer, and on the Terrace or in der Rathskeller on weekends during the school year (depending on weather). Der Rathskeller directly connects the ground floor to the Terrace outside. Also on the ground floor are the Paul Bunyan Room and dining areas. Upstairs are the Beefeater Room and the Old Madison Room. The west wing of the Union houses the Wisconsin Union Theater and Wisconsin Hoofers.

The Daily Scoop sells Babcock ice cream made at the university. Peet's Coffee Shop is a privately managed operation that serves coffee and pastries. The Campus and Community Information desk acts as an information and referral resource. There is a small retail shop offers newspapers, apparel, and snacks. The Memorial Union Box Office offers ticketing for campus events as well as bus tickets for the Van Galder Bus Line. Memorial Union houses several restaurants and cafeterias. A catering department serves conferences, events for the university, and weddings of Union members, and the annual Tudor Dinners.

The Hoofers, an activity group headquartered in the Union, offer activities on Lake Mendota and other outdoor sites.

Adjacent to the Union and Terrace is the 1.3-acre Alumni Park. The park is an art gallery and museum displaying the accomplishments of Badgers throughout the 17 decades of the university. Beneath the park is an underground loading dock, which serves the Union as well as the adjacent Red Gym, Pyle Center, and Alumni House.

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File:Front of UW Memorial Union.jpg|Memorial Union main entrance in 2024

File:Memorial Union Terrace 2024.jpg|View of the Terrace in 2024

File:Lake Mendota Madison, WI.jpg|Hoofer Badger Sloops on Lake Mendota behind Memorial Union

File:Memorial-Union-Terrace-in-Madison -WI.mpg|The Terrace

File:Memorial Union 06-27-2015 2376 (19208938060).jpg|The Terrace

File:Summer solstice sunset - Madison WI - 06-21-2015 778 (19075952195).jpg|Summer solstice sunset from the Terrace, 2015

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References

  • Wisconsin Union website
  • The Wisconsin Union—The First 75 Years (1904-79), interviews with Wisconsin Union Director Porter F. Butts
  • Memorial Union in The Buildings of the University of Wisconsin