Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/43043
play around town Back to School...For a Night Enjoy the university life (sans homework and back-breaking book bags) with a sampling of free activities on campus Lecture learning: Though a lecture hall may spark flashbacks of note-taking and napping, in the post-grad world, free lectures are a great way to keep your intellectual wheels turning. Each year the Wisconsin Union Directorate brings in movers and shakers from various fields to partake in the renowned Distin- guished Lecture Series. Held in various buildings around campus, look for a 2011-2012 series schedule to be released this fall. The science-minded will want to explore the free Wednesday Nite @ the Lab presentations throughout the year where local researchers from all fields of science reveal their current work. While news junkies will enjoy the monthly Global Hotspots lecture series where faculty experts take you beyond current headlines. Not to be for- gotten, Edgewood College also offers a range of public lectures and offerings are updated throughout the year. Majoring in museums: Tucked away in the hallowed halls of the UW-Madison campus, several small museums showcase the big ideas shaping work in the various university departments. Dig deeper into the world of ancient fossils, rocks and dinosaurs at the Geology Museum, which is open to the public Monday through Saturday. If you're still trying to figure out what Einstein's E=MC2 really means, guided tours of the L.R. Ingersoll Physics Museum in- side Chamberlin Hall might help. But some of the best learning is done outside of campus, and the UW Arboretum's tours and walks offer a great way to do just that. Both free and paid public outings are hosted weekly for a variety of age groups. Visit bravamagazine.com for more details. 64 BRAVA Magazine September 2011 Photo by Bryce Richter/University of Wisconsin-Madison