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51��Ƶ-Dearborn has more than classes — it’s full of enjoyable activities and unique experiences. And the summer, a quieter season on campus, is a great time to visit the university.

Check out these five fun things (most are free!) to do at 51��Ƶ-Dearborn this summer.

Get out and play some games.

On a nice sunny day, head to a grassy area with a giant Jenga or ladder golf — or, on a rainy one, play some checkers or Uno in the newly renovated area of the Renick University Center. 

The Office of Student Life has many games the university has for students, faculty or staff to check out for the day. There are nearly 20 board games and five yard games to choose from. There are also waterproof picnic blankets available for checkout. “We offer this for something fun to do while on campus, as a way to connect with others, and as an activity for student organizations hosting events,” says Student Life Director Alex Bakhaus. 

Interested? Go to the Campus Involvement Hub (RUC 2190) with your MCard to check out the games. Games are available on a first-come first-served basis. For student organizations or departments interested in checking things out ahead of time for an event, there’s a request form . 

For a game that’s not quite as leisurely, consider pickleball — a popular sport that combines aspects of tennis, badminton and pingpong. There are a couple courts behind the Fieldhouse in parking Lot F. Want to play, but need equipment? The . Go to the lower level with your MCard. 

See a starry, starry night at the observatory.

People can stargaze through the telescopes on the observing deck of the Science Learning Research Center this summer. 51��Ƶ-Dearborn’s annual “Public Nights at the Observatory” events start on Friday, June 20 at the 51��Ƶ-Dearborn Observatory. Additional summer dates are June 27, July 18, July 25, Aug. 1, Aug. 15 and Aug. 25. For times, directions and future dates, go to the observatory’s website.

“During the summer, you can see stars, globular clusters and nebulae. Some of the prominent constellations of the summer sky are Lyra, Cygnus and Aquila, which are home to the three bright stars that make up the ‘Summer Triangle’ — Vega, Deneb and Altair respectively,” says retired Physics and Astronomy Lecturer Carrie Swift, who runs the observatory’s public events. “And, of course, if it’s up, you can observe the craters and maria of the Moon through a telescope. For many people, that is a highlight of their experience at the observatory.”

If staff levels permit, participants may take a brief tour of the observatory’s dome, which houses the observatory’s .4-meter telescope and learn more about how modern astronomical observations are made.

People are also encouraged to ask questions if they see anything interesting. Swift says educational outreach is a goal of the program. Observatory nights are free and open to the public. These events only take place if the sky conditions are favorable. Please check the website before coming to campus.

View art on campus.

The  is located at the center of campus, right on the first floor of the Mardigian Library. This summer there’s an exhibition by a 2011 51��Ƶ-Ann Arbor grad: “Laura Cavanagh: Perchance to Dream” runs through Aug. 10.  

The exhibit features two bodies of work from Cavanagh. In one, she creates artworks of imagined women in a collage-style that’s heavily influenced by portraiture from the Renaissance Era. In the other, she fabricates mid-20th century interior and exterior spaces that are inspired from Cavanagh’s personal memories of watching older films and television shows.

Art Curator and Gallery Manager Laura Cotton notes that the artist wants to take viewers on a visual odyssey, either to a time in history that they can recall firsthand or to a time they can only imagine. See Stamelos Gallery Center hours .

If you want to explore university art outdoors, there are sculptures displayed across campus grounds. In addition to planning exhibitions, Cotton is working with 51��Ƶ-Dearborn student interns in the university’s Art Collection and Exhibitions Department to research and gather information about these large artworks for future plaques. “Most of these sculptures had no information in our files and we've had to do a lot of digging and contact artists to find information on them,” Cotton says.

So far, they’ve learned that the welded bronze and copper tree-like sculpture outside of the ELB doors, “Nexus,” was a 1961 gift to campus from the Class of 1924 51��Ƶ-Ann Arbor engineers. They also discovered that "10 Stories," a tall rust-colored welded steel sculpture near the Social Sciences Building, was once at Chicago’s Navy Pier. That sculpture’s artist, Michigan Hot Glass Workshop founder Albert Young, wanted to merge shapes found in nature — like in honeycombs or flowers — with industrial materials. If you have information about campus sculptures that you’d like to share, reach out to Cotton.
 

Explore nature trails.

Don’t be a bump on the log — but see some wildlife friends who are when you walk the trails at the Environmental Interpretive Center.

EIC Naturalist Mike Solomon says it’s the time of year when turtles are often seen basking in the sun on the logs in the middle of Fair Lane Lake. “There’s always something new to see with the changing seasons. Right now, you can hear the frogs and see the turtles. The turtles are relaxing in the sun, just like I’d like to be,” he says. 

In addition to wildlife — which include a variety of birds that migrated to the EIC for the summer from locations around the world — walking the trails offers pretty sights like blooming flowers, along with fresh air and exercise. “For long weekends, people pack up and drive a few hours to go up north for what you can get right here,” Environmental Studies Area Manager Rick Simek says.

Anyone can walk the trails on their own from sunrise to sunset, but there are also opportunities for guided trail walks. Solomon is leading one later this month: “Photography in Nature Walk” will take place from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. June 26. He’ll point out interesting scenery, plants and wildlife to photograph. It’s BYOC — bring your own camera — and it’s OK to use your phone. Fancy equipment is not required. . If you photograph a butterfly, bee or other pollinating insect, consider entering the EIC’s . . Entries are accepted until Sept. 30, with winners announced by the end of October. Winners will receive EIC-made maple syrup.

If you want to walk the trails on your own, the EIC front desk has trail maps. You can also check out these articles highlighting sights along the campus trail around the lake and near the Henry Ford Estate. 

Grab a meal at the Canteen.

Right across from the university — it’s visible from the path near the CASL Building that takes main campus’ walkers and bikers across Evergreen Road — is a lunchtime spot that has picnic tables, an airy atmosphere with a canopy of outdoor lights, and a variety of food trucks.  is about a 10-minute walk from the university.

Marketing and Digital Strategy Director Bailey Ayers-Korpal says it’s a new favorite meet-up spot of hers. “The Canteen is a close-to-campus fun place with lots of food options for lunch with a colleague or to meet up with family and friends after work for dinner,” she says. “My personal favorite is a sandwich from The Terry Melt food truck.” Vendor food offerings currently include burgers and fries, shawarma, sushi, pasta bowls and desserts. If you don’t want to sit outside, there is also an indoor food hall.

In addition to good eats, a vibrant Dearborn mural is perfect for photos. There are also a variety of table games to borrow while you wait. If you are particularly good at chess, show off your gaming skills during a work-time break. Here’s a tip to know if you go: They don’t take plastic credit or debit cards. They accept cash at the food trucks or you can use tap-to-pay, like Venmo or ApplePay, through a QR code.

If you want to go for a longer walk, there are many restaurants in downtown west Dearborn — including Buddy’s Pizza, Ford's Garage and Paris Baguette, which took over the old Andiamo location — that you can get to by traveling the Rouge River Gateway Trail. There’s a sign that marks the trail, which can be accessed off Fair Lane Road between the Henry Ford Estate and the backside of the Fieldhouse.

Article by Sarah Tuxbury