The university has two campuses: The main campus off [[Ward Circle] and the Tenley Campus. The university also owns a few
buildings in the Tenleytown area, as well as the Washington College of Law building in Spring Valley.
Main Campus
American University's main campus occupies 84 acres in a residential neighborhood
in northwest Washington, D.C., at the intersection of Massachusetts and Nebraska Avenues—the top of Embassy Row. Highlights
of the 84-acre main campus include a main quadrangle surrounded by several academic buildings, six residential halls, a
5,000-seat arena, and an outdoor amphitheatre.The major and notable buildings are:
- Jack I. and Dorothy G. Bender Library and Learning Resources Center
- Mary Graydon Center, home to the main dining facilities, student organization offices, and the School of Communications.
A history of the building
- Abbey Joel Butler Pavilion, administrative offices for the Office of Campus Life
- Sports Center: Bender Arena, Reeves Aquatic Center
- School of International Services, ground broken by President Dwight Eisenhower. A new building is slated to begin construction in 2006.
- Hurst Hall, ground was broken for this first building in 1896 for what was to be the College of History.
- McKinley Building, had its cornerstone laid by President Theodore Roosevelt. Slated to become the new home to the School of Communications.
- Battelle-Tompkins Building, formerly the library until 1977 and now home to the College of Arts and Sciences.
- Ward Circle Building, built in 1968 as a home for the School of Government and Public Administration (now the School of
Public Affairs). The largest classroom building on campus.
- Kay Spiritual Life Center, a nondenominational place of worship built in 1963, it is the home to the University Chaplains and
is used for speeches and performances.
- Kogod School of Business, formerly the home to the Washington College of Law. Is set to annex the now empty Experimental
Theatre and Butler Instructional Center in 2006.
- Residences: There are 6 residence halls on the main campus, capable of housing approximately 3000 students. Anderson, Letts
and Centennial halls make up the southern cluster of residence halls, and Leonard, McDowell and Hughs halls make up the northern
cluster of residence halls.
Former buildings include:
- Leonard Learning Center/Cassell Center
- Clendenen Hall
Tenley Campus
This campus, formerly the Immaculate School, is located half a mile east of the main campus, and was purchased by American
University in 1987. During the academic year, Tenley Campus is home to the Washington Semester Program students, and during the
summer the residence halls are used for summer interns. Administrativelly, Tenley Campus is home to the Washington Semester
Program, the Office of Development, University Publications, and Media Relations.
- Capital Hall, the oldest and most ornate of the Tenley Campus buildings, it houses 170 students, a fitness center and the
stained glass chapel that is used for dance and music recitals.
- Congressional Hall, with 156 students, contains the central reception desk for the Tenley Campus
- Federal Hall, housing 107 students, contains the mail room and the cafeteria on its first floor.
- Dunblane House, a small administrative building.
- Constituion Building, an administrative building.
- A sports field used for intramural sport matches.
