As you spend the next few years or months at Cal State Long Beach, there are certain things on campus that deserve a visit before you leave. The campus is riddled with sculptures, gardens and iconic architecture, some more hidden than others. Between classes, extracurriculars and midterms, make sure you make time to see the top ten CSULB landmarks.
Walter Pyramid: The iconic Walter Pyramid was built Nov. 30, 1994, but did not receive its name until over a decade later on March 5, 2005. The pyramid stands 18 stories high, hosts basketball and volleyball games and sees about 200,000 visitors annually. CSULB students have taken the pyramid as the school’s beloved secondary mascot.
Prospector Pete: The bronze statue located between the LA4 and LA5 buildings not only serves as the school’s mascot, but as a superstitious finals tradition. Students rub the foot of Prospector Pete the night before their final at 7:49 p.m. for good luck. It is also common to see Prospector Pete decorated in accordance to any holidays or used as a prop for student protest happening on campus.
Water Tower: One of the most popular CSULB landmarks, the water tower sporting “Go Beach!” can be seen from almost anywhere on campus. The tower used to be known as the Veteran’s Affair Tower and was painted plain white. The “Go Beach!” slogan was not added to the tower until the fall of 2000.
Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden: Acting as a place of serenity on campus, the Japanese fish garden is located between the Parkside dorms and Lot 16. At just over 1.5 acres, the gardens include Japanese greenery, a Koi pond and a traditional tea house. It was donated to the school by Mrs. Loraine Miller Collins in the spring of 1981 in honor of her late husband, Earl Burns Miller.
“Now” Sculpture: Commonly referred to as the whale sculpture, the stainless steel piece was donated to CSULB in 1965 by the International Sculpture Symposium, along with eight other pieces scattered around campus. The Now Sculpture is located outside of the Coffee Bean on the stairway between upper and lower campus.
Carlson Bloc Bell Tower: The white bell tower located in the bookstore quad was built in 1972. Music coming from the tower can be heard from speakers located at the top of the McIntosh Humanities Building throughout the day.
CSULB sign: The signs facing Atherton Street from campus are the first thing that greets visitors and students alike. The CSULB sign is most known as acting for an Instagram-perfect backdrop for incoming and graduating students.
Lymon Lough Fountain: Meant to resemble water molecules, the water sculpture is more commonly referred to as the H20 fountain. It doubles as a picture location for graduating students and frequently, as a home for the roaming ducks on campus.
McIntosh Humanities Building: The McIntosh Humanities Building holds a number of department and faculty offices and some cramped elevators, but the outside of the building is what makes it notable. The McIntosh building has bars on the outside of both sides, making it resemble what the inside of a toaster would look like. Standing nine stories high, the building is hard to miss and is arguably the most interesting looking building on campus.
U as a Set: The sculpture located outside of the McIntosh building facing the shuttle station, includes both the copper pipes and the water backdrop behind it. The design created by the water and pipes creates a constantly moving image on the brick wall. The water surrounding the sculpture also houses the ducks that roam the campus. The mixture of ducks, sound of running water and design on the brick wall make for a peaceful place to rest in between classes.