For guests on campus with some time to spare, the Monte L. Bean museum is one of the many fun options.
Along with its academic focus BYU plays host to a number of fun features for students and guests alike to enjoy. Here are a few BYU specialties to complete any visit.
Eat a mint brownie
BYU's traditional mint brownie can be purchased at multiple locations, including the Creamery on Ninth and the Cougar Cafe inside the Wilkinson Student Center. The famous treat features a thick, moist chocolate brownie with mint frosting and a fudge coating on top, all for $1.25.
Visit the BYU Museum of Paleontology
The BYU Department of Geological Sciences' Museum of Paleontology opened in 1976 and features rock and dinosaur fossils collected by James A. Jensen and crews from BYU, including a few full skeletons and tyrannosaurus rex and triceratops skulls. The museum's website reports that the fossils come from areas of Utah, Colorado, Montana and Wyoming. The museum is located on the northwest corner of University Parkway and Canyon Road and is open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free.
Have lunch at the Museum of Art
The MOA Cafe serves lunch on the second floor of the BYU Museum of Art from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. The cafe serves soups, salads and desserts such as carrot cake and cheesecake, which patrons can eat while overlooking the main lobby of the Museum of Art. Lunch can always be preceded or followed by a walk through the museum's current art displays.
Relax at Studio 1030
Studio 1030 is located in the basement of the Wilkinson Student Center and features a wide variety of hair styling and skin treatments. Have a free hour? Enjoy a relaxing manicure for $15 or a pedicure for $25. Call 801-422-1030 to set an appointment.
Go bowling at the Wilkinson Student Center
The Wilkinson Student Center also features the BYU Bowling and Games Center. Prices for bowling depend on age and time of day, and range from $2.50 to $3.75 per person per game. The center also hosts a number of classic arcade games, from Pac-man to air hockey to skee ball and is located next to BYU's new lounge and restaurant The Wall.
Experience nature at the Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum
The Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum is located on the north side of campus, just east of the Marriott Center, and has hundreds of taxidermic animals from lions to polar bears on display. Hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. Admission is free. The museum hosts public live animal shows daily at 7:30 p.m., with an extra show Monday at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday shows at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. The Museum opened in 1978 and was recently renovated from 2012 to 2014.