University of Missouri, Public research university in Columbia, United States.
The University of Missouri is a public research institution in Columbia covering 1,262 acres (511 hectares) with more than three hundred buildings. The campus includes laboratory facilities for science and engineering, residence halls, and several libraries connected by a central quadrangle and open grounds.
Founded in 1839, this was the first public university established west of the Mississippi River. After a fire destroyed the main building, the current layout took shape in the early twentieth century.
The so-called Columns are the remaining pillars of the original main building and mark the symbolic center of campus today. Students gather there between classes and use the spot as a meeting point for events or protest.
Most academic buildings are open to the public during daytime hours and the campus is easy to explore on foot. The grounds cover a large area though, so a shuttle bus service or a bicycle helps in moving between different zones more quickly.
On the grounds stands a research reactor considered the most powerful among all university reactors in the United States. It produces medical isotopes and supports engineering research while being housed in a specially secured area within the campus.
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