2026 Dates
May 15 (12 – 6 p.m.)
May 16, 18, 22, 26 (9 a.m. – 3 p.m.)
June 1, 30 (9 a.m. – 3 p.m.)
Option 1: Drop Off at the Circularity Center (WashU North Campus, 700 Rosedale Ave, Dock B)
Option 2: Schedule a Donation Pick Up
Public Historian Amanda Clark will look at the powerful 1811–1812 New Madrid earthquakes and the unexpected ways in which well-meaning disaster relief efforts reshaped St. Louis.
The Gaylord Music Library will close in May 2026 after sixty-six years. Completed in 1960, the library was a significant milestone in WashU’s growth and has since served as the focal point for the preservation, understanding, and study of music history and material culture. Funds for the music library were donated by Catherine Gaylord in memory of her husband Clifford W. Gaylord who served on Washington University’s Board of Directors from 1941 until 1953.
Hannah Szlyk, PhD, LCSW, will present a seminar titled, "Developing digital health interventions for and with the greater St. Louis Community."
Dr. Szlyk is a PhD-level clinical social worker who specializes in how technology can be responsibly used to promote behavioral and mental health equity. Her work is at the intersections of implementation science, human-centered design, anti-oppressive practice, and community-based research. She both develops and tests digital health tools and interventions for patient populations that are often less prioritized within the current healthcare system. Dr. Szlyk also consults for the health tech industry and with policy makers on AI, mental health safety, and behavioral health promotion.
Zoom Registration: https://wustl-hipaa.zoom.us/meeting/register/LGziqmeBRaG8uYRVSIJ2Zw
A historical person is no longer able to speak for themselves, but what they leave behind can offer contextual clues about their life. Through Julia’s personal items, visitors are immersed in Julia’s dual role as a family-oriented woman and public figure. Historian and Curator Nick Sacco will discuss the challenges in curating such an important exhibit containing over 30 artifacts, including the oldest known photograph of Julia from the early 1850s, written correspondence throughout her life, a first edition copy of her personal memoir, items from her 1848 wedding, and other personal items from her time as First Lady and during her World Tour (1877-1879). The exhibit will officially open following the opening lecture and visitors are invited to be among the first to explore a collection that has been assembled for the first time. The exhibit will run through September 30, 2026 in the museum rotunda.
The program is free. Call 314-842-1867 ext. 230 for reservations.
Join us for an evening of songs and arias featuring our talented Young Artists in the inaugural season of the Arch City Opera Project. Performers include current students from SIUE, Webster University, and Tessitura Music, showcasing the next generation of emerging vocal artists in the St. Louis region.
This event is free and open to the public. Donations are welcome and will help support our season offerings and future programming.
Google said it is ready to outline community investments and infrastructure commitments tied to a data center project the tech giant plans in rural Missouri, about an hour from St. Louis.
Google said it will make an announcement next week about its planned investment in Montgomery County, marking a key milestone for the second massive data center planned in the county, west of St. Louis. Amazon previously committed to building a $35 billion data center next to the future Google site, which would be built by design-build firm Clayco.
Montgomery County officials have been working with Google on a proposed data center campus known as “Project Spade,” a large-scale development planned on more than 900 acres near the Interstate 70 and Highway 19 interchange. Materials published by Montgomery County describe a multi-building data center campus designed with closed-loop, non-evaporative air cooling technology intended to limit water use and reduce environmental impact. Data centers, including in the region, have faced pushback amid environmental and other concerns.
The project is expected to include multiple data center buildings and supporting infrastructure, with construction potentially beginning as soon as late 2026. Project information from Montgomery County indicates the development could create thousands of construction jobs and hundreds of permanent jobs, and would represent a significant long-term investment in the county’s tax base and utility infrastructure.
After a violent storm, travelers wash ashore on a mysterious island where nothing is quite as it seems. Ruled by Prospero – a mother and sorcerer haunted by betrayal – the island becomes a place where old wounds resurface. As tensions rise between Prospero, her daughter, and the brother who stole her future, magic, romance, and mischief bloom. The Tempest is a spellbinding story of forgiveness, love, and finding your way home.
Every single night, Shakespeare in the Park is FREE to attend and open to all, no tickets or reservations required. Pre-paid reserved seats are an ideal way to save your spot on the lawn in advance AND support the Festival's mission of bringing free, high-quality theater to the community.
PLAN YOUR VISIT
6:30 p.m. - Shakespeare Glen opens
8:15 p.m. - The Tempest begins
Dinner and drinks are available on-site, provided by Steve's Hot Dogs and The Fountain on Locust, beginning at 6:30 p.m. The menu features a selection of sandwiches, salads, hotdogs, and both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Guests are welcome to bring in their own refreshments as well, but please avoid any glass containers.
Reserve seats: https://stlshakes.my.salesforce-sites.com/ticket/#/events/a0SUh00000JEUMfMAP
At a defining moment for public health in the United States, Washington University in St. Louis has received a $200 million commitment to fortify its newly established School of Public Health. The landmark investment, the largest in WashU history, will help the nation meet current and future public health challenges. The gift is being made by the Bursky Family Foundation, established by Andrew M. Bursky, chair of the WashU Board of Trustees, and his wife, Jane M. Bursky, both alumni and longtime supporters of the university. The school will be named the Andrew M. and Jane M. Bursky School of Public Health and is the first of its kind launched since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Musicians from the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra present a powerful program at CAM exploring the convergence of music and contemporary art. This musical selection takes inspiration from CAM’s spring/summer exhibitions, And I Saw New Heavens and a New Earth: The Partnership, Art, and Activism of Claude Cahun and Marcel Moore and Andrea Carlson: Endless Sunshine, to explore themes of memory and erasure in our relationships to place, land, and home. How does music allow us to honor our connections to the people and places of our past, as well as the fullness of joy and pain they hold?
Tickets are $20 for general admission or $10 for students and artists.
Ticket: https://shop.slso.org/9536
Schedule
This Perspectives session is dedicated to Mental Health Awareness Month. This isn’t another talk on “self-care” (no bubble baths required). We’re diving into how we can structurally change our routines to support a more sustainable, fulfilling way of working and living. Lunch will be provided.
RSVP is encouraged to help ensure we have enough food!
What We’ll Explore
The Resilience Link: Understanding how our daily habits impact our self-worth and our relationships.
Trust & Collaboration: How building a supportive community actually enhances our collective output.
Reimagining Productivity: Shifting the focus from “doing more” to “being well,” so we can show up better for ourselves and each other.
Share Our Stuff (SOS) is WashU’s annual move-out collection drive. This university-wide effort is designed to make it easy for all students to donate their unwanted items at move-out in a manner that benefits our community and keeps usable goods out of the landfill.
These sales feature a wide assortment of materials donated by students living in on-campus housing. We typically receive clothes, bedding, dishware, small apartment and kitchen items. We do not anticipate having furniture, mini-fridges or microwaves.
Sales are open to WashU students and recent alumni, employees, basic service contractors, and families of students in WashU’s College Prep program. WashU ID is required.
Event Times:
Event Location: Mudd Multipurpose Room, Mudd Residential Hall, South 40 Campus (ground level)
Prices: On May 19, all weighed items will be priced at $1/lb higher than usual for our first-access sale. This pricing reflects early access to the best selection. Join us on May 20 and 21 for standard pricing.
St. Louis was an active stop on the Underground Railroad with its close proximity to the free state of Illinois. One of St. Louis's most prominent conductors on the Underground Railroad was Mary Meachum. The widow of a free, black minister John Berry Meachum spent years with her husband teaching both free and enslaved blacks how to read and write, defying Missouri law. In May 1855, Mary led a boat of freedom-seekers on a midnight crossing of the Mississippi River toward Alton, Illinois. Upon arriving at shore, the party was met by law enforcement and all arrested, including Meachum. While the fates of most of the enslaved are unknown, Mary was released from custody shortly after the event and never charged. Local Meachum historian Angela DaSilva will discuss the St. Louis and the Underground Railroad and the brave individuals who sought to help those seeking freedom in a free state.
On the first anniversary of the tornado of May 16, 2025, this program creates space to remember, document, and move forward—centering youth voices, community resilience, and collective healing. Through storytelling, performance, resource connection, and creative activation, the day will bridge reflection and action, ensuring that lived experiences are preserved while supporting pathways toward recovery and renewal.
The formal program takes place at the Missouri History Museum from 10:30–11:45am. Arrive early to check out resource tables and share stories in the digital reflection booth. Once the program concludes at the Museum, guests are invited to continue the day of commemoration at Delmar DivINe in the afternoon.
9:30–10:30am | Lower Level
10:30–10:50am | Welcome and Grounding | Lee Auditorium
10:50–11:05am | Remember, Relaunch, Rebuild, Recover with Resilience | Lee Auditorium
11:05–11:30am | Youth Rising Showcase | Lee Auditorium
11:30–11:40am | Closing Remarks & Community Call to Action
11:40am–12:00pm | Exit & Transition to Delmar DivINe
MADE Makerspace Address: 5127 Delmar Blvd., 63108.
This program is presented by the African American History Initiative at the Missouri Historical Society, the St. Louis chapter of the NAACP, Delmar Main Street, the American Red Cross, the Spirit of St. Louis Task Force, and MADE Makerspace.
May 14 -16. WashU Softball Field
Thursday, May 14
Game 1: WashU vs. Capital - 11 am
Game 2: UW-Oshkosh vs. Illinois College - 1:30 pm
Friday, May 15
Game 3: Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner - 11 am
Game 4: Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser - 1:30 pm
Game 5: Game 4 Winner vs. Game 3 Loser - 4 pm
Saturday, May 16
Game 6: Game 3 Winner vs Game 5 Winner - 11 am
Game 7: If necessary - 1:30 pm
In deja vu from a season ago, the Bears defeated No. 13 Kenyon 4-0 on Saturday to earn the bid to the championship site.
Come hear the rich and inspiring history of African Americans in St. Louis, ranging from the city’s founding as a French fur trading post through the Spanish colonial era to the new millennium. Authors Calvin Riley and NiNi Harris discuss their book Black St. Louis, which highlights great figures who showed leadership, incredible innovation, and courage despite the injustices they faced.
Calvin is an educator who, along with his wife, amassed a collection of Black memorabilia dating back 250 years, now on display at the George B. Vashon Museum of African American History. Nini has authored 18 books on St. Louis history, from explorations of historic neighborhoods and parks to volumes on immigrants and Black St. Louisans.
Learn about our efforts to conserve endangered species, both here at the Zoo and across the world. Find out what seemingly small actions can make a big difference. Speak to experts in animal care, research and more.
The Bears earn the UAA's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament and will find out on Monday at 11 a.m. CT whom they will face and where.
While on campus for her 50th Reunion, alumna Ellen Barker, AB ’76, will be promoting the first book in her new St. Louis-based series. Free and open to all.
https://stlouis.washu.edu/calendar_event/author-event-ellen-barker-and-joan-fernandez/
May 13, 2026, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Subterranean Books, 6271 Delmar Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63130
Ellen Barker’s new novel, Nothing North of Delmar, takes place in UCity in the Bicentennial summer of 1976. She will be in conversation with local author Joan Fernandez, whose 2025 novel Saving Vincent takes place in Europe in the 1890s. Their protagonists are separated in time and space, but both are stories of women who take agency with societal gatekeepers. Ellen and Joan are both believers in the power of fiction to impart history under the guise of entertainment.
Copies of both authors’ books will be available for purchase and signing at the event.
May 15, 2026 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Danforth Campus Bookstore, Mallinckrodt Center, Danforth University Center
Alumna Ellen Barker, AB ’76, is back on campus for her 50th reunion and will be at the Danforth Campus Bookstore for a signing of her latest novel, Nothing North of Delmar. This is the first book in a new St. Louis-based series about Novelle, a WashU economics graduate student who loves problem sets—until she discovers a segregationist plot right in her backyard. Now she wants to do something about it.
Like the main character of her book, Ellen Barker lived in the Delmar Loop while attending WashU in the late '70s. Before life as an author, Ellen worked as an urban planner with East-West Gateway in St. Louis, later moving to California. She has published three earlier novels: East of Troost, Still Needs Work, and The Breaks, all set in Kansas City, MO. She and husband Tom Shoup, MA '77, PhD '81, a physics alumnus, live in Los Altos. They love WashU and visit often.