About St. Louis - Washington University in St. Louis

Washington University has grown to be a world-class research university with our roots firmly in St. Louis.

St. Louis skyline at night

We have come together throughout our mutual history, creating benefits and opportunities for everyone in the community.

St. Louis is a national hub for important research and business development, especially in the fields of biotechnology and plant science. Today, engineers, scientists, business leaders, educators, artists and other innovative and creative professionals here are working at the forefront of a multitude of fields and endeavors.

Living in St. Louis

Washington University faculty, staff and students are integral members of the St. Louis community.

The Danforth Campus sits at the convergence of the city of St. Louis, Clayton and University City, and the Medical Center is in the bustling Central West End neighborhood.

Students can opt to live off campus in our surrounding neighborhoods, including the Delmar Loop – called by the American Planning Association “One of the 10 Great Streets in America” – in The Lofts of WashU.

Washington University students have lunch and study at The Lofts

“St. Louis is a very livable city, offering an array of diverse opportunities without being overwhelming.”

– Marion Crain, Wiley B. Rutledge Professor of Law

Read the Insider’s Guide to Washington University in St. Louis and Our Surrounding Community (PDF).

Inspiration, Education, Recreation

There are more free, world-class attractions in St. Louis than any place in the nation outside of Washington, D.C.

Forest Park, the 1,400-acre park located between the Danforth and Medical campuses, offers space for a wide variety of activities. The historic park was the site of the 1904 World’s Fair and is still home to the Saint Louis Art Museum, the Saint Louis Zoo, the Missouri History Museum and the St. Louis Science Center.

“St. Louis is a wonderful community filled with a wide array of affordable entertainment options, cultural attractions, unique neighborhoods.”

– Brian Phillips, Executive Director, Washington University Medical Center Redevelopment Corporation

Explore the “Gateway to the West” on the Convention & Visitors Commission website.

Getting Around

Getting where you want to go in St. Louis is easy.

MetroLink, the area light rail system, connects Lambert Airport to the Danforth Campus, the Washington University Medical Center, North Campus, downtown St. Louis and the Metro East region of Illinois. The university provides many members of its community with free Metro passes that provide access to both Metro buses and the MetroLink light-rail system.

A Hub for Innovation

In 2002, the CORTEX Innovation district was formed by Washington University, BJC HealthCare, University of Missouri–St. Louis, Saint Louis University and the Missouri Botanical Garden as an anchor for St. Louis’ growing ecosystem of innovative startups.

Supporting the nation’s most promising technological advances with state-of-the-art facilities in an amenity-rich urban neighborhood, Cortex offers researchers custom lab and office space, a highly-trained tech workforce and access to venture capital.

Investing in St. Louis

We are an active part of the St. Louis community, helping to address community challenges, support school districts and other civic organizations, and bring considerable financial resources to the region.