When it comes to bright lights and big stages, MSU’s campus is home to a wide range of venues for Spartan performers to showcase their talents. From the torrent of noise reverberating through Spartan Stadium on a Saturday to the intimately elegant recital halls in the Billman Music Pavilion, this edition of the Week in Photos lifts the curtain on the world class spaces where students, athletes and performers from across the globe create magical moments for the MSU community. Check out our first installment in this photo series that highlights the spaces on campus that continue to transform higher education.
*Updated March 2025.
Wharton Center is home to two unique spaces — the Cobb Great Hall, with 2,254 seats to accommodate large concerts and performances and the Pasant Theatre, a 585-seat venue with a thrust stage that allows for a more intimate connection between audiences and performers. Photo by Randall Fields.
The MSU Auditorium is a unique venue on campus, housing five niche performance spaces, including the Fairchild Theatre, Concert Auditorium, Arena Theatre, Studio 60 Theatre and Acting Studio. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
While the Auditorium offers the ability to host a dynamic range of events, it shines brightest when students take center stage. In particular, Fairchild Theatre a staple venue for the Department of Theatre and the College of Music, including Music’s MSU Opera Theatre annual productions such as "Don Giovanni" (pictured). Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
Completed in 2020, the Billman Music Pavilion is a symphony of sophisticated design and modern amenities. The pavilion adds 37,000 square feet to the Music Building, a 40% increase in available space. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
Once inside, musicians and visitors alike will find rehearsal spaces with advanced acoustics, including Murray Hall, a state-of-the-art jazz and chamber music space with perfect soundproofing.. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
Since its opening in 1989, the Breslin Student Events Center has hosted both Spartan basketball teams for a combined nine final four appearances and a national championship. Housing the 4,000-member Izzone student section, along with additional seating for 10,000 fans, the Breslin Center’s charged atmosphere rivals any other arena in the country. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
Jenison Field House stands as a reminder of athletic success both past and present. Completed in 1940 under the New Deal Public Works of Art Project, the art deco arena sent off Magic Johnson and the 1979 men’s basketball team to a national championship win. Recently, Jenison has witnessed the MSU gymnastics team clinch back-to-back Big Ten titles. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
Today, Jenison Field House serves as a multifunctional space that can accommodate a variety of events, including gymnastics, wrestling, classes and even special student group celebrations. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
Investing in future success drove the recent Munn Ice Arena expansion, which was completed in 2022. Munn’s “new front door” opens to the Ron Mason Hall of History and renovated team facilities. A new locker room, weight room and player lounge inspire recruits and provide space for players to hone their craft. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
For 50 years, Munn Ice Arena has served MSU hockey well. To date, the arena has witnessed two national championships, a 323-straight-game sellout streak from 1985 to 2004 and, most recently, a 2024 Big Ten regular season championship. Photo courtesy of MSU Athletic Communications.
Connecting MSU’s campus to the heart of Michigan’s agricultural community is the Michigan Farm Bureau Pavilion at MSU, a facility with a 2,000-seat arena, auditorium, exhibit area and campground. Photo by Tom Gennara.
Built in 1996, the Michigan Farm Bureau Pavilion at MSU hosts over 100 events a year including the Spartan Stampede rodeo, the Michigan Livestock Expo and a multitude of 4-H and Future Farmers of America, or FFA, events. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
There are few, if any, spots on campus more synonymous with MSU than Spartan Stadium. For 100 years Spartan Stadium has welcomed fans to watch the Spartan football team battle on the gridiron. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
Though Spartan Stadium has changed quite a bit over the years — from a set of wooden bleachers to support a budding program to a 75,005-seat superstructure for a national brand — the exuberant Spartan energy within its walls remains constant. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
As Michigan’s largest performing arts venue, the Wharton Center for Performing Arts hosts large-scale Broadway productions and concerts by the Lansing Symphony Orchestra, as well as programs and performances that bring new perspectives on arts and academics to the stage. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
Wharton Center is home to two unique spaces — the Cobb Great Hall, with 2,254 seats to accommodate large concerts and performances and the Pasant Theatre, a 585-seat venue with a thrust stage that allows for a more intimate connection between audiences and performers. Photo by Randall Fields.
The MSU Auditorium is a unique venue on campus, housing five niche performance spaces, including the Fairchild Theatre, Concert Auditorium, Arena Theatre, Studio 60 Theatre and Acting Studio. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
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