Campus and Location
Student Residence
The Howard Center is the hub of the campus including the dining room, The Pub (snack & dairy bar), the bookstore, mailboxes and other offices.
Each classroom carries a unique national theme including the Arabia Room, Japan Room, England Room, Russian Room and more.
Volleyball at Brooks House, a student residence.
Modern science classrooms, a greenhouse, computer labs, solar car workshop, natural history museum, mammoth dig head quarters, and the state of the art Wannamaker Lecture Hall
The new sports center including an indoor track, two full courts, the Natatorium (pool), weight room, team meeting rooms, and coaches offices.
Pumping iron at the Coach Crafton Athletic Center.
Student Residence
Built in 1998, the campus observatory provides an amazing window to the heavens.
Student Residence
The Rackham House, a student residence, living room.
Student Residence
The hub of campus research, many quiet study nooks, cozy couches, meeting rooms, oh, and lots of books, magazines and newspapers.
Students show their art work in Radford Gallery.
Student Residence
Bernard Maybeck, the chief architect of the campus visioned the campus as an English village in the Tudor Style. But first, Maybeck had to play with some design and structural concepts before designing and constructing some of the beautiful building on campus. Enter the Mistake House, Maybecks testing ground. This little cottage is nestled on the Chapel Green and has been used for academic offices.
Student Residence
Looking out over the Mississippi river.
The Merrick Wing is home to the music, theater, and Mass Comm programs. Facilities include a small black box theater, a music performance hall, the campus TV & radio stations, the campus newspaper office (The Principia Pilot), classrooms and faculty offices.
One of the original gymnasiums on campus, the Morey Field House has been redesigned to support dance, theater and other indoor activities.
A quiet place on campus to get away from the hustle and bustle of college life and a place to meet with a Christian Science Nurse if any sort of help or support is needed.
Our 2,600-acre campus—featuring the world’s largest collection of buildings designed by renowned architect Bernard Maybeck—sits atop limestone bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River. Our residential campus welcomes students from around the country and the world from all faith backgrounds.
We’re located in Elsah, Illinois, just 45 minutes from downtown St. Louis, Missouri. Principia College boasts two field houses, a state-of-the-art Science Center, newly-renovated School of Government, multiple performing arts spaces, a library with outstanding research and art collections, and a beautiful, stately limestone chapel.
Our campus is open for admissions visits, public tours, and we host many events that are open to the community.
Planning to visit the campus?
Learn more about local accommodations and our guest house.
The Principia College campus is also open to the public for visits and tours.
Hours for Campus Tours
Monday–Saturday: 10:00 a.m.–Sunset
Sunday: Noon–Sunset
For guided tours please contact the College President's office by email or call 618.374.5148.
Principia College welcomes students of all faith backgrounds who share these values and would like to grow spiritually, academically, and personally. If you know a student who would be a good fit for Principia, refer them here; if Principia College sounds like the right place for you, learn more about applying here.