North Halls, offering its residents suites instead of standard dorms, is the smallest of the residence areas with only three residence halls -- giving way to some surprise that there are, in fact, people who live there. The area, sheltered away from much of the main campus hot spots, is close to several hidden gems on campus, including an art museum and spiritual center.

Warnock Commons

The commons is styled like the rest of the dining halls at the other residence commons, containing a salad bar, Penn State Creamery ice cream and a different meal each day.

Lisa Wandel, associate director of food services, noted one interesting option also available in North Halls: take-out food.

"As long as students can close the container, they can take food out with them to eat outside if it's nice or in their dorm," said Wandel.

The Dining Hall at Warnock is open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. from Sunday to Thursday.

BlueSpoon Deli

The BlueSpoon Deli is "a la carte," which means that meals are 65 percent off, a cash price discount, which Wandel considers "a phenomenal deal."

"Students love a lot of that food. Anyone can eat here; there is a nice menu," she said.

The BlueSpoon Deli consists of different stations.

The first station is called the Mixed Note, which is a chopped salad station featuring a different salad every day. Students can also create their own salad if they desire, Wandel said.

The second station is called Funk-A-Deli, which is a sub station where students can order specialized subs and sandwiches, Wandel said.

The third station is called World Beat, which features a different theme for lunch. Mondays are Mexican food; Tuesdays are Asian food; Wednesdays are Indian food; and Thursdays are Mediterranean food. For dinner, World Beat features Halal, which are meat entrees that require special preparation, cooking and serving, Wandel said. Food and drink classified as Halal are any food permissible to eat under the Muslim religion, according to the Islamic Services of America Web site.

The last station is called Mojo Grill.

Mojo Grill is the only station open for breakfast, featuring pancakes, French toast, omelets and sandwiches.

Wandel also said the deli has specialties such as crepes. For lunch and dinner, Mojo Grill serves burgers, French fries and cheesesteaks.

The BlueSpoon Deli is open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday. On Fridays, the Deli opens at 7 a.m. but closes at 9 p.m. On Saturdays and Sundays, Blue Spoon Deli is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. but does not serve breakfast.

Blue Chip Bistro

Located near North Halls on the first floor of the Business Building, the bistro serves pizza, soup, salad and sushi, according to the Blue Chip Bistro's Web site.

Peet's Coffee Bar serves coffee, tea and baked goods. The bistro is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Friday. Peet's Coffee Bar is open from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday. The Blue Chip Bistro is closed Saturday and Sunday.

Pasquerilla Spiritual Center-Eisenhower Chapel

The 30,000-square-foot spiritual center is located in 111C Eisenhower Chapel, according to its Web site.

The Pasquerilla Spiritual Center, named after Frank and Sylvia Pasquerilla, opened its doors on May 2, 2003, complete with a two-story auditorium and office space for the more than 46 religious groups on campus. The center caters to all of the religious groups on campus with special accommodations, such as footbaths for Muslim students. The Worship Hall features a 7.5-ton organ with 2,091 pipes, donated in November 2005.

The staff includes leaders who help guide students to understanding their spiritual faith. On-site religious and spiritual counseling is available, as well as other services and activities.

Palmer Museum of Art

Outside the Palmer Museum of Art are two huge Nittany Lion paws beckoning visitors to discover the museum's array.

It originally opened in 1972 with only three galleries, but now offers 11 art galleries, a 150-seat auditorium, exhibits and tours after two renovations, according to its Web site.

The museum usually does not display student artwork but is instead used for art or art history majors as a source for modern art. More than 4,000 of the 6,000 works of art in the museum's permanent collection were donated or purchased using money donated to the museum.

Some of the highlights inside the museum include the paintings "Long Branch Beach" by Sanford Robinson Gifford, "The Staten Island Trolley" by Guy Pène du Bois and "New Mexico Landscape" by Mardsen Hartley.

The museum also features printmaking, photography, contemporary art and the Pennsylvania Print Collection, which came to the museum through a donation by John C. O'Connor and Ralph M. Yeager in 1986.

Admission to the museum is free, and tours are given continuously. Palmer's hours are from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. The museum is closed Mondays and some holidays.