Natural History Building

{{Use American English|date=July 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox NRHP | name = Natural History Building (NHB) | image = NaturalHistoryBuilding Urbana Illinois 4555.jpg | alt = view of back side of Natural History Building from the south with student bike racks | location = 1301 W. Green St., [[Urbana, Illinois]] | coordinates = {{coord|40|6|34|N|88|13|33|W|display=inline,title}} | locmapin = Illinois#USA | built = {{Start date|1892}} | architect = Ricker, Nathan Clifford | architecture = High Victorian Gothic | added = November 9, 1986 | area = less than one acre | mpsub = {{NRHP url|id=64000183|title=University of Illinois Buildings by Nathan Clifford Ricker TR}} | refnum = 86003147<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref> }} The '''Natural History Building''' is a historic building on the campus of the [[University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign]] in [[Urbana, Illinois|Urbana]], [[Illinois]]. Built in 1892, the building originally housed the university's departments of [[botany]], [[zoology]], and [[geology]]. In addition to classroom space, the building also included a natural history museum.<ref>{{cite web|title=Campus Landmarks|url=http://illinois.edu/about/overview/facts/landmarks.html|publisher=[[University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign]]|access-date=August 18, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819052200/http://illinois.edu//about//overview//facts//landmarks.html|archive-date=August 19, 2014}}</ref> Architect [[Nathan Clifford Ricker]] designed the [[High Victorian Gothic]] building. The red brick building has a rough stone foundation and is decorated with colored brick and stone. The steep roof is supported by a timber truss system; the exposed trusses create a [[coffered ceiling]] on the interior.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Cassens|first1=Amy L.|last2=Garner|first2=David J.|last3=Johnson|first3=Bret F.|last4=Stein|first4=Janice A.|title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory – Nomination Form: Natural History Building|url=http://gis.hpa.state.il.us/pdfs/201426.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304203732/http://gis.hpa.state.il.us/pdfs/201426.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 4, 2016|publisher=[[National Park Service]]|access-date=August 18, 2014}}</ref>

The building was added to the [[National Register of Historic Places]] on November 9, 1986.<ref name="nris" /> In 2010, it was evacuated due to structural deficiencies. After an extensive, $79 million renovation, it reopened in August 2017<ref>{{cite web |last1=Jones Toal |first1=Samantha |title=Renovated: The Natural History Building reopens |url=https://las.illinois.edu/news/2017-08-28/renovated-natural-history-building-reopens |website=University of Illinois College of LAS |access-date=21 February 2019}}</ref> and now houses the School of Earth, Society, and Environment (SESE) including the Departments of Climate, Meteorology, and Atmospheric Sciences (CliMAS), Earth Science and Environmental Change (ESEC), and Geography and Geographic Information Systems (GGIS), as well as teaching space for the School of Integrative Biology (SIB).

In 2019, the building received [[Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design]] Gold status for its renovation being conducted in an environmentally efficient manner, which included using renewable materials, utilizing energy-efficient technology, and focusing on natural lighting.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Paeth |first1=Abby |title=Natural History Building recognized by U.S. Green Building Council |url=https://las.illinois.edu/news/2019-02-08/natural-history-building-recognized-us-green-building-council |website=University of Illinois College of LAS |access-date=21 February 2019}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

{{Commons category|Natural History Building (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)}}

[[Category:University and college buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places in Illinois]] [[Category:Gothic Revival architecture in Illinois]] [[Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1892]] [[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Champaign County, Illinois]] [[Category:University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign buildings and structures]]