The University of Wisconsin-Madison announced plans to renovate Science Hall, Isthmus reports. The facility, built in 1887, will see a historic $163.2 million renovation that includes the construction of a rear atrium as well as interior upgrades. The project will reportedly also address issues related to safety, accessibility and deferred maintenance.
The project is fully funded by grants and gifts. Insite Consulting Architects, a historic architecture firm based in Madison and Washington, D.C., is responsible for the project’s design work in collaboration with Chicago firm Cannon Design.
The new atrium will provide a lounge or study area at the back of Science Hall. There will also be a new brick pathway outside the rear of the building, a roof replacement, repairs to wood windows and potential additions like storm windows and a green roof for the atrium.
Science Hall contains the university’s oldest lecture hall still in use and houses the geography department, the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and the state Cartographer’s Office.
A request for bids from contractors could be released as soon as September 2026, with construction planned for February 2027 and project completion by February 2029.
