University of Colorado: Museum of Natural History / Henderson Building – Boulder CO

Description

Built in 1937 by the Works Progress Administration (WPA), the University’s Henderson Building houses the Museum of Natural History.  The building cost nearly $200,000 to build, including furnishings.  In 1951, the building was named in honor of Judge Junius Henderson, appointed curator of the university museum in 1903.  The original layout of the building included archeology and biology halls on the ground floor, an art gallery and geology hall on the main floor; classrooms on the second floor; and laboratories, storerooms, and a darkroom on the top floor.

The building is a representative work of noted architect Charles Z. Lauder, who designed fifteen buildings on the University of Colorado campus.  The style includes red sandstone walls, white limestone for door and window surrounds, and red mission tile roofing.