This is a collection of the alterations made to RI Hall over a period of 168 years. The architectural plans of RI Hall (located in the Plan Room at Facilities Management, 295 Lloyd Avenue, Providence) are listed, along with alterations that we know occurred from the Encyclopedia Brunoniana but do not have blueprints for.
- 1836-1840- The original designs for the building are not in the Plan Room. According to the Encyclopedia, "Tallman and Bucklin were the builders of the cement covered stone building which measured 70 by 42 feet with a projection of 12 by 26 feet. The first floor had two lecture rooms for the professor of chemistry and the professor of natural philosophy. The second story contained a hall for the collections of minerals and other objects. There was a chemical laboratory in the cellar." More information about the original plans is available in the Mason's Specification.
- 1882- a biological laboratory was installed in the basement.
- 1886- skylights installed because the Museum display cases on the second floor were blocking the windows.
- Turn of the century- "At the beginning of the century, Rhode Island Hall was even more crowded. To make more space, a laboratory was installed on the basement, and some of the cases were moved out of the museum, which became a recitation room."
- 1915- there were no blueprints from this year in the Plan Room, although the Encyclopedia Brunoniana tells us that "when Biology moved to Arnold Laboratory in 1915, Rhode Island Hall was remodeled, and the Philosophy Department was installed on the first floor."
