McWethy Hall (1909)

McWethy Hall is one of the finest historic buildings on the Cornell campus with its graceful proportions, careful detailing, and soaring interior spaces. In 2002 it reopened as a spectacular home for the art department, featuring spacious studio art classrooms, senior art studios with 24-hour access, the Peter Paul Luce Gallery, and an addition in the rear of the building for firing pottery. That year the building was renamed McWethy Hall in recognition of the family of James B. McWethy ’65, who gave more than $2 million toward the arts campaign.

Formerly known as Alumni Gym, it was Cornell's first true gymnasium--if you don't count basements, the great outdoors and the student-built gymnasium that burned to the ground in 1891. It is the only campus building designed by an alum.