Academic Hall was built between 1903 and 1906 on the site of the former Normal School Building. It was designed by Jerome B. Legg in the neoclassical style on a monumental scale, capped with a massive copper sheathed dome topped with an acorn, representing the growth of higher education in Missouri. It was built of limestone from a local quarry. From 2012-2013, the building underwent a massive renovation project. The second floor was historically restored, but the rest of the building was completely renovated. The copper exterior of the dome was also replaced, having been in use for over 100 years.