They were given use of an antiquated Gothic-gargoyled edifice located at Creston Avenue and 184th Street, in the Fordham Road-Grand Concourse area of the Bronx.

[8] After twenty years, plans were finally completed for a new $8 million building, which was designed by the architectural firm of Emery Roth and Sons.

On March 3, 1959, students and faculty occupied the new building for the first time, solving the problem of how to move the books from the old library to the new in typical Bronx Science manner: on Friday afternoon each student took home five library books from the old building, and on Monday returned them to the new one.

The main lobby entrance featured a 63-foot (19 m), Venetian glass mosaic mural overhead, depicting major figures from the history of science such as Marie Curie and Charles Darwin under the protective hands of a God-like figure representing knowledge, with this quote from John Dewey: "Every great advance in science has issued from a new audacity of imagination."

The mural, Humanities Protecting Biology, Physics, Chemistry, is an original work by Frank J. Reilly.

If students have already taken the Living Environment regents in 8th grade, they may take Regents-level or honors chemistry in freshman year.

Electives offered include astronomy and astrophysics, electrical engineering, green design, organic chemistry, and post-AP Physics.

[11] The mathematics department offers standard AP courses in AB/BC calculus, statistics, and computer science.

Post-AP courses in mathematics include multivariable calculus, linear algebra and differential equations, ordinary differential equations, video game development, app development, game theory, and a newly introduced course in financial and actuarial math.

Students usually "double up" on two of these courses to satisfy the fine arts requirement for once and all during the time period of one summer.

[13][14][15] Students manage everything: reporting, layout, design, editing, and final production, under the supervision of the journalism advisor.

Dynamo is the literary magazine sponsored by the English Department, consisting of original poems and stories submitted by students from all grades.

[17] The yearbook office has a custom-built web server to manage its production, powered by MediaWiki and Coppermine software.

Through essays, poems, and artwork, students showcase their linguistic skills and explore diverse cultures.

[23] It attracts an intellectually gifted blend of culturally, ethnically,[24][25] and economically diverse students from New York City.

[43] Many people who attended the Bronx High School of Science have achieved distinction in their respective fields, including winning the Nobel and Pulitzer Prizes, the Academy, Emmy and Turing Awards, the U.S. National Medal of Science, political office and numerous professional society honors.

Bronx Science was the primary rival of Millard Fillmore High School in Head of the Class, a television series that aired from 1986 to 1991.

The main character of Northern Exposure, Joel Fleischman, reveals he went to Bronx Science in Season 2, Episode 4.