[2] In 1878 Sayles' father gifted the school $50,000 for the construction of a building in his sons' honor “which shall be exclusively and forever devoted to lectures and recitations, and to meetings on academic occasions.”[1] The building is constructed of rock-faced Westerly granite with Longmeadow brownstone trim.

[1] The main auditorium of the building is characterized by pine roof trusses.

[3] The building is home to a 1903 Hutchings-Votey organ gifted to the university by Lucian Sharpe.

[4] The main auditorium of the structure is adorned with 35 historical and contemporary portraits of leaders and benefactors of the university.

[6] In 2016, the university installed a portrait of President Emerita Ruth Simmons, making her the first and only Black woman represented in the collection.