Ely Hall

Ely Hall is a Richardsonian Romanesque brick building on Vassar College's campus that houses classrooms, laboratories, and research spaces for earth sciences. The two-story structure serves as headquarters for the Department of Earth Science and Geography.

The building was first constructed in 1889 as the Alumnae Gymnasium before being renamed in 1933. The name change honored Achsah M. Ely, who had played a crucial role in the college's development through her fundraising work.

The name honors Achsah M. Ely, an important supporter of the college in its early years. The Aula inside serves as a central gathering place where faculty and students meet for academic events today.

The building is open to visitors during academic terms and contains a geology and natural history museum inside. The location on campus is easy to reach on foot and the surroundings are calm, making it simple to explore at a relaxed pace.

Inside are specialized laboratories dedicated to studying earth materials, ancient climates, and rock formations that are still used for research and teaching. These spaces represent a long tradition of geological study at the college.