Science classes, originally held in the Austin College Building, moved to the newly created Science Building in 1916.  When more space was needed for the chemistry and physics departments, the Farrington Building was created four decades later at a cost of $2.5 Million.

There was originally a small observatory on the roof that was used for astronomy classes but light from the expanding university and community eventually rendered the telescope obsolete. A planetarium is located in room 102, providing plenty of fun at Farrington.

In 2002, the Board of Regents approved funds for the complete renovation of the building as well as the construction of an addition.  These plans were changed when it was decided the area around the Farrington Building was too limiting; the resulting addition was created as its own separate facility, the Forensic Science/Chemistry Building, located south of the quadrangle.  At the same time, the interior renovations were initially limited to the first floor but, in 2004, expanded to the entire three-stories once funds were approved.

The “Farrington Pit” is the name of the sunken, landscaped area north of the building on the site of the former Education Building.